It may change, now that Gary is gone.

A new broom, and all.

I doubt it. Mark pretty much ran the day-to-day, anyway.

Just your guess which is as good as mine.

You show me one living soul who can tell you how this place is run and I will eat your hat. We all know, kind of, that Mark builds the houses, Jennifer sells the houses and Tracy makes everything beautiful.

I hope that without their dad that they will be able to continue in the same way.

Mark would give the state of the Villlages address, but they are all brilliant in their jobs and who can imagine how it would be here without any one of them. They could have all quit at any time and lived several lifetimes on their earnings but they chose to continue.

John.Rohan@districtgov.org
So confused, why can an exclusive group (eg. volleyball per email that was sent to you), be allowed to reserve the sport pool and not other exclusive groups? Other exclusive groups have to rent the pool if they prefer to play an activity on their own. The recreation paper states that a resident does not needs to sign up for sport pool programs (eg volleyball) and no courts are reserved. When were ALL resident told or given the opportunity to partake in this meeting that has changed how all the sports pools will be used?

Yup!

Thank you for posting! I couldn't find my copy of the Recreation schedule for anything!

It was the neighbors understanding that the problem at Eisenhower was not the Advance Volleyball players. It seem that the exclusive group with the problems are a men team and a women's team formed with a group of friends and no other residents are allowed to play unless you are contacted by email exclusively. People were told to leave. The advance players must try out to play on the advance team. All other groups are formed without try outs or ratings. This group is just a group of friends. They would turn new residents away. They are not the top or best teams just friends using the pool for themselves only, which will change the villages policy on the use of a sport pool. So there is no reasons why our other pools policy should not be changed.

Aerobics in Neighborhood Pools
 

Am I the only one who, when at a neighborhood pool and approached by somebody and "told to leave", would just chuckle, say "yeah, right" and then continue using the pool?!?

Now, I'm confused. I thought that we were discussing neighborhood pools, not Eisenhower, a sports pool. Or are there issues at both?

don't even think about swimming laps in the neighborhood pool unless you're the only one there. I did it once when both seabreeze and Miona were closed and I'll never do it again. That's what sports pools are for, and it really ruffles feathers.

as for bringing dumbells and exercising on your own, I dont think anyone cares about that.

there seems to be issues at all pools. however, it appears there are two problem. some residents are setting their own rules and the villages is changed the rule without letting the residents have a voice in the change.

Mr. Rohan's Answer To My Email
 

Recently I sent Mr. Rohan of the Recreation Department an email asking for clarification of neighborhood pool rules vis-a-vis people holding aerobics classes. Below is my email with his responses, which I received this morning. His answers are bolded.

Dear Mr. Rohan,

There are a number of conflicting pieces of information being circulated about the use of neighborhood pools by people holding aerobics classes.

I have written to you twice about neighborhood pools being taken over by water aerobics classes before and received two confusing answers that didn't really answer the question. I would like to know if these aerobics classes are allowed to take up neighborhood pools, leaving no room for people to use the pools as their stated purpose. Water exercise is allowed as long as it is not impeding the use of the pool for others. Meaning all access needs to be made available. It cannot monopolize the pool or deter from others using it.

Some neighborhood pools have had signs posted on them to the effect that no exercise classes are allowed. Conflicting information comes from one exercise leader via email, stating that these signs will be taken down and the classes allowed. Another piece of conflicting information from Eisenhower rec center: "the supervisor Matt at Eisenhower Sports pool
(says) that residents will be able as of April 2015 to reserve a time slot for 6 months at a time for volleyball for friends or clubs without renting the pool. Manager states that pools will be allowed to have classes reserved." It is not clear whether he means the sports pool or the neighborhood pools. The signage is temporary and serves as a reminder and for educational/expectation awareness to pool users. We are trying to get new residents to understand the concept of the pools. Matt has been exploring programing as all staff does for their centers. This program is not going to occur.

Can you provide some clarification to all this. Because at the same time, it has been posted in the Rec News that the neighborhood pools are not to be used for exercise classes. And if there are to be exercise classes in these pools, will the participants be required to sign the same release form as other rec center exercisers sign every year? What are the legal ramifications to TV if someone is injured? If someone is leading an organized water exercise class that instructor is personally liable.

