In the mid 60’s tennis was the fastest growing sport; Johnny Carson had built a court in his back yard and became the poster person for all things tennis. Sun City owners were very vocal about needing more and more tennis courts and post rec center merger they got their way. Even the local country clubs got into the game. Fast forward and some of the original tennis courts are in less than stellar condition and the pickle ball fans and their allies are asking for more and more pickle ball courts, even replacing the original tennis courts. For those who want to learn from the past as we plan the future take heed…. Not posted to debate the tennis vs pickleball fiasco as it should be settled by the two groups involved. The point here is do we have a backup plan if/when for some reason in the future pickle ball follows tennis into once most popular sport category and the next big deal isn’t a court sport. Let’s focus on a longer-term plan instead of just trying to make a quick land grab like we’ve almost always done in the past. I look forward to ideas for other uses for unused/abandoned courts. For inspiration drive by the Union Hills Golf Course and see what abandoned looks like.
There will always be an evolution of amenities, both in and out of senior communities. Sports like many other things are fickle, they come and go. Sun City has experienced changes in trends from the very beginning. Repurposing either indoor or outdoor space will always be a hot button topic. No one wants to lose any venues for the sport they love. At some point reality has to set in. I suspect pickleball will be hot for a good many years. It's easy to learn, you get a good work out and can get in and out fairly quickly. The challenge is to have the available courts at times when players are looking to play. Last year's stink regarding the Mountainview plans could have been avoided with better planning. I've mentioned it before but it was a valuable lesson for those who payed attention. The Fairway rebuild that started being planned in 2004 and was finally completed in 1010 was exemplary; the board/management met with every club involved, commitments were made and everyone involved survived the near on 5 year time frame to build the two phases. Good communication is key. The next three years will be interesting to follow. With the ADWR phase 5 plan being put in place starting 2025, the 3 private country clubs will be facing enormous pressure from the state. No water other than tee to green will leave their roughs in a world of hurt. Converting them to desert landscaping would cost them more than they paid for the courses. I was told yesterday, they are shopping around for a buyer for Palmbrook. Who would buy it? The land is worth untold dollars for development but will come at significant legal costs as the home owners on the courses fight any effort to develop it. It won't be pretty but at some point it will be resolved one way or the other. Everything changes, and still the challenges stay the same. It is why history is so valuable to us. I would guess i am one of the few who watched the turf reduction meeting on the Sun City West youtube channel. It's just the first of four they have planned for the course conversion that will begin this summer. The one question never asked and never mentioned was the cost. That struck me odd. The reality is, they have little choice, reduce turf or face massive daily fines for exceeding their water allocation. Apparently letting it turn to dirt isn't an option. All of which brings us back to how much are we willing to pay? Hopefully they won't be making decisions from the pandemic impact of amenities staying open while others were closed. We need to insure we get back up to speed with our technology so every thing we do is scanned and we have accurate numbers on which to make those hard choices in the future. For now, lets get IT fixed so we can accurately measure needs against wants.
Bill, can you ever just reply in one sentence or paragraph? Keep it brief from now on there’s a new Sheriff in town!
Three things come to mind regarding the new sheriff... What constitutes a "real issue" is a personal thing. So what the sheriff considers meaningful likely won't be meaningful to everyone. For example, unless you are handicapped it probably wouldn't bother you at all that golf cart spaces and unreserved spaces are closer to the entrance than some handicapped parking spaces at Fairway. If I didn't golf I personally would likely be critical of the RCSC spending $50-mil on golf when my club can't get their space renovated for a few thousand dollars. In this era of fake news, lies, conspiracy theories, and uncivility expecting some of us to believe what the sheriff says may require actual facts to back up claims, not just you saying it. People with issues seldom give up, so the issue remains until they move or die. Granted, not every issue can be resolved, but some attempt needs to be made to amicably resolve those that persist. Otherwise, everyone will be carrying a bag full of complaints waiting to be unleashed on a moments notice. The root issues today aren't much different than they were 15 years ago (quorum, board not following documents/changing documents, etc.)
Well said IC. The reality of where we are is the important issues are the ones management identifies. For too many years the old gm ignored the issues brought forward by both committees and members. The board was complicit in allowing it to happen. To Bill Cook's credit, he dragged the ugliness of IT out of the closet and put it front and center stage. The old gm ignored the failures of the solar production for years and finally some of the board members started pressing (like it should have been). She also ignored the biggest transgression of all, subsidizing golf with capital funds. Not one board member would hold her accountable; or maybe they just didn't know. That's why oversight is so important by the board. That's why they are there. Unfortunately several of the board members saw fit to claim loyalty to the corporation was the same as loyalty to the general manager. Two wholly and completely different matters. When i was elected to the board i had hoped we would look at the question of couples paying the same lot assessment as a single person. Never even got a sniff. Best way to do it i was told. Then the other day i was told of a woman who had some financial issues and was unable to pay her annual assessment. They moved it over for collection and by the time she paid them off, the $496 was more than $1000. No one at the office suggested she go to the Foundation. Was this a one off? How often does it happen" Is it fair for a single person (most often female), struggling to make ends meet paying the same rate as a couple? I don't know all the details, but i know when the board throws around approving 27 million dollar buildings but ignores the every day problems of their members the community loses and we grow further apart. On a separate subject, i suspect rich was right, that 27 million dollar price tag will explode long before it is ever built. And if you think Viewpoint lake will be done for 8 million dollars, contact me about that bridge i have for sale. Just remember Cook's words, "not a penny more."
