I don't have a problem with kids hanging out in the squares. I don't mind the image of them running around. That's what kids do -- they goof off, hang around with friends, burn off energy. I do, however, mind the idea of someone lounging in my golf cart; checking the doors of obviously closed business; hitting another human, especially a girl. The first is disrespectful; the second implies illegal activity is planned; the third is obscene and illegal. Knowing me, I'd tell to get out of my cart in no uncertain terms; call the police about the potential of illegal activity planned; call the police and interfere until they showed up (I do have a tendency to jump into things like that).

Would I live by Brownwood? Probably not -- I can't say I'd feel particularly unsafe, I just don't like being the one to test the water so to speak.

Last night at Brownwood, in the last hour there was a small group of about 6 preteens/teens goofing around on the dance floor during break (just being silly and jumpin' around to the music). One lady beside me (a newbie) said "I wonder where those kids come from....." and I thought "oh oh...here we go....."

But soon they formed a Conga line and some grandma types joined them and they went around the whole dance floor a few times, giggling together and they were fun to watch.

The adult thing to do is talk to the kids personally, individually, as if they are good people and not a "mob" that's up to no good. Chances are, they'll fulfill the expectation we set. If you talk to them as though they're worth something, they will probably respond likewise! Nobody responds kindly to being treated as worthless and up to no good. A lot of kids come from single parent and broken homes and would love to have some attention from the kind souls here in TV.

Talk to them!

Didn't we move to an over 55 community to avoid children?

Maybe we should vote to have "real" gates?

"To avoid children" probably means avoiding living next door to them with all the noise and drama teens and toddlers produce....and parents who do nothing to discipline them.

Going to the squares at night is optional. I can't think of many things more boring than watching 60 couples of white wrinklies slow dancing!!

Our wallet must not be as fat as yours... do you have a grasp of how much privatizing The Villages would cost? In addition to your tax bill you would be funding all of the streets, signage, would have private security patrolling the streets and so forth. I like public, A LOT!

We have lived on private streets before and after the fleecing from our real estate tax bill, we then began paying all the other expenses. No thank you.

One solution if the above are your goals is to either not move to TV or don't leave your house. And a real gated environment is not practical/or affordable and does nothing for controlling who is in the squares.

When one completely loses tolerance and patience for youth they have reached an age much older than the number on their birth certificate.........plus losing out on so much the world of youth has to offer.

The isolated incidences of "packs" of teens in TV is just that.....an isolated incident

btk

Why does it have to cost more? It's the same expenses as any other town incurs except you have gates. That SHOULD be the only additional expense. Incorporate into a town...a private town. I'll trade a few of the flowerbeds for the gates.

You need to research the reason that our gates are not secure. There's a whole lot more involved that would cost millions to tax payers as was stated in a previous post.

You moved to an over 55 community to be WITH children? Really? Seems like a non sequitur to me.

Packs of teens are like roaches...there are more than you see, and it leads to a dirty place to live. Compare places with more to those with less...you'll reach the same conclusion.

You came here planning not to be able to have your grandchildren come to visit?

There is obviously a missing element of reality in the response.
Are you willing to pay whatever it costs in increased monthly fees to live in a truly gated community and towns? You would not be able to afford the cost!!!

Do you know how many retailers and restaurants would dry up and blow away if the only clientele were us old farts who have a magic card to get in.....almost all of them!!!!

And would it be further suggested to either not go to any shopping centers outside TV for the sake of safety or avoiding the youth of America? Of course not!!

Makes for an interesting discussion up to the point one is asked to assume "it would not cost much more" to gate the residential areas AND the town squares!!!!!!

btk

People are talking about vandalism at the Barnstorm Theatre - seats were slashed?

answering no to the following question:

"Didn't we move to an over 55 community to avoid children?"

Does not translate to having moved to a 55 + community to be with children!

The age(s) of who frequents where/what/when had absolutely nothing to do with our decision to move to TV.

However if there was a restriction on TV that ONLY 55 plus could live and or play or visit here.....we would not be residents of such a community.

btk

It is time to take a deep breath and think more clearly. The Villages is simply a retirement community. The Squares are public retail areas that primarily market to the needs of seniors, but that in order to survive must also market to all ages. This makes the Squares no different than the malls to which we all are familiar. They are public.

The Villages is not a secure, gated compound and it has never ever been marketed as such. It does not matter what your rose colored glasses conveyed to your brain. Residents here must exercise the same common sense with regard to their security as has been their practice from whence they came.

Do not invent problems. Just trust that law enforcement and The Villages management, where appropriate, will deal with undesirable issues as they arise. A few isolated instances quoted herein are as much the fault of the victims as the perpetrators. The Villages is not an isolated dome.

However, it is a very nice place to live for those of our age.

For some reason there are village residents who actually believe they can control who comes to our squares and surrounding restaurants. Most of the teens I have observed are teens, loud, sometimes obnoxious, but still good kids. We need outsiders to keep our businesses going. One incident which may be overblown is not a reason to blame all teens.