[Matzy]

Sorry, I forgot one more thing to ad to my last post: Thank YOU, wherever you are right now, and thank you for all I can experience right now. Also with the possible crowd, thank you all that you are so nice.

[Dani Forbes]

I agree with the crowds, and that we have to be patient My beef is people with little dogs, who push them in strollers, especially on Market Nights. Do they really have to have the dog with them? I guess they put them in strollers so they wouldn't get stepped on, but really? Bringing the strollers into Restaurants, or grocery stores just doesn't seem right to me?

Just my "pet" peeve for today!

[Diane G]

Does anyone know the percentage of Villagers who are snowbirds?

[Steve & Deanna]

I remember when we were 'on the outside looking in.' Now, with crowds, we do what we want, put up with some traffic, a little golf, a little bit of the Squares at night, get together with friends for cards, It's all good. Once more business gets into Brownwood, people aren't going to want to travel eight miles. I have to say that we got quite a chuckle watching newbies walk around in shorts, golf shirts and sandals when it's 48 degrees out. My only major gripe is Bingo. Can't get seats nearby in our neighborhood for the last few years....even showing up ahead of time.

[geri317]

Watching the building of new homes, some we expected, some we didn't know about, sometimes scares me. What if this Paradise of ours "blows" up it our faces. We bought here because of what it has to offer for retirees, but each year the crowds get worse during season and the streets, restaurants, recreation centers, pools, golf courses are overflowing with people. The Villages can't keep up with the additional snowbirds, renters, buyers. We are in overload. What will it be like in a few years?

[ricklowe]

It surprises me that no one has mentioned the new development on 301 and 466! The Villages are building 542 new homes to support the growing need for housing for people that work in the villages with family's. (Doctors,Nurses, Construction, Business owners etc,). It seams as though the new residents in that aria will attract new businesses to Buffalo ridge. that development will alleviate some of the congestion on 466a and 44 in the coming years.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by geri317

Watching the building of new homes, some we expected, some we didn't know about, sometimes scares me. What if this Paradise of ours "blows" up it our faces. We bought here because of what it has to offer for retirees, but each year the crowds get worse during season and the streets, restaurants, recreation centers, pools, golf courses are overflowing with people. The Villages can't keep up with the additional snowbirds, renters, buyers. We are in overload. What will it be like in a few years?

I would guess it will be about the same. At the rate that people move in, they age and grow old and die. As they age they are not as interactive in the community and do not take up as many spaces at events. And there is a lot of been there, done that even with the young vibrant crowd. The high season is the time when these questions arise and people are annoyed because we have visitors who don't own here and don't intend to own here and do not treasure this space the way we Villagers do.


The fast growth of population here is unprecedented. The restaurants and business venues will come, just as they did in the past. The bulk of the growth here has been in the past fifteen years.


I think we are all sitting on a gold mine if we own property. But I could be wrong, but it won't matter to most of us in twenty years. At all.

[villagerjack]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I would guess it will be about the same. At the rate that people move in, they age and grow old and die. As they age they are not as interactive in the community and do not take up as many spaces at events. And there is a lot of been there, done that even with the young vibrant crowd. The high season is the time when these questions arise and people are annoyed because we have visitors who don't own here and don't intend to own here and do not treasure this space the way we Villagers do.


The fast growth of population here is unprecedented. The restaurants and business venues will come, just as they did in the past. The bulk of the growth here has been in the past fifteen years.


I think we are all sitting on a gold mine if we own property. But I could be wrong, but it won't matter to most of us in twenty years. At all.

I agree Gracie. BTW do a lot of stuff here and I really do not feel that it is over crowded. Depends on your perspective I guess.

[JB in TV]

Thank you all for a healthy discusssion! Many, many good points have been raised. My intial post was based on frustration from two personal experiences...and one that was recently posted here regarding Bingo tickets. (Gracie) I've never been a great writer, so I may not have expressed as clearly as I could have what I was thinking. My thoughts were more directed to the fact that perhaps the Villages is getting too big for the way events are being organized...

There have been many suggestions in how to deal with the crowds this time of year...for the few I hadn't thought of, THANKS!

