The Importance of "Walkability"

[KayakerNC]

Interesting Article.
"The Villages, and the Sun City communities might not be completely walkable, but they do reduce the importance of the automobile, substituting golf carts and bicycles in the place of cars."
:click:
http://www.topretirements.com/blog/great-towns/consider-walkability-in-your-best-place-to-retire.html/

[senior citizen]

Interesting Article.
"The Villages, and the Sun City communities might not be completely walkable, but they do reduce the importance of the automobile, substituting golf carts and bicycles in the place of cars."
:click:
http://www.topretirements.com/blog/great-towns/consider-walkability-in-your-best-place-to-retire.html/

Thanks for directing us to that website which states very important considerations as one contemplates a major life altering relocation.

The description of Venice Florida being a very lovely walkable town is true.

But the old adage is true.......no place is perfect so best to do the research.

Venice was indeed a planned community and is very well laid out with beautiful wide boulevards leading from the "center of town" to the Esplanade and newly redone beautiful white sand beach.

It was also designated as a "Main Street U.S.A." town which is what we were looking for 16 years ago when we attempted to relocate from Vermont's "homey" small town Main Street atmosphere to Florida.........we made numerous visits to Venice before buying our dream condo right on the beach after selling our home in Vermont. This was after our children graduated college, got married and were off on their own adventures.

Having lived there only 4 months before returning to Vermont, I can say only one thing which would be a detriment.......the red tide seems to pay repeat visits to the Venice beach, causing a constant feeling of pepper in the throat and constant coughing, pnuemonia like symptoms and other health problems.

We no doubt were very naive as to why our real estate agent was always wearing a white surgical mask (no kidding here).

Even on our visits, when we would begin coughing so badly that we couldn't even finish our dinners at great seafood restaurants, we didn't "have a clue" as to why all of a sudden we were choking.

After comparing notes with other "visitors", residents, vacationers, etc. we found out the truth and later did some research on the red tide bacteria.

We both got pretty sick once during a vacation there, prior to buying the condo.......but chalked it up to something we had picked up on the airplane. Stale air on the plane, etc.

BUT IT IS INDEED A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CITY......charming to look at and very well laid out. The center "island" of that boulevard has nice park like treed paths, landscaping, a gazebo and great for walking..........as are the sidewalks on either side where the shops are..............the "look of Venice" is why we moved there. We raved about it to all our neighbors; many of whom did visit and also loved the way Venice was laid out. It's right below Sarasota so one flies into that airport. Fishing pier, jetties, other nearby gorgeous beaches as well.........it had a lot going for it and was not just a developement in the middle of nowhere, but a true planned city.

There were others issues as to why we left, which I will not bother to go into here.

But great website on the walkability of various places in Florida. Having vacationed in Florida yearly for most of the 45 years of our marriage, we have explored both coasts but only some of the "interior" during visits to Disney.............Talk of the Villages Forum is a great place to do research with great contributors. Thanks for sharing.

[graciegirl]

About walkability.

Yes, walking is happening a lot in The Villages, but it is WAY too big to walk from one side to the other .....easily. But man do people walk here; they walk their dogs and walk for exercise and walk for pleasure. Most of us are in so many activities that all that moving around makes us much healthier. And the carts save gas and energy.

And as for walking, some skate, run, jog, bicycle, (Please pray that I don't run over any bicyclists) and they line dance, ballet dance, tap, twirl batons and cheer. They play baseball, pickleball, tennis, basketball, and golf. (A LOT of golf)

However....some do walk their dogs by driving their golf carts very slowly.

There are a lot of birdbrains, dingys, nuts, and wonderful people here....and they are mostly moving around a LOT!

[tony]

I have removed some blatantly political posts from this thread. There was no need for them. It was rude of the posters, and I grow weary of irresponsible posters.

We have a place for political comment. Members who don't join political clearly do not want to see political posts.

If you do not have the common sense to keep your political posts in Political I am going to start helping you learn. I have no more time to baby sit members putting their political post in other forums. Before you respond to a post in a political vein, look at the topic and the forum where the thread originated. It is not a valid excuse that you didn't know where you were posting.

Everybody who gets political in the other forums will be just as responsible, whether they started the political vein or continue it. You tend to sound like a bunch of bickering children. Its embarrassing.

It will stop now, or you were be removed from the forum.

Now, please, let us continue here on the topic of walkability.