Talk of The Villages Florida - Newbie here. Can someone help with question on swimming pools in The Villages?

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- - Newbie here. Can someone help with question on swimming pools in The Villages? (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/newbie-here-can-someone-help-question-swimming-pools-villages-351630/)

Unique situation

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Originally Posted by Laura T. (Post 2352553)

We were originally told that ADULT pools are different from sport pools and family pools in that all sports and classes are held in sport pools, and family pools allow kids. My new village has an ADULT pool. After moving in, hubs and I decided to go for a swim, in the ADULT pool. Within 15 minutes, a group of women filled the pool with equipment for an exercise class and we couldn't swim anymore, and had to leave. We were told these classes are held three days a week, and it occurs at the time of the morning we both have free time to swim. So, did I receive WRONG information about the pools, or are people just refusing to follow the rules so others can't live THEIR dream?

For all those responding about the rules, I am pretty sure she is talking about the Moultrie Creek pool. Until Eastport area gets built out more, the nearest sports pool is not remotely close. The group you are talking about is not an organized event. Don’t know how Rec Center can stop a group of ladies from getting together and doing water aerobics while socializing. Just go to the Saluki family pool to swim at that time, it’s bigger and better for swimming.

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Originally Posted by roshud (Post 2353088)

For all those responding about the rules, I am pretty sure she is talking about the Moultrie Creeku pool. Until Eastport area gets built out more, the nearest sports pool is not remotely close. The group you are talking about is not an organized event. Don’t know how Rec Center can stop a group of ladies from getting together and doing water aerobics while socializing. Just go to the Saluki family pool to swim at that time, it’s bigger and better for swimming.

They stop them by enforcing the rules. If they don’t want to enforce rules, just open up every pool to the public to do whatever they want, including non residents. Can anyone spell “anarchy”?

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Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2352860)

You are absolutely wrong about bringing people into the pool under 30. YOU don’t tell the grandparent, Community Watch sorry, I think it is Rec center employees, check IDs etc. Being a senior citizen simply doesn’t trump everything.

Clarity: should have read don't tell grandparents they cannot have the kids at the neighborhood adult pool. They should go to family pools.

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Originally Posted by Angelhug52 (Post 2353120)

Clarity: should have read don't tell grandparents they cannot have the kids at the neighborhood adult pool. They should go to family pools.

Yes, that is what I meant, thank you.

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Originally Posted by Laura T.

It feels like high school all over again!

I hadn't thought of it like that but you are correct it's exactly like high school and I had a blast in highschool!

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Originally Posted by Escape Artist (Post 2352858)

Unfortunately, that summation can be applied to many things in The Villages.

Hanging out, making new friends, playing sports and being active, not taking life too seriously (no need to be an adult yet), fun cars, dances, beer parties (in cornfields), swimming (in the creek).

I guess you guys had a different experience than I did.

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Originally Posted by NavyVet (Post 2353023)

Yes! someone who gets it.
TV "swimming pools" are a joke. It's been my biggest pet peeve for over 10 years, since swimming is the only outdoor activity I can do. I have lived here full time since 2003.
By 2014, I had to completely give up on TV amenities as TV had gotten so crowded you couldn't get into ANYTHING (without standing in long waiting lines which not all of us can do.) Town squares packed/wall to wall people, rec centers activities/classes all full, any good shows at the venues sold out unless you got the tickets in the first HOUR they went on sale.
I would check the weekly rec schedule every week for sport pool lap times, even driving to pools at the opposite end of TV. I needed the rope lanes to guide me and keep a straight line. It would usually take me the full 50 minute allotment to do my laps. Sometimes I couldn't even get a lane due to walkers! Or standing in the hot sun waiting for a lane to open up, then someone who arrived 10 minutes after you jumps in and takes the lane right out from under you.
Gradually, classes and volleyball completely took over. The only lap times were at dawn. I'm sorry; I am not getting up at zero dark thirty for anything.
I started trying different adult pools. Very cliquish, and I got weird looks for trying just a couple laps when it was not busy. I don't even do freestyle. I do a military swim stroke that is stealthy with zero splash.
So what if lap swimming doesn't fit as many people at once. They should either keep a couple lanes available at all the sport pools throughout the day or dedicate ONE pool that keeps all the ropes in and schedules zero volleyball or classes. Also, walkers should not be able to take up swim lanes. They can walk around at any of the other pools ... and socialize at the same time.
Sheesh, it's not rocket science.
I've just been frustrated that I certainly don't get my money's worth for "the lifestyle" and amenities that many of us don't actually get to use. The sheer number of residents just makes everything too difficult. The Lifestyle is really just an illusion for the newbies and a way to charge more for houses and those stupid ridiculous bonds.
We paid off 2 and then had to move again, so now stuck with a third bond. I feel I've contributed more than my fair share to the infrastructure or whatever. So many changes in the past 20+ years, some good, some not. They took away the indoor lap pool. Then, the buffalo, and so on.
Okay, rant over. Sorry.

