Hadley Pool
 

Does anyone know why the nice furniture in the Hadley Pool was replaced? It appeared to be in great shape and very comfortable.

Replaced with older more beat up furniture or nice shiny new furniture???

Is the new furniture uncomfortable? My new friends are buying my house right next to the Hadley pool.

Lounge chairs seemed to have been changed everywhere. Even at my Bonita Village Pool. The comfortable mesh loungers have been replaced with spanking new vinyl webbing loungers. (no sir, I don't like 'em)

Suggest bringing a good sized towel to lay on the chair while you're sunning for comfort.

Bonita Pool
 

They replaced the furniture at Bonita with white criss/cross vinyl strap. Not really that comfortable in my opinion. Cross pipe support hit lower back & they don't lay flat, some complaints already because there are no arms to help people up. Just my opinion but I think the vinyl might very well stretch in the heat when people like myself a little on the lumpy side sit on them. There's a saying; new is not always better!

I hear what you're saying! The adult pool at the campground in NY where we have been seasonal for years changed their furnature about 5 years ago.

Today,not only can't I use a lounge because of it, but I cannot relax or even sit on anything available at the pool. At first they left me a wooden bench at my request, but at times others would use it and I was SOL. Since then they have removed that bench too! This has caused me to become less interest in swimming and that's regrettable since swimming was the only appreciable form of exercise I'm able to do. I wonder if similar will happen when I finally get a chance to tryout the Hadley pool! http://forums.scifi-nexus.com/images...ey_unhappy.gif

So as I read the concerns about the reduction of comfort in the new lounges, I'm reminded that I would be thankful if only I could use and enjoy the lounges like the new ones you're discribing and renew my interest in swimming again. I guess the lounge issue is pretty much relative to ones perspective!

Replaced the ones at Amelia as well. To us it looks not as high quality as what they had been having...though the older ones would get in bad shape from use and being in the weather. Personally I liked what was replaced better than the new!

What happens now?
 

OK looks like no one really like the new stuff. As a guy who is planning on moving to TV very soon, what happens now? Is there a board or some place where ya'll can go to get better stuff? As I understand the system everyone pays for the up keep of all of the common areas? I could be wrong just thought I would see what happens when everything is not rosy. I know I am married to one that would call someboy in a heart beat!

Thanks for any insight:confused:

The short answer is no. You really must sit or lie upon the new ones until the powers that be do otherwise.

Pools are run by the VCCD I would contact your VCCD reps and let them know.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the honest answer! Still a little :confused:

I Confirmed with a VCCD rep that they changed the furniture because of the age of the old stuff. VCCD is responsible for the Recreation Centers and Pools.

Send any comments Pro or Con to you local Rep.

"Old Stuff"? .... many of these pools were built in the last 4 years. These were quality chairs with solid frames. I was looking at the lounges in the Sabal Chase pool yesterday.... yes, some of the fabric is getting worn, but, wouldn't it be more cost effective to repair the fabric than replace the whole piece? Especially, when what they are being replaced with is a step back in quality, in my opinion.

I think the vinyl strap chairs look cheaper and are much more uncomfortable. I had read somewhere that the central districts (who manage the amenity budgets) felt the strap chairs would be more economical to repair in the future. OK, I can kind of understand that, but, this wholesale replacement of furniture that is still relatively new puzzles me.

pools
 

No puzzle here. Four years old. Used everyday,365 days a year. Many many times a day. New furniture-sounds good to me.You will get used to it.Maybe I would complain if they did not replace the old furniture. Lighten up.

The Hadley pool had furniture with a designer label...like Tommy Hilfiger, and it matched the brown colors of the African theme of the that rec center and It was solid material, not strapped material. I loved those chairs.

Oh well. Things wear out. Even me. I hate when that happens.:wave:

pools
 

I never look for designer labels at the pools.Just use the pool. Colors matching never gave it a thought.