Thank you for any definitive answer.

CFrance, nice job. Looks like most problems have been answered. Love the answer for the last one, that should scare the stuff out of the "private" instructors.

I disagree with the comments about people using the pool for aerobics. First off, these people are your neighbors. I see people walking laps for exercise ;in our the time. It prevents people from swimming laps. I do not use the neighborhood pool for any organized activity so I am hesitant to comment on those who do. From what I have observed, it is usually done in the mornings when there are limited people at the pool. To say you don't use the pool but are upset or find it outrageous when you do not use the pool is just complaining for the sake of complaining. Of all the post complaining, I have seen very little where there was actually an incident noted where someone was force out of a pool.

Village Belly Floppers and Pool Cannon Ballers unite!!! Time to put a plan in action to invade these pools and disrupt the aerobics!!!!

50 friendly, extroverted people exercising in the pool for one hour three times a week in the morning, or one unfriendly, introverted person swimming laps or walking from side to side in an almost empty pool. Let's see, three hours a week for aerobics for 50 people and a few other people can't work around those few hours? I am sure the water aerobics people would make room for others to use the pool. The problem is that these others want to also exercise in the pool by doing laps or walking side to see. They just want the whole pool to themselves. They don't like all the people and noise!

If you go back and read the initial posts of both threads concerning the use of neighborhood pools for aerobics, you will see that people have complained about aerobics classes, indeed, taking up the whole pool and bullying others who want to use the pool for its intended and stated purpose. So the assumption that they would make room for everyone doesn't "hold water." The pools aren't even supposed to hold 50 people!

Let's see, three hours a week to exclude the neighborhood from using the pools as they are intended, when the sports pools provide all the aerobics and other water exercise you could want? Of course they don't want all the noise and the people. The neighborhood pools are supposed to be for relaxation, not exercise.

Ready to cannonball where needed.

Photo op!

I totally agree. You know, even before we bought our house, our sales agent drove us all around the area, and either explained all the rules for TV, or explained how we could find the rules. No one has any excuse for not knowing the rules and it has always been that the adult pools were for quiet swimming, and exercising is supposed to be done in the sports pools. That is the way it has always been. But then some people decided that they didn't want to go to the sports pools, it was much easier to just go to the adult pools, and since that was what some people wnted, they just decided to take it upon themselves to change the rules. It all goes back to feeling entitled, and thinking that some people are more important than others. I didn't make the rules-the Morse family or associates did, and NO ONE has the right to change them except them. People certainly are trying, but that doesn't make it right. Eventually it may change, but right now people just need to do what is right , or go through the proper channels, not just bully your way through. How would the people feel if there was something they loved such as relaxing beside the pool---or anything else---and others just took it upon themselves to take it away from them, when the people trying to change things were in the wrong??????

Will this change, or will the groups that reserve the sports pools be liable. Will Matt be having another meeting telling everyone, About the email answer "Matt has been exploring programs as all staff does for their centers. This program (reserved time slots for open volleyball) is not going to occur."

We had exactly the identical experience. TV is a wonderful place and we love it. While it sounds nice to let everyone do whatever they want, that isn't what we expect here.

Yell EBOLA as you're belly flopping and these pools will clear out in a hurry.

In my neighborhood pool, at most any given time, there are pool walkers. They will claim their "lane" if you are standing in their line of walking. When I asked why they didn't use the sports pools, they said waiting in line for the water aerobics classes was ridiculously long, so they got in the habit of water walking the neighborhood pool, others came along and there you have it. I've gone to water aerobics classes and it really is a long wait. We've scammed ways of getting tickets this year: one of us gets out of bed 1st, runs to the rec center, gets the 2 passes, comes home and gets slathered up in sunscreen, dons the suit, grabs a towel and back we go together. Or, if we're both up at the same time, go get the tickets then run to the nearest neighborhood pool to spend the half hour, which does not sit well with those friendly neighbors who think their pool is only for people who live in that neighborhood. The unfortunate part is that there aren't enough water aerobic instructors to offer more classes.

