Cart path closing
 

Driving on Paradise Drive in the Historic Side this afternoon, we noticed signs and gates at the entrance to the path that goes all the way to Lowe's and Walmart along st. Rt. 441. The sign says: Construction Alert! This path will be closed at 6 a.m. Saturday August 10.

The gates will block entry from Paradise to the path that TV maintains which has pavers and lights. It goes into the parking lot for several medical offices before going through the recently paved path by the new assisted living facility and onto Lowe's.

Curious as to what was going on, I called someone I know who works for the VCDD and was told that the Villages Hospital owns the property and the powers-that-be are closing access to golf carts to that area permanently. Why? I don't know.

I am very upset and confused. Does anyone know anything more about this? Not only will it prevent Villagers from going by cart to many, many businesses and doctors' offices, it will prevent people in the other neighboring developments from coming into TV on their golf carts.

Why?

closing1_zps0cf58468.jpg Photo by bkcunningham1 | Photobucket

I went through there this afternoon, its for saturday only as I read it.

That isn't what District Property Management told my friend who works for the VCDD.

If you go to Village Community Development Districts you might be able to find out all that information

So, you heard it third hand and are posting it here as fact?

Lets hope its just temporary to install posts to prevent cars from crossing through. Looks like that has been happening. (scrapes on the center curb).
Just takes a few bad apples to ruin it for everybody...

seems unlikely, in that the Villages Hospital has recently been advising people to use their Urgent Care facility (rather than ER) for non-emergencies, and that is only accessible in a golf cart by using this pathway

however, stranger things have happened!

PLZ give BK a break, he just wanted to know what others knew of the situation and he was asking the question anyway. It definitely affect many if it was closed.

There is now a concrete wall blocking entry. What a sad shame. No warning. No explanation. I don't see anything on the VCDD website. But I called the VCDD and got the information that is will not reopen. Because of Florida's Sunshine Laws, they are very upfront with information and they contacted the proper channels. I don't consider it third-hand information. It is facts.

Thank you ssmith. You are very fair and very kind. BTW. I'm a she.

Gee this is bad news.

Just returned from there.
Construction crew was there, said the closing is permanent, they had instructions to build a wall.
Seems like we are not in a golf cart friendly community, as we had thought.
Hope this can be resolved , somehow...

We were just there in our cart. There must have been 15-20 carts sitting there AND a couple stuck on the other side of this wall!!! These people worked at Walmart and Lowe's and got walled out! How are they supposed to get home now? This is a golf cart community. One woman was in tears because she doesn't have a car and that's where her Dr is !

A VERY bad idea that no doubt will bring in a lot of calls and complaints. What was TV thinking doing this???

It is mind-boggling to us too. We have friends whose adult daughter is handicapped and works at Walmart. She drives a golf cart and it gives her great independence. I thought of them first and other friends who don't have autos who will be negatively impacted by this crazy fence.

ooops
 

seems I have confused BK 1 with BK2. Sorry

The question is:

Are they trying to keep people in or are they trying to keep people out?

any news on the proposal to allow golf carts to cross 441?

maybe we will (eventually) be able to get to Lowes/Aldi/WalMart in our golf carts that way

Why would they want to keep people out? There has to be way more to it than just a fence. There's things going on behind the scenes we don't, and may never know. Of course, my first thought goes to the fact that paths lead to properties and businesses not owned by "The Developer." But it is cutting off your nose to spite your face to keep people from coming into The Villages via golf cart to businesses owned by The Developer. What would be the point?

I feel bad for the people who don't have cars.

Are there two BkCunninghams?

Did the developers build the wall or did the people who run the hospitals and run the assisted living facility build the wall?

I can't imagine that blocking a golf cart path would be advantageous to us villagers....Does it block Orange Blossom Hills and Country Club Estates AND Stonecrest?

Where is Edvin Mass when you need him to tell us what is happening with the cart paths. Is this the SAME cart path that he was updating us on?

Inquiring minds want to know. Meanwhile carry on with speculation.

As the jingle on The Villages Website goes "The Villages, Florida's Friendliest Hometown"...maybe not! To paraphrase former President Reagan, "Mr. Morse tear down this wall!".

There is only one bkcunningham.

The wall is a precast concrete wall panel that matches the existing wall running behind homes in TV now. It was lifted into place with either a crane or a large forklift.