My experience too. I have participated in ONE Rec center event exactly that I wanted to go to, in 5 years, because anything I was interested in was already full. Or did not want to wait an hour in line etc etc. Perhaps they are trying to keep the cost of amenities down by increasing the number of people using them?

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Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2353142)

My experience too. I have participated in ONE Rec center event exactly that I wanted to go to, in 5 years, because anything I was interested in was already full. Or did not want to wait an hour in line etc etc. Perhaps they are trying to keep the cost of amenities down by increasing the number of people using them?

Ah yes, once again the evil "they". The greedy "they". If "they" wanted to keep the cost down, they wouldn't offer the amenity in the first place.

It’s a guess on my part, I thought it might make economic sense. Amenities are a big selling point. Up north, at my friend’s building, HOA fee is $3000 per month for a 2500sq ft 2 bedroom condo. It includes valet service. Anytime I visit my friend I see no one in the elevator, no one in the pool, actually no one anywhere other than service people. Every unit in this luxury (grade A) 22 story building is sold.

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Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2353143)

Ah yes, once again the evil "they". The greedy "they". If "they" wanted to keep the cost down, they wouldn't offer the amenity in the first place.

But then "THEY" couldn't upsell the LIFESTYLE, that we all bought. Greedy? They have a business model that makes tons of money, and business is all about the money. It ain't charity housing here.

Some pools (adult ) have groups that meet there regularly, and do their own thing. One may not be able to do laps!

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Originally Posted by HORNET (Post 2353178)

Some pools (adult ) have groups that meet there regularly, and do their own thing. One may not be able to do laps!

Swimming laps in any Villages pool other than one of the 11 regulation length sports pools (the Savannah pool does not qualify) with swim lanes and flags doesn’t cut it. You spend way more time turning than swimming, and without lanes and flags you can’t swim backstroke. Water walkers, on the other hand, can easily use both the adult and family pools (there are about 100 of them) and should not be taking up very limited and valuable swim lanes in the sports pools.

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Originally Posted by tophcfa (Post 2353224)

Agree!

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Originally Posted by tophcfa (Post 2353224)

Perhaps the very limited resource of the sports pools should not be spent on inefficient lap swimming at about 10 swimmers max. Perhaps the sports pools should be scheduled for water volleyball or water aerobics to service the maximum number of people (well over 50). Why should a sports pool be reserved for just ten people and leave 50 others sitting on the deck?

OR, perhaps the sports pools should be shared among all the groups wanting to use them. Give some time to lap swimming, make some room for walkers, have a couple hours throughout the day for water aerobics, and try to satisfy the never-ending demand of water volleyball.

I can't see the lap swimmers winning the battle to make the sports pools their own.

As for the adult pools - first come first served seems to make sense. If a group comes in and takes up all the space, so be it. However, if a group comes in and finds there are already people in the pool then the group can suck it up and schedule time in a sports pool. What the group CANNOT do is demand the adult pool for themselves.

Based on your description the activity you described is a casual exercise class that would be out of compliance with the pool's intended use. Depending on the Villages attendant, these would either be ignored, or stopped depending on that attendant's personality, or if people complain, or if it is obvious these people are dominating the available room in the water. Contact the Recreation Department and ask them to come to the pool at the time this class is being held.

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Originally Posted by Laura T. (Post 2352553)

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Originally Posted by bsloan1960 (Post 2353232)

The adult pools do not have an attendant on site. If they did the problems of out of compliance activities and non-resident use , under age, etc. Would not be a problem. When issues arise, someone at the associated rec center has to put their job on hold, travel to the pool to try and take charge of a situation after all the miscreants UT on their innocent faces or becom mmomentarily absent. Once the rec center person leaves, all bets are off. Maybe security cameras?