With the opening of the Starbuck’s at Bell and 107th I thought of the good old days when Bell Camino Center was the center of the shopping universe for the original Phase 3 folks. While my grandparents were early pioneers and never regretted for even one minute the move to Sun City, my parents arrived in the early 1970’s and had a much different but still positive experience. In the beginning Sun City was marketed as a solidly middle-class community. As the homes became larger and more expensive the demographics and atmosphere changed dramatically. Ground zero were the larger homes around the luxurious Union Hills Country Club. The keep up with the Joneses “status symbol” was a pool in the front courtyard as they were more private than the back yards open to the gaping golfers. The locals not only played the Union Hills course it was the center of their social network. To top it off there was the Bell Camino Center. In addition to Safeway there was almost everything the locals needed, Grocery, Drug Store with large liquor department, beauty (2) and barber shops, jewelry, men’s and women’s golf and evening attire and several banks to keep the interest-bearing Certificates of Deposit close by. The purpose of this post isn’t bragging about my fortunate family but another problem that will need to be addressed in the not to distant future, blight in the community. Anyone who drives by the former Union Hills Club will see what I mean. It’s not only this golf course but extends to vacant lots, store fronts and other run-down properties. I think we’ve reached critical mass on medical buildings so what should we do to solve these issues soon before they get worse. As always, I’m looking for creative ideas.
I would like to see perhaps SCHOA get together with the local Chamber's of Commerce and try to convince more useful business' to move into those vacant storefronts you see in all the Sun City strip-malls. Whenever a space opens-up you get another dentist or hearing-aid business? We use to have a small, but very nice Trader Joe's on the corner of 99th and Thunderbird! You're right about Union Hills. How long has that strip-mall on the corner of 99th and Union Hills been vacant? The one thing I like about Sun City West is the variety of business' right there within SCW!
Finally, some fresh ideas! I hate to spend $ but do think we need to buy the strip mall on 99th and Union Hills and make it the Marinette Annex or even a temporary dog park. Let’s face it, there are too many empty storefronts and we should be in a good purchase position or have the county help us force the issue. Trader Joes was excellent but unfortunately they do not tolerate shoplifting and moved on which is also the reason businesses avoid Senior communities. Thanks.
One of the aspects of our history is knowing the community has been rife with issues since the beginning. You started this thread with some of the problems, you missed the largest and most significant one, Incorporation. It raged on from 1961 through 1995. The power structures in Sun City including John Meeker, all wanted it to happen; the majority of the residents didn't. Most didn't want us to become the same as where they moved from. They didn't want a mayor, city hall and all of the costs associated with it. Looking forward as you are trying to do only works if those living in Sun City pay attention and get involved. We don't need everyone, but we do need more than the handful we have. I know some RCSC folks cringed at the first annual meeting in 12 years last year, but that was a really, really good thing. Members need to know, need to speak out and pay attention. After 15 years of pushing them away, its time to flip the script. Yesterday was a banner day for Sun City. Three events took place. The first was the SCHOA Sheriff's meeting at the SunDial auditorium. 700 or more residents in attendance to listen and talk about their concerns regarding crime in their community. The crowd size stunned those running it. The fact people living here are concerned shouldn't have. The theme of the meeting was we need to work together. All things come full circle. As members have withdrawn, we've lost that sense of community and ownership. The meeting proved the problems we will be facing can only be solved collectively. The second thing that happened was the kickoff of the ad hoc by-laws committee. No comment other than it's a start. Finally the last thing was the meeting regarding the closing of Viewpoint Lake. It was for home owners on the lake and members of the RCSC. The presentation was well done and answered a lot of questions. Communication is key to being able to do things. Closing the lake for more than a year will have an impact on Sun City. It's not an option, it has to be done. Helping those living here is important and even more so insuring those living on the lake are okay with it. All of which leads to your opening remarks in this thread 3g. There were tumultuous times throughout Sun City's history. There were resentments, law suits and infighting than most people know about. Every step of the way, though all of the ugliness, those living here forged solutions. Ultimately they came together. We've lost that and it's time to restore it. When i ran for the board and served, i argued we (the RCSC) needed to look at the big picture Sun City. I was politely told that's not their purpose. I argued it was, especially if you looked at our Articles of Incorporation. We had the chance to buy the shopping centers that Barnet Dulaney Perkins bought on Del Webb Blvd. We could have owned them for less than 10 million dollars. In retrospect, it would have been a steal. It included both sides of the street. If only. To your point, in spite of you hating me being long winded; it is time for this community and those living here to start working forward as a community. You better than most know the challenges of investing in the community when the PIF budget is locked up with long term commitments that may or may not help us through the challenges we are and will be facing. Committing to a 30 or 40 million dollar theater/gym will leave us locked into being able to do little else. Is that a good choice or a bad choice?
