Swimming Pools
 

I will spending the month of January in The Villages and wanted to know if any of the pools are heated. Also, is there an indoor pool in The Villages.
Any information would be very much appreciated.:)

pools are heated year round (83-84 degrees give or take). No indoor pools.

That is great news!
 

Great news. Thanks Russ.:a040:

All pools are 80-84 degrees - a little cooler in morning until heaters kick in and sun comes up

go early morning when the air is at its coldest, and you'll be swimming through clouds of water vapor - cheaper than a trip to Iceland.

is there not an indoor pool at a fitness club in Spanish Springs - membership only - or have I had one glass too many?

The fitness club HAD a pool when they were in their old location. Not one in SS.

Thanks, Russ

I wonder if people would pay to use a new indoor pool?

The outdoor ones are very nice and, apart from nights and during lightning, are open quite long hours

but no soap in the showers!

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OH YES!!!! Bring it on!

I'll be first to sign up!:)

ONLY indoor pools I know of in TV are the ones at Freedom Pointe...but you gotta live there AND one at the P.T. place over next door to the Sharon Morse building. You'd have to call to find out about that one AND I know you pay to use it...or at least the classes they have in it.

Sure they would if they didn't have to pay extra. We will have over 110K people at build out. That would be one crowded pool in the winter unless a high fee was charged!

An indoor pool would be a nice addition to the facilities, but I can't see it happening other than as a stand-alone commercial venture, which would need several thousand people to join as members ahead of time.

If the Rec Dept announced it was building one, there would be complaints from those living too far away to use it conveniently.

Maybe some of the existing sports pools could be fitted with lights to extend their operating hours - perhaps even inflatable domes to keep the weather out and the heat in?

I bet if the YMCA would build an indoor pool in the 466A area, they would be sitting pretty! Just an idea "Mr. YMCA"! :)

Is there land down there available for a non-TV operation?

I can't see anyone wanting to pay Morse Inc. a share of the profits.

There were suppose to be many indoor pools
 

Many of us drove from south of 466 to fitness center to use the pool and no one complained. Not anymore of a drive than to any other place in the Villages. The pool was closed to sell the building. No one bought.
The SS sales center was on the market for a long time. No one bought. Finally the fitness center was moved in there to make use of the building. Now MVP rents the building to run their business..
The original plans made by Harold was for many, many fitness centers with indoor pools.
You need to talk to people who have lived here over 5 to 15 to 30 years to hear about how the plans have changed.
The original developer has turned over in his grave many times to see how his development has changed.
Harold really wanted what was best for the residents.

so what has happened to the pool that was there?

is it still there, but empty, or has it been filled in and turned into office space?

seems such a waste, either way

Now that's a great idea!

It is a good idea. Let's all put it in our survey next Feb.

Yes building is empty. Pool is still there. Plan was to sell or rent the building but it was so overpriced- that plan fell through. All the people who used the pool had a big protest and still miss it to this day.

I run around so much that some days I don't even turn on the computer, thus late answers.:laugh:

Indoor pool
 

I'll hold you to that!

Yes....bring on an indoor pool...one way or the other. It would be nice to have an option to swim indoors in the event of inclement weather.....
.....or maybe an evening or early morning swim when it's dark. IMHO natch! :)

I think he was turning over to get a better view of this wonderful place:)

Larry - If you go back and read the history (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Villages,_Florida) The Villages was struggling with sales until they brought H. Gary Morse on board. So taking over for Harold wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

I still think the lack of indoor pools, while it would be nice, isn't a big deterrent. And I guess the 7 new homeowners who close every day would agree with me. Can't knock the success.

Why do I even bother
 

Russ,
I've never said anything you don't fight with... You named me so I will respond.

When you live here FULL TIME OVER MANY YEARS you will see...The pools are empty a great deal of time because of cold weather, wind, rain and lightning. Also, for many people they can't take the full sun. The indoor pool was at max and for many people an indoor pool is a big deal.


No one in the academic world will allow wikipedia as a research source. The reason why is people write up what they want.

Gary and his people wrote that fair and balanced wikipedia piece along with putting in the Sun. We all know the Sun is a biased. Live here and talk to the people who knew his Dad. I've heard it said from people a thousand times who live here that " Harold would turn over in his grave." Not my quote, like I said. I've heard it a million times in many situations.

My neighbor grew up with Gary. Gary ruined every company his Dad gave him. He is completely estranged from his brother and the family is even less impressed with Gary's son.

The flow of the thread is we had an indoor pool and we still need one.

I am now breaking off our little dialog.

End of conversation. Have a good night.

Who the heck said I was fighting with you. We 'name' each other here all the time when you quote someone which is done hundreds of times each day. What's the difference if I use your name in my reply?

It's a fact that Gary took over not Wiki fiction. Would you like to dispute that?

I still ask: If it was Harold's idea to have indoor pools then why were none EVER put in. Not just since Gary took over but when Harold was still viable in the biz.

Why not just answer the question that I ask instead of diverted the subject to any dispute you think you have with me. I'm allowed to ask a question about a statement that someone makes? You said Harold had a vision for many indoor pools. Then why were none ever put in when they went across the street and built SS area? That was very early on and Harold was still the main man. Yes? So please take the time if you can to answer the question I raised about a statement that you made.

So you are saying that Gary ruined the Villages? Last time I checked it was THE largest real estate development in the entire US. And they are closing 7 homes per day when no one else is selling any. We have a very nice hospital, hundreds of miles of cart paths, nearly 100 restaurants, dozens of retail outlets and growing, almost 600 holes of golf etc. etc.

