America's Friendliest City???? America's Friendliest City???? - Talk of The Villages Florida

America's Friendliest City????

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Old 08-17-2013, 08:59 AM
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America’s Friendliest City Just Became Unfriendly to its Neighbors! In a recent newspaper article regarding the “Berlin Wall” VHA President Gottschalk was quoted as saying “nonresidents had unfettered access, allowing them to travel in and out of our community and utilize our facilities paid for and maintained by Village residents.” I want to know what facilities he is talking about. I am unaware of any. If he is talking about the entertainment in the squares, nonresidents do help pay for those venues by spending their money in the Villages at restaurants, and other businesses. That can be the only thing he’s talking about. Walling off your neighbors will not stop your neighbors from visiting the Villages. It will only stop them from using their golf car to access the squares and the businesses. They can still use their automobiles to travel on public roads built with taxpayer dollars and adding to more congestion within the Villages. What a tradeoff is that? However, it could stop nonresidents from spending their money in the Villages and hurting all the businesses that need all the help they can get. Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.
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Old 08-17-2013, 09:18 AM
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I never once agreed with the VHA until now. I hope The villages replaces the wall because if they place a gate there it will only be vandalized time and time again. Non residents can enter The village through the front gate the golf paths are privately owner and privately financed and if non residents are traveling them then they are trespassing
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Old 08-17-2013, 09:30 AM
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Originally Posted by barebones1191 View Post
America’s Friendliest City Just Became Unfriendly to its Neighbors! In a recent newspaper article regarding the “Berlin Wall” VHA President Gottschalk was quoted as saying “nonresidents had unfettered access, allowing them to travel in and out of our community and utilize our facilities paid for and maintained by Village residents.” I want to know what facilities he is talking about. I am unaware of any. If he is talking about the entertainment in the squares, nonresidents do help pay for those venues by spending their money in the Villages at restaurants, and other businesses. That can be the only thing he’s talking about. Walling off your neighbors will not stop your neighbors from visiting the Villages. It will only stop them from using their golf car to access the squares and the businesses. They can still use their automobiles to travel on public roads built with taxpayer dollars and adding to more congestion within the Villages. What a tradeoff is that? However, it could stop nonresidents from spending their money in the Villages and hurting all the businesses that need all the help they can get. Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.

We are a municipality. We function differently than others granted but we have a beginning and an end geographically and borders. There are those who come on this forum with scathing comments about the fact we AREN'T really a gated community and to ME...those folks make way too much of that.

What has now happened is that there was a gate closed and now due to hue and cry it is opened, kind of a strange form of democracy in this CDD form of government, but the population was listened to. We have so much time on our hands that we are now picking at scabs.

I think that since most of us represent the older population of this country we should just go on....try to forget the unpleasantness and keep on living life.

There is a very real possibility that in 20 years, we won't give a hoot about all this....maybe in two months.

Enough already as they say on the East Coast....and Least said, soonest mended as they say in Ohio.

Let's quit fightin. It is resolved.
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Old 08-17-2013, 09:36 AM
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Old 08-17-2013, 09:39 AM
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From what I understand they are using the facilities in the Village of Orange Blossom but the wall came down yesterday at 5:00 PM hopefully just temporary. Bottom line is this, if outside residents want to enjoy The Villages squares and stores they have every right to but they can drive their car. Our amenity fee pays for the golf cart trails and upkeep of our facilities. If our neighbors would like to take advantage of what The Villages has to offer there are plenty of houses for sale in the Villages.
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Old 08-17-2013, 09:40 AM
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Originally Posted by graciegirl View Post
We are a municipality. We function differently than others granted but we have a beginning and an end geographically and borders. There are those who come on this forum with scathing comments about the fact we AREN'T really a gated community and to ME...those folks make way too much of that.

What has now happened is that there was a gate closed and now due to hue and cry it is opened, kind of a strange form of democracy in this CDD form of government, but the population was listened to. We have so much time on our hands that we are now picking at scabs.

I think that since most of us represent the older population of this country we should just go on....try to forget the unpleasantness and keep on living life.

There is a very real possibility that in 20 years, we won't give a hoot about all this....maybe in two months.

Enough already as they say on the East Coast....and Least said, soonest mended as they say in Ohio.