My main reason for positng was to get people's thoughts on how to improve the event planning here. The only idea I have regarding the Home and Garden show (and a few other "shows" that get over crowded) is to make them a two day event...But I have no idea if that is feasible here. There are certainly other places that deal with large number of people...just two examples, Disney, and the two large Royal Caribbean ships, the Allure, and the Oasis of the Seas. Disney has a central reservation system for dinner venues, and the two ships I mentioned have a reservation system for the many shows and activities on board. The fact that the restaurants here are all individually owned creates some obstacle, but why couldn't there be a website that shows each restaurant and their seating availability..allowing folks to make a reservation..or decide to go elsewhere? This is just one idea from a person who admittedly...first, is not very creative, and second, doesn't have all the info needed to make these kinds of suggestions.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I would guess it will be about the same. At the rate that people move in, they age and grow old and die. As they age they are not as interactive in the community and do not take up as many spaces at events. And there is a lot of been there, done that even with the young vibrant crowd. The high season is the time when these questions arise and people are annoyed because we have visitors who don't own here and don't intend to own here and do not treasure this space the way we Villagers do.


The fast growth of population here is unprecedented. The restaurants and business venues will come, just as they did in the past. The bulk of the growth here has been in the past fifteen years.


I think we are all sitting on a gold mine if we own property. But I could be wrong, but it won't matter to most of us in twenty years. At all.

That's where we're at. We put in for golf a little quicker, gto to dinner a little earlier, but basically do the same things as in the summer. You can whine and complain or you can start early, slow down and enjoy. The way you feel when you go to bed at night is up to you. We never end the day without a hug and a sincere I LOVE YOU. That will help with tomorrow every time.

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

That's where we're at. We put in for golf a little quicker, to dinner a little earlier, but basically do the same things as in the summer. You can whine and complain or you can start early, slow down and enjoy. The way you feel when you go to bed at night is up to you. We never end the day without a hug and a sincere I LOVE YOU. That will help with tomorrow every time.

Nice post Lou.

People are about as happy, as they make up their minds, to be. A. Lincoln

[peteg]

Sorry if you have to wait over 1 hour at your fav eaterie. However this problem is a lack of facilities not just TV getting too large. Balance this with the summer situation when there is a lack of patrons - this is a "problem" the world over at peak times - just relax and enjoy !!
If there is a lack of parking spaces at events could car parks (or some of them) be only open to carts which doubles the number of vehicles that can park

[cquick]

said it before,will say it again:

I LOVE THE SNOWBIRDS! THE VILLAGES WOULDN'T BE THE SAME WITHOUT THEM! KEEP 'EM COMING!

[Carpe Diem]

Snowbirds? Go down to Disneyland. I think it's their slow time.

[shcisamax]

Originally Posted by pbeinetti

I empathize with OP. We are full timers as of 2 years ago, and rented 2 years before. The change over those 4 years is incredible. If all the building were to stop right now, and the infrastructure were to stay the same, I wouldn't be concerned. Yes, there are times when I would like to get into a restaurant, and can't. And, get a tee time, but can't. But, not a big deal -- I can deal with that. My concern is the future. Experiencing the growth over the past 4 years, and then projecting into the future -- yes, I DO believe there is a problem just over the horizon. Janet Tutt said recently that the stop light at Colony Cottage may not be sufficient in the future. But, that they (I assume the developer) want to see what it will be like when the traffic has 'settled', after the 8000+/- people south of Hillsborough, and Fruitland Park Villages move in, and future commercialization is done. I don't know what she is referring to about 'future commercialization'. Maybe there is something on the drawing boards that none of us know about. I do know that the 8000+/- people will be here within 2 years which will add incredible strain to the existing amenities and infrastructure. I wrote Janet Tutt an email after I read about her 'commercialization' comment, and she wrote me back that it's not her department -- she would forward my email to the right person, who I never heard from. Will TV get it right over the next few years? I don't know. The Colony Plaza, and surrounding area, design is a mess. For those of us who use Micro Racetrack road, to Rolling Acres, to Home Depot, etc., it has already become a nightmare. Imagine when 4000 more people are in the Fruitland Park Villages, and south of Hillsborough is built out. IF there are not places for these people to shop, Microracetrack/Rolling Acres will be chaos. I have spoken with the person who is in charge of future road planning in the Sumter and Lake County area. I asked him what the plans are for north/south roads. His answer was that they are studying a new north/south corridor. When I asked his opinion on when this might be built, his answer was in about 20 years -- no joke.

Are we too crowded now? I don't think so. But, I do believe the handwriting is on the wall.

I have to say I have recently been thinking the same thing. We haven't even been here a full two years yet but watching and experiencing the change from last year to this and thinking about how it will be after the "imaginary" buildout is concerning.