Pool furniture
 

Couldn't care less about the colors or designer names. The main thing here is comfort, design, and above all safety of the product. I have now heard of at least 3 people having accidents on these new lounges. Seemingly they have been tipping. I wasn't there when these accidents occurred but 2 people were seriously injured when their chairs tipped and their heads wound up being whacked on the concrete flooring. I don't know if it was reported but it should have been. Blood was involved.
It's just a shame when price obviously took precidence over quality and safety of the residents who pay the ammenties fees to keep the Villages as beautiful as it is.

To me the puzzle is why such a negative response? I feel this is something of a pattern...

It appears that folks felt the new stuff was less comfy than the old stuff. Also, that most folks felt the chairs etc. were still in good shape. If it ain't broke, set aside the replacement funds for a later date...

I don't care about a designer label, but do care about comfort and overall appearance.

I smell a lawsuit in the making, and that could cost all district residents! Secondary to the safety issue, this could be a concern worth noting!

I'm with you Kate.

Also would like to say that there is no way that any of the pools are used continuously...we do have winter here, and there are many days when
no one is at the pools.

Our pool is about 4 years old and the furniture is just fine. Hope they don't replace it with the new stuff!

I love to see how things are so nice here. Our daughter is the one that saw the designer label and noted the inset tiles around the edge of the pool fit the African theme.

I enjoy the themes and the attention to detail and the nice things that are in the rec centers.

I am a decorate-y person, but I like comfort and safety too. :wave:

the old ones!?!?!?
 

the real question here is ,, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REMOVED ONES? were they sold? traded in? crushed? destroyed? everyone liked them,, the could have been sold to the folks in TV. What do they do with salvage things, do they have a huge garage sale to generate money? or do the employees get to take it home? maybe all that older stuff went to a hunting "" cabin" in Montana?

New furniture at Duval pool as well - same as described at Hadley, etc..

Bill

Bill. People are describing "straps" instead of a solid piece. Are they like the ones that many of us had at the beginning of our outdoor furniture ownership long ago ....straps attached to aluminum tubing?

To me the straps look like they're attached more to PVC tubing than aluminum.. Flimsey...as are the chair-side tables etc.

Heard about this at the last POA mtg
 

A lady from the Village of Bonita sat next to me at the most recent POA meeting. Janet Tutt was there and this lady asked Janet if she was aware that 2 people had been seriously hurt after falling off the new lounge chairs. She said she was aware, that they had recently consulted with Disney World & ordered the same chairs that Disney was using. No mention was made of the type of chairs(vinyl straps). Janet said that they thought the armless chaises, which are lower, would be easier for people with joint problems to get in & out of. I believe she said that they were reviewing this decision. My 84yo mother went to the pool late this afternoon and told me that they had replaced all the chaises with the ones I described. Like others, I hate these kind of chairs. They just replace the furniture about 2 years ago. I can't believe they needed to be replaced. Mom & I like chaises with arms as it makes it easier for us to get up as we both have had knee replacements and are on the "plus" side. The other furniture was classy-looking. I am definitely going to follow up on this with Janet or the Recreation Dept.:024:

Yes, there are both horizontal and vertical straps, interwoven with one another (like the top on a pie). Frankly, the straps seemed pretty thick to me, as well as being maybe 1.5"-2" wide. It was a heavy solid vinyl, not the old-timey woven webbing kind of stuff - seemed kinda rubbery. The framing is aluminum, not plastic, and more than likely the surface is powdercoated (in white) - seemed to be pretty heavy gauge aluminum.....again, not like the bare aluminum frames we all remember. Bracing between parts of the frame are welded, not screwed/riveted together - you can easily see the welds. Overall, the stuff looked real substantial to me. Now how long the strapping will hold up in the FL sun remains to be seen! Again, I can only speak to what I saw at the Duval Pool today.

The mystery to me is how in the world it will be possible to replace any of the strapping if it does deteriorate. It seemed like each piece was wrapped around the side of the frame about three wraps on each end - no screws or rivets holding it in place. How you could do that on one end is easy to figure. How can it be done on both ends...........there's the mystery! Only thing I can figure is that it was done by machine and that the strapping had enough stretch in it to remain taut.

Bill :)

Do what Disney does??
 

They consulted with DisneyWorld about chairs ordered the same chairs that Disney was using?