Let's quit fightin. It is resolved.
I so agree! As "they" say..."don't worry, be happy!" LIFE is way too short to be angry and vindictive!!
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Old 08-17-2013, 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by tag460 View Post
From what I understand they are using the facilities in the Village of Orange Blossom but the wall came down yesterday at 5:00 PM hopefully just temporary. Bottom line is this, if outside residents want to enjoy The Villages squares and stores they have every right to but they can drive their car. Our amenity fee pays for the golf cart trails and upkeep of our facilities. If our neighbors would like to take advantage of what The Villages has to offer there are plenty of houses for sale in the Villages.
how do you understand that - from personal fact or the tales that have been transcribed here? didja know that there are no golf cart trails in orange blossom, country club hills and silver lake villages - only public roads?
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Old 08-17-2013, 10:08 AM
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Originally Posted by barebones1191 View Post
America’s Friendliest City Just Became Unfriendly to its Neighbors! In a recent newspaper article regarding the “Berlin Wall” VHA President Gottschalk was quoted as saying “nonresidents had unfettered access, allowing them to travel in and out of our community and utilize our facilities paid for and maintained by Village residents.” I want to know what facilities he is talking about. I am unaware of any. If he is talking about the entertainment in the squares, nonresidents do help pay for those venues by spending their money in the Villages at restaurants, and other businesses. That can be the only thing he’s talking about. Walling off your neighbors will not stop your neighbors from visiting the Villages. It will only stop them from using their golf car to access the squares and the businesses. They can still use their automobiles to travel on public roads built with taxpayer dollars and adding to more congestion within the Villages. What a tradeoff is that? However, it could stop nonresidents from spending their money in the Villages and hurting all the businesses that need all the help they can get. Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.
And which village do you live in?
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Old 08-17-2013, 10:47 AM
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One thing for sure, there hasn't been this much "excitement" in TV for a while. The wall sure "woke the TV Bears up" from their sleep. The fact folks couldn't get from here to there in their golf carts and that was their only personal transportation was the "thing" most disturbing. Put yourself in their shoes----would you not be upset? The unknown is the most fearful! Just a "little" transparency would have gone a long long way. Perhaps we learn from this and hopefully move on.
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Old 08-17-2013, 03:51 PM
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Originally Posted by njbchbum View Post
how do you understand that - from personal fact or the tales that have been transcribed here? didja know that there are no golf cart trails in orange blossom, country club hills and silver lake villages - only public roads?
but...it gives outside visitors access to the cart bridge etc...
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Old 08-17-2013, 04:02 PM
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Who would want to drive on the golf cart bridge? There was a massive traffic jam there today with people coming to see The Wall....
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Old 08-17-2013, 04:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barebones1191 View Post
America’s Friendliest City Just Became Unfriendly to its Neighbors! In a recent newspaper article regarding the “Berlin Wall” VHA President Gottschalk was quoted as saying “nonresidents had unfettered access, allowing them to travel in and out of our community and utilize our facilities paid for and maintained by Village residents.” I want to know what facilities he is talking about. I am unaware of any. If he is talking about the entertainment in the squares, nonresidents do help pay for those venues by spending their money in the Villages at restaurants, and other businesses. That can be the only thing he’s talking about. Walling off your neighbors will not stop your neighbors from visiting the Villages. It will only stop them from using their golf car to access the squares and the businesses. They can still use their automobiles to travel on public roads built with taxpayer dollars and adding to more congestion within the Villages. What a tradeoff is that? However, it could stop nonresidents from spending their money in the Villages and hurting all the businesses that need all the help they can get. Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.
which village is your rhetoric representing? or are you an outsider wannabe?
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Old 08-17-2013, 05:00 PM
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Lets hope cool heads prevail, and the wall/gate situation is resolved in an amicable and satisfactory manner. However, I think the instigators of the wall's creation understimated, or had no knowledge, of the power the Internet offers these days. I see as many "seniors" using their smart phones, as I did "kids" prior to moving to TV, and we seniors are more technically savvy than younger folks give us credit for. When this thread started, it was visited by a a virtual tidal wave of responses, which are now in the seventy thousands. i hope the "powers that be" recognized that we DO pay attention, and can mobilize. 70,000 plus, is a goodly number of Villages residents, if we lump the visitors to TOTV into that group. Even if they are not residents, people pass along such interesting stories as this one. "America's Friendliest Home Town", took a hit, IMH
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Old 08-17-2013, 05:28 PM
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Originally Posted by ttown View Post
who would want to drive on the golf cart bridge? There was a massive traffic jam there today with people coming to see the wall....
lol
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Old 08-17-2013, 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by njbchbum View Post
how do you understand that - from personal fact or the tales that have been transcribed here? didja know that there are no golf cart trails in orange blossom, country club hills and silver lake villages - only public roads?
Well,there is the cart path that has been under discussion and there is the cart path that runs from Paradise Road through the dog park and up to the golf cart bridge. There is also a golf cart path from Tarrson Dr to the post office area and the Circle K and the old town square. There is also a cart path that runs from Turnberry into the Silver Lake Rec Center parking lot. Then there is the path that runs from LaGRande Blvd along 27/441 past Paradise Lake and to the dog park. Those are the ones I can remember. There might be more.

I think what Gottschalk might be referring to is outsiders sneaking onto the executive golf courses after hours, and using the pools and possibly attending lifestyle club meetings in the rec centers. I've also seen some strangers in some of the rec center pool rooms. They might be guests but again, who knows. There is no one to check ID's at the Silver Lake Rec Center. The golf course starter building are closed at 7:00 and in the summer there is still almost two hours of daylight, plenty of time to get in 9 holes of par 3 golf.
Checking of IDs at the pools and rec centers is sporadic at best. For a little while everyone was being asked for IDs but I have been to some activities where I haven't had to show and ID in months. There has been a rumor that some people that attend some clubs are not residents. I don't want to get specific, but I belong to a club where a person was asked to leave because after attending for a long time, it was discovered that he was not a resident. I also know of another person that was attending a club and moved out of the Villages. He continued attending the club until it was discovered that he no longer lived here.

I'm sure that this is not a widespread problem and I honestly don't care if a few insiders get in and use some of the facilities as long as they are in interfering with the residents use of those facilities.

And the point that these people can come by car is well taken. But shutting down the Paradise Rd golf car gate will it less convenient and it should virtually eliminate people sneaking onto the golf course after hours.
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