[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by FromNY

To the worker who didn't die... Did you wear PPE when working? Are you Covid-19 negative? Vaccinated? Or running around Town Square maskless? Agree life must go on and we also might want to be responsible in actions. Be grateful you didn't die. Do you know for sure you didn't contribute to the death or illness of someone else?

[rmd2]

Originally Posted by J1ceasar

Unfortunately The trouble with The villages is that they are not the city of New York and they have no idea ahead of plan any event for the crush of people. That's the good and the bad of a place with 100,000 people while trying to get into one store. That's why I've learned not to recommend any restaurants because you'll get 500 people deciding to go to one place that seats 150 and I'll never get in again. I don't go to Spanish springs in the fall because of the stupid car shows and the fact that there's no parking so I can't go to the movies. It's really ridiculous in this place car show after car show after car show. The same thing happens whenever they have events in the squares you have 100,000 people with nothing better to do than to get in their golf cart for a nice evening ride and you see the ridiculous traffic. The crazy thing is you have a wonderful town of all the wood and Leesburg struggling to survive and yet no one is willing to drive an extra 10 minutes to go shopping in these places. The Leesburg Mall had four large department stores 3 years ago they're now down to one. I'd really like to pop this bubble but everyone in the villages is too damn lazy to get in their car instead of their cart

I spent many happy hours shopping at the mall and dining in Leesburg. I go to all the towns around here Ocala, Fruitland Park, Belleview, Inverness, Winter Park, Gainsville, sometimes to the Gulf.

[Jim 9922]

Originally Posted by Tom2172

TV is overbuilt it will only get worse. Quaintness which was once TV is gone.
TV quickly becoming an overpopulated city with traffic & congestion and all the other problems.

Was The Villages overbuilt the day after you moved here? Just when did the "quaintness" leave us? When it grew from 14,000 to 20,000, or maybe when Lake Sumter Landing opened and it grew to 50,000, or maybe Brownwood opening and growth to 100,000, or maybe 130,000 and the jump over to Finney??? Maybe its the year you settled here, or what you seek out to participate in, or what areas you frequent.
I for one, having bought, when the population was 14,000 and half of Spanish Springs was a big circus tent find all the changes and expansion exciting and interesting. The expansion brings in new blood feeding the various activities and clubs with fresh ideas and experiences and leaders. And besides, some of the old "super" venues became a bit boring and stale after repeating year after year. Do I like all of the changes? No, but today's Villages is large enough for me to pick and chose almost anything I like and to avoid what I don't. For me, the steady expansion has kept the whole Villages experience 'fresh".

[John_W]

Originally Posted by rmd2

The Flamingo's - one of my favorites! Still love doo wop music.

Believe it or not, the Flamingos didn't come on stage until about 9pm and almost everyone was still there.

[Brynnie]

Originally Posted by RICH1

Exactly. You are so right. You made me laugh tonight

We moved here in 2005 when the population was 30,000. We used to go to the Christmas tree lighting and other events on the squares with our neighbors, and it was a lot of fun. Now we wouldn’t go near the place. The squares have become places to get drunk and obnoxious. The Villages now has that reputation. What a shame. I guess the powers- that- be don’t care, as long as the money rolls in. This place is growing too big, too fast.

[Vernon Hud]

I think The Villages were the ones responsible for the negative talk for the southern area. They went into Finny, and built one sales office, a small restaurant, and then a ton of homes. There were no activities for the people that bought there. Suddenly there was an uproar from most of the residents living north of 44, because these people had no place to go for recreation, shopping or dining. So the developer had to scramble, and called in the food trucks to try to satisfy the dining, Wow, food trucks. Then they decided maybe they should build a couple 9 hole golf courses, whoppee. Well, they have been struggling ever sense trying to get a shopping plaza done. They had a great plan when they built north of 44, and completely went away from it, and it bit them in the rear. Maybe what they should have done, is build all the bridges first, plus some golf cart paths that could get residence around without having to jump in their car every time they wanted to go somewhere. A lot of the people that bought there don't know what really happened there early on, which I think has still caused a lot of negativity for living south of 44. Once the developer gets caught up with some of the amenities, I don't think you will hear all the negativity.

[dboyd29]

This thread reminds me of a whiner line. “Would you like some cheese with your whine?”

[richdell]

We drove around a while and couldn't find a parking spot in Brownwood, so we parked at the Subway in Grand Traverse Plaza and walked over. Pretty easy.

[wdst1]

...and no place to shop or get gas for their cars/carts

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by John_W

I remember as early as 2013 going to Florida Lottery Night at Brownwood and seeing the doo whop band "The Flamingos" who was favorite one and there was 7,000 people. That' right 2013. Here's a one minute video I shot from the grandstand on March 9, 2013. There was no dance floor, it was a solid crowd to the grandstands and all around to the street.

Flamingos Live at the Villages, Florida the Paddock Square 3/9/2013 - YouTube

I remember going in at noon to Brownwood in 2014 to Colonial Days, I don't even know what it was. I actually drove through every parking lot and could not find a parking space, this was 7 years ago, and the only restaurant open was City Fire. So having a big crowd in 2021 I'm not surprised.

Thanks for the perspective!

[Villages Kahuna]

Everyone wearing masks and keeping socially distant I’ll bet.

[Villages Kahuna]

Originally Posted by Brynnie

We moved here in 2005 when the population was 30,000. We used to go to the Christmas tree lighting and other events on the squares with our neighbors, and it was a lot of fun. Now we wouldn’t go near the place. The squares have become places to get drunk and obnoxious. The Villages now has that reputation. What a shame. I guess the powers- that- be don’t care, as long as the money rolls in. This place is growing too big, too fast.

We also came to TV in 2005. It was a different place back then. A friendly, small town feel.

It’s much different now. Too little time left to leave and find somewhere else. But we sure wouldn’t move here the way it is now.

[donassaid]

That's what happens when all tge parking spaces are taken up by developments like the the apartments and other commercial businesses.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by shut the front door

Why would you expect anything different? The overbuilding south of the turnpike, and the people south of 44 only have Brownwood square, 1 grill and food trucks. Y'all have fun down there. It's only going to get worse.

Originally Posted by wormburner

Worse as in how the north is? You do know that it is permissible for us islanders to travel north to the mainland to get to Sumter Landing and Spanish Springs? My Villages passport is valid in the north as well as the south. Why do people not like the south? Did we do something to offend you?

A northerner, I agree with wormburner. I get really tired of folks bashing , south of 44. Why do they do this? Ignorance? Envey? Stupidity? It is just getting old.
BTW are we all not just Villagers?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Windguy

What do you mean? It’s always been like that. I live on Hillsborough just east of BV and it’s almost impossible to get out of my neighborhood during the festival. It’s not getting any better.

Inconvenienced for a day........