If that's ruining a company then I wish Gary and family ran my business.

Back to the subject of an indoor pool:

Would anyone who says that we need an indoor pool please answer this question: If it were SO viable and needed that residents would pay a little extra for it then why has no one ever built one? Seems like it would make business sense if it were that needed.

How in heck would one lonely pool built by TV ever survive the winter months? As it is many indoor activities book early in the winter.

When I was there this past January it was the coldest week of the year. Yet there were many many people in the sport pools doing their laps like they do every day of the year. Maybe not as many as a warm day but still very many.

Would be nice to have if they had one in each Village but our costs would have to be much higher.

Indoor Pool
 

I was there in January and it was way too cold to swim laps in the outdoor sports pools.

An indoor pool in every Village is cost prohibitive.....as would be a sports pool in every Village. However, an indoor pool...perhaps one or two in each Square area would be a welcomed addition to many.

Swimdawg is my dearest friend. We would love for her to have a pool in the cold months as she is a person who swims every day...except Sundays. I know that there are many people like her that swim every day.

However, I do see that if an outside company would establish a need, then it would be built. The problem is as usual, It is desperately needed in the cold, cold, times and the lightning times, but since we have so many other pools, it would be abandoned except for those times.

This is a problem not easily solved.

Would be a good idea if, and I say if users would have to financially support such a venture by paying annual fees similar to health club memberships. Non users and those physically unable would be exempt from a village wide fee (increase in amenity fees) since many including myself are not interested. Don't think it would pass resident (user) approval but just a thought.

Indoor pools
 

We do have indoor and outdoor pools up north. Of course, the outdoor pools are only opened during the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

We have the option of either using the outdoor or indoor pools under our membership. Interesting, almost all the members I swim with continue to use the indoor pool because we are used to swimming early in the morning.......and at 6:30 am, the outdoor pools are too cold....the AIR is too cold.

And yes there is an annual membership fee which we are all glad to pay for the opportunity to swim indoors "whether the weather" is good or bad. :)

It seems to me that when I was given a tour of the Fitness Facilities in TV, there was a membership fee as well. It wasn't included in the amenities fee, is that correct?

Almost all our YMCA's here have indoor pools......and they are thriving. I wonder if there is "Y" in TV area? I did mention it to a friend of mine who is an executive at a "Y" around here and she indicated that the Florida "Y"'s are a separate entity. Maybe a YMCA in the 466 A area would be a good idea.....with an INDOOR pool, of course. :D

I found swimming in the outdoor pools in January very enjoyable - it was going from and to the changing rooms that was tough :-)

Once inflatable domes could be made strong enough to withstand high winds, a number of outdoor pools fitted them Fall through Spring so that they could be open year-round.

However, the benefit (increase in revenue) from doing that would be more than the benefits (slightly extended usage, and lower heating bills) in TV.

Would be an interesting experiment at one pool - maybe Savannah as that is slightly more enclosed than the newer ones.

I don't think it would be abandoned in good weather. Many people want to use a pool that is protected from the sun.

You are right as usual Bare, but is it MANY enough to sustain and make money for the owner? Always the bottom line is the money. And that isn't a bad thing. That is the practical thing.

I'm working to get the Amenity Authority Committee to include a budget item to get electricity under the pavillion at the Hilltop Pool on the Historic Side so we can have lights and perhaps fans. I'll let you know how feasible of a smaller item like this turns out. I'd appreciate it if you guys let me know it turns out getting an indoor pool built with the amenity fees.

Those of us who live here in The Villages full time continue to swim even in January. There are very few indoor pools in Florida for the same reason that there are very few indoor tennis courts.....we can use outdoor facilities at least 355 days a year so why have indoor for the maybe ten days outdoor can't be used. Just doesn't make any sense. And as for lightning, come on , that happens so infrequently. I don't take lightning lightly as my house was hit by lightning this summer, but really only one or two days have I had to change my swim schedule because of lightning. Life will still go on even if we miss a day of swimming. Gotta go, need to be at Laurel Manor at noon when lap swim starts!

All these developments have indoor pools
 

Here are close 55+ developments with indoor pools. Stonecrest right next to the Villages.
Spruce Creek by Del Webb just north of the Villages,
Top of the World has a beautiful indoor pool in Ocala.
Summer Glen in Ocala
Watermark in Bellevue
Stone Creek by Del Webb in Ocala
Oak Run in Ocala
Some others just a short drive away-Solivita, Lakes of Mt. Dora, Velencia, Trilogy AND MANY MANY MORE. Some have indoor tennis courts too. All are included with amenities.
Our pool was separate, just like our polo and our MVP health club. I don't expect this pool to be in amenity fees. People would pay to use it. When we have a long cold stretch like two winters ago, I do go outside for swimming at different indoor community pools around here like in Bellevue if I have time to drive.
We are in the lightning capital of the world and lightning was just one reason to have an indoor pool. Following this thread and "What I hate about the Villages" thread- Cold is probably the main reason. We are in northern Florida and once you get Florida blood you can't take the cold. Second main reason seems to be the full sun, especially for real elderly people. Then there is rain, wind and as "dawg" said even the hours. I know I don't often have time until after dark and it sure would be nice in the hot summers. Many like early early morning when water is still cold. This would be eliminated with an indoor pool.
It is just perfect weather here today so everyone enjoy it. I know I am. Sitting on my birdcage right now.:clap2: