Update May 14, 2021 – GM Corner

To the Massanutten Community:

It’s been a while – too long, actually – since I last posted here. Lots to tell you about, including:

– Summer operating plans
– Projects you may see around the mountain and community
– An update on the Water Park
– A NEW Community website page (coming soon)

Let’s get to it.

Summer Operations: As I’m sure you know, the pandemic appears to be easing. New infection rates in Virginia and Rockingham County appear to be declining; people are getting vaccinated and as of this past Friday almost 1/3 of Rockingham County residents were fully vaccinated. That’s good news.

At the same time, we still need to be cautious, and we’ll do so. Last year at about this time, we launched extremely vigorous cleaning and safety protocols; these were modified over the course of last summer and winter as conditions changed, as we learned more, and as state and federal guidelines changed. But the best practices we learned and developed will continue going forward. Some of these things have to do with how we clean; some of them relate to how many people will be permitted in any facility or attraction at one time; some of them have to do with booking services such as golf or the Water Park (online booking and payment – and we expect to keep it that way, at least in the short term).

There will also be some new approaches to food and dining. We’ve made takeout and delivery easier, should you so choose, and will add a new Beer Garden at Rugged Cup, which is directly across the street from the Massanutten Sign on Route 33. And, of course, as warmer weather arrives outdoor dining is a much more attractive option, so we’ll be boosting that at popular locations. You can explore options at the resort’s website – massresort.com.

Projects: We’re always trying to make things better. Several recent projects you may have noted:
– A new fishing dock in Painter’s Pond;
– A new paved walkway between the General Store and what was once the Owner’s Lot. This will help people navigate around the ski area base without walking in roadways;
– Improvements to the walking path between the base of the ski area and Painter’s Pond. The path was already there, but we’ve made the signage clearer and the path better;
– We will add a new retail outlet – Balanced Roots. It features wellness products, essential oils and skin care products, candles, meditation aids and products to help you create tranquility gardens. It’s located at the current site of the Fun Factory on Route 33 – specifically, 11441 Spotswood Trail, Massanutten, VA 22840

Water Park: We added a bunch of wonderful new features to the Water Park last year, but the pandemic meant that we never had the opportunity to give it the launch it deserved. So, we’re doing that this year! There will be a special celebration there for MPOA members – stay tuned for details.

Coming soon: NEW Community page! We’re putting the finishing touches on a new Community Page, in order to keep you better informed. It will be located right here, but will add features including:

– Subscribe via e-mail: Once you subscribe, you’ll receive e-mail notification whenever we add content
– Moderated discussion: the new format affords you the opportunity to respond to our posts. Those posts WILL be reviewed prior to publishing, and we reserve the right to refuse publication. But thoughtful questions and comments may be posted, along with response from the Resort.
– Vastly improved navigation: The old format presented all content in strictly chronological order by category. Newest posts will still appear first, but all new posts will appear on the Community home page and it will be much simpler to search the categories for previously-posted content.
– Some important phone numbers and email addresses (security, road condition reports, etc.).

We’ll let you know when the new page is launched.

A Tip o’ the Hat: MPOA Board Member Kevin Frazier has done a superb job ensuring that MPOA’s members are aware that MPOA Board elections are coming up. We think his efforts on ensuring good turnout deserve special commendation. We’d also like to thank the entire MPOA Board for continued thoughtful dialog and the strengthening of a relationship that serves the entire community well.

As always, your thoughts and comments are appreciated. You can reach us at community@massresort.com.

Cordially,
Matthias Smith, VP/General Manager, Massanutten Resort