It is inflammatory and juvenile to come take pictures of people at the pool without consent. Could legally be harassment?

Do you think the pix will end up on Hotbabes.com?:angel:

I have never used the pools yet, but as soon as I darn the hole in the knee of my swim suit, I am going to give it a try.

I'm gonna get your pic. and send it in, GG. I know you have one in your den that shows you are a hot babe! A hot golfing babe who made a hole in one.:pepper2:

If a person wishes to go to a neighborhood pool, walk back and forth from side to side, and call it exercise; then they are certainly welcome to do so. Such persons, however, are not welcome to expect other pool users to stay out of their way. If a person lazing about on their noodle happens to drift into your "lane", that's too bad. Walk around them. You have no right to claim that any particular area of a neighborhood pool is designated for your exclusive use.

PS: same philosophy applies to conversation circles and those attempting to be lap swimmers.

That's the way I think about it. If they are approaching a noodle floater, what choice do they have but to walk around them?

Well said and very logical !!

With so much being said about exercisers "hogging" the pool, is the same true for the man who swam down the middle of the Charlotte pool today for over an hour?
Was this the "disrupting" that was previously spoken about?

This lap swimmer needs unfettered access to the middle of the pool. He would have a problem if people floated into his lane. It would be no problem if he didn't mind it when others came into his lane and maybe stopped lap swimming for awhile if many others were in the pool. No one can fault him if he wants to swim laps and the pool is empty. He may,though,be the type of person who would report a large group of neighborhood people exercising in the pool if it interfered with his swimming. He may complain to the Villages Recreation people.

Many women and men in our area loved meeting up in our local pool to do one hour of water aerobics three times a week. They all walked down to our neighborhood pool early in the morning. There was a lot of camaraderie and friendship. Everyone had a good time. Realtors showing homes would often stop in to our pool to tell their clients how friendly the area is and how we have water aerobics three times a week. But someone complained and this very popular activity was stopped. It appeared that a few people objected and were on their phones as soon as people showed up to do water aerobics. The irony is that these people are lap swimmers and serious pool walkers and they didn't want the water aerobics people in the pool. All the aerobics people made room for anyone who wanted to get into the pool. They stated this at the beginning of a session. Heck, half the exercisers were mostly standing around. The problem was that these other exercises needed a lot of room to lap swim and pool walk.

The sports pools may seem to be the answer, but they are not within walking distance, they are not friendly, and it is very hard to schedule things there. Water volleyball players are a tough group to work around. So a nice neighborly activity was affected by a small group of "other" exercisers. Most of the people who commented on this thread probably don't go to the pools in the morning, if they did, they would see that they are virtually deserted. It was fun to see so many neighbors walking to the pool every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Some people didn't even do the exercises they just came to chat!

...

There are no 'tickets' needed for the water aerobics class I attend. There is room for any Villager who wants to come. Mostly women attend, but some husbands come regularly as well.
In the 3+ years I have attended, I have never seen anyone turned away because the class is 'full'.
The class is offered at Laurel Manor (sport pool) and given by Delores Rost.
Delores was one of the first certified water aerobics instructors in the country. Her routines truly provide a comprehensive workout. We work with equipment- pool noodles, exercise bands and water dumbbells.

The class info is listed in the Recreational news each week if anyone is interested. :)

What if a group of people decided to go practice golf swings on the golf course because there was nobody there at some early or late hour of the day. Is that okay? Or would you tell them to go over to where the practice places are.

rules
 

I guess what I read from a lot of these people is, rules are made to be broken. Unless they are ones I agree with.

This is no longer t he truth ...it was never okay to have an organized group. Individuals can exercise but no leader is allowed. This was clarified today with John Rohan at a meeting at the Fernandina pool.

You are in a public place with no expectation of privacy. Personally I hope your pictures wind up on you tube!

Does anybody care that it is clearly stated by the recreation department that this activity is not allowed? Are you aware that most of us drive someplace every day for our activities here in The Villages?