How about consulting The Villages residents and ordering the same chairs they had been using and that were safe, comfortable and durable with rigorous daily use?!?!?

New Chairs
 

I had similar chairs up north but with arms. Heavy duty strapping in white. Over time because of suntan lotion, oils and sitting in the sun they turned yellowish brown and would not come clean. So I assume the same will happen to these. We're all getting older and more fragile. There are grab rails everywhere. Why someone would think chaise lounges without arms would be a good idea is beyond me. The chises do tip & if you try and get the braces out of your lower back by moving up the foot end starts to come up.Not the greatest of ideas. More money down the drain.

I think they put the better furniture at the family pools

Chairs
 

I checked out the new furniture at Hadley pool.Great. Had no problem with it. Seems like nice clean and safe furniture. Not sure how someone could get hurt on this. Maybe to many cocktails at the poolside. Like I said "Lighten UP", everything is fine. Thank You for the new furniture.

The purchasers from TV have enormous clout and they can buy great deals in bulk and they do. They probably buy from the people Disney does. I would rather have them consult Disney who has tremendous knowlege about how things wear with droves of people using them, then us. One of the things I love about the things in TV is the high quality and the perfect style. They know what they are doing.

To me, it is another example of their business acumen. They painted the Odell Center each Spring of the three years we have lived next to it. All of it. The covers for the shuffleboard, the storage house for the pickleball paddles, the shelterhouse. The rec center itself. They regularly trim and deweed the planting areas. They take really good care of stuff. They replace things when they get shabby. THAT is what I have tried to do in the spaces I have occupied and the number one reason I chose The Villages to live. It is clean and VERY well maintained.

I know that I have heard that Spanish Springs was designed by Disney Designers. They may know the people who run Disney. The end result is spectacular.

Better than consulting one of our neighbors who has the whole danged family of trolls in her back yard. AND the bending over lady. She doesn't do computers or I wouldn't say this. DON'T tell her I said this. It was mean.

Every time my picky daughter visits she says it's nicer than most resort hotels

I'm thinking they thought the change was a good thing... I have bought several things I thought were great in a store only to get home and be disappointed in the actual use of the product. In fact, I have a whole closet full of such items up north....Dang it! I went to Hadley yesterday and they are not so bad. No, they are not as comfy as the last set but perhaps when we get the next set the knowledge learned from these will bring great comfort to all of us! I don't come for the chairs for the most part. It is still a wonderful place to be.
I still enjoy the pool and all the Hadley-ites.

The problem is the loungers are very light and lower than the old mesh loungers and you now don't have chair arms to help you get up. So you plant your hands on the edge of the seat area and if you're not careful, or don't have good balance, you can flip the chair over.

If you slightly "non-mobile" you need someone to help you rise from the chair.

Well that isn't good being that most of us are not as graceful as we used to be.

I have no point of reference except for the experience I had while my parents lived in Del Webb's Sun City West, AZ. The furniture around the pool was "top shelf" in the beginning. During the 20 some years they were there, those chairs and lounges were NEVER replaced once. What was once "top shelf" certainly looked pretty darn shabby after several years. It's nice that I'm going to be living in a place where the owners keep an eye on everything and keep it up...rather than letting things look old and shabby.

2 things I agree with -
 

Lighten up and Thank You.

You know what they say: "some people would BITCH if you hung them with a new rope."

Just got back from the Poinciana pool and the furniture there is the original furniture. I was expecting to see the new and "impoved" furniture.

John

The "original" style pool furniture is in place at the St. James pool - just got back from there a bit ago.

Bill :)

People are not "bitching because they are being hanged with an old rope." People have opinions and they have the right to express them. Just because they live in The Villages doesn't mean they've given up their right to express opinions. Village residents are still human beings and can voice their opinions about what they like and dislike.

Some people like the new furniture. Others find it to be a problem. The pools are not a "gift" from the Villages. They are paid for by the amenity fees. People have the right to have an opinion.

I don't subscribe to the premise that "if the Villages decides it's good for me, then by God I'm gonna accept it regardless of how I might feel." Everybody paid a lot of money to live here.

That's my opinion.