Installers From Across the Nation Gather to Build Dream Pond

Multicolored koi flitter between submerged rocks. Frogs croak from hiding spaces between sprigs of grass. And water cascading over river rock and boulders creates a synchronized ballet of trickling and splattering before spilling gracefully into deep ponds in Tom Kincheloe's Myrtle Beach, S.C. backyard.

A garden path winds around the water feature, surrounded by a border of plants, boulders and yard accessories, including Kincheloe's mahogany bench and a totem pole that appears to stand guard over the koi.

It took three days and the efforts of nearly 20 professional pond installers from across the country to build Kincheloe's dream pond at his home. The builders, most members of the International Professional Pond Contractors Association, decided to donate their time and expertise to create the pond after Kincheloe complained of problems with an existing pond that he said had multiple leaks and was too shallow to sustain fish. Kincheloe had shared his story online at the IPPCA's Web site, describing how difficult it had been to rectify problems and enjoy his pond.

Believing Kincheloe deserved better, the installers organized and agreed to meet in Myrtle Beach last week to redo the disabled occupational therapist's backyard pond.

"I don't know how to describe how I feel," Kincheloe says about the finished product. "It's beyond words."

Crews began ripping out the old pond the first day. Most of Kincheloe's plants were salvaged and stored in an inflated child's swimming pool before being reinstalled.

Nearly two tons of rock were used in the new feature. Workers hauled in dirt and laid new liner. Seven waterfalls were created to enhance the sound of gushing water. And a small wooden bridge was added across the stream connecting two deep ponds holding koi.

"These guys were absolutely phenomenal," Kincheloe says. "It was a perfect example of the best teamwork I'd ever seen."

Dave Jones, founder of the contractors association, said the effort went off without a glitch.

"It was just a finely orchestrated effort by professionals that had no prior experience working together," Jones says. "It just all came together. I'm very pleased with the outcome."

In the end, Kincheloe received a pond worth about $50,000.

"This isn't just a pond," Jones says. "This was a labor of love. ... Tom was very appreciative. That was the kind of guy we thought he was, and he didn't disappoint us."