It is at the entrance to TV property.

It is not near Stonecrest.

It isn't the place that Ed was talking about. That was at Walmart. The wall blocks carts from leaving out an existing cart path to the medical facilities and other businesses that run along st. Rt. 441 between Boone Gate and Sonic Drive-In and beyond. Stonecrest residents can no longer come into TV via golf carts through the gate and the path because of the concrete wall.

well I've just re-read The Daily Sun and there's nothing on it there, so it can't be true :-)


anyway, how best to proceed?

mass civil disobedience - meet in our golf carts at Buenos Aires and keep crossing 441 every time the lights are green?

everyone send an e-mail to VCCDD asking what is going on, and how soon it is going to be fixed?

contact ABC/CBS/NBC saying that "Florida's Friendliest Hometown" and "World's Largest Golf-Cart Friendly Community" has cut its 70,000 golf-cart owners off from their Urgent Care Facility?


oh, I forgot - there is a shuttle from the hospital to that urgent care facility - like you want to wait for a bus when you need urgent care!

Does this golf cart path that is now walled off go from non-Villages property to Villages property? It certainly is on private property unlike the roadway system which is public property. Maybe it was felt since it is private property that a cart path connecting non-Villages land to Villages land could be a liability issue.

The Villages, itself, is a golf cart friendly community but does not have to connect with non-Villages property via golf cart.

If the people from outside The Villages want to visit on their golf carts to enjoy all of our entertainment - let them move here like we did. If they do not want that, they can use their car and still be very welcome.

THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE SHAME...they cut off our access to all the stores and especially the urgent care facility...its not bad enough they are distroying the church to make more money for another savannah center... THIS IS NO LONGER FLORIDAS FRIENDLIEST HOME TOWN.. they people in here then they take stuff away...access to this golf cart path was a huge part of all of our lives...I hope we can somehow find an alternative...

Bugs, the new wall stops carts from leaving TV property and going along an existing cart path to The Villages Regional Medical Center East Campus which is Belle Cruz Drive.

I am totally upset about this..we all depend on that path for easy access to stores and lets hope someone comes to their senses...but they are taking the square church away so whats next...

seems to me that the developer has insured that if residents want to shop at walmart and lowes, etc they will hafta shop at the ones within the villages rather than the stores convenient to the historic neighborhoods. and the developer has done what can be done to prevent $$ being spent at aldi and any of the restaurants along the now walled-off route.

new job oppty for someone to start a car service with trips to businesses along 441/27!

Closing
 

Do this right. Contact the HOA. the POA , the AAC, the CIC and any other organization that you know to fix this. Who did this and why? Like many many others, I am upset by this.

I said that to my stepdaughter yesterday, njbchbum. She said her heart was breaking for people who don't have cars and who depend on Aldi's----that and she can't borrow a golf cart and go to Sonic anymore.

Monday morning will be a day for phone calls and trying to sort out the who and why. We know the when, where and what part of the investigation.

Just came back from Lowe's...in my car...and out of curiosity I drove past there. There are 6 people stuck on the other side, one has called the police and on TV side I counted 26 carts lined up and tempers flaring. No warning, nothing in the precious Villages Sun and no notice...just slapped up the wall and stuck a sign in the ground. Wanna take bets on how long it is before we see graffiti on that damn thing?

I wish you had taken photos. We are going out to drive around there now and I will take photos. I just have such a hard time posting them. I will put them on Photobucket and link it when I get back. Mr. Morse, take down that wall. That was a good one! LOL

I wonder if it's easement? Was there ever a building permit to put up that dam Wall?
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...0-13-11-52.jpg

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...8-10-13-11-55/

:BigApplause: :BigApplause: :bigbow:

Link will show the Wall https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...8-10-13-11-55/

I am not sure what the florida sunshine law is, but it seems to apply only to public meetings...If the hospital wants us to use urgent care why would they want to make it impossible to get there by golf cart?...lets hope we can get some alternative route...thats what makes it so desirable here, easy access on golf cart...:

If the hospital is worried because people are migrating to Ocala for health care, then why put up a wall and block everyone from going to the medical buildings on the other side??

does Home Depot hire out bulldozers by the hour?

One lady told me they put up that sign at 7AM this morning. I was able to get through 3 days ago and that sign was not there.

I'm sure you meant Lowe's because it's right there. :thumbup: