Happy anniversary to me! I'm Boomer Donna from MI. I followed a friend here and couldnt be happier with my choice. I'm told I live in the phase 2 just north of Olive but I admit I dont understand the importance of that. Many seem to talk about the phases. I moved here because of everything it offers. Never a dull moment! I looked at SCW but it didnt seem to have the same charm or affordability. I learned about this site from someone I met at the Sun Bowl. They told me to get some popcorn and read away so I've done that for a few months. Have to say just a little bit here is of interest but like that I see some new members and opinions.
Yesterday as I was driving thru Phase 2 (where I live), I couldn't help but notice how well maintained all the houses and gardens were. This is truly a wonderful place!!!!! BTW. Isn't the area just north of Olive Phase 1 and north of Grand Phase 2?
My 80 year old mom and I keep busy so yes it seems like yesterday we loaded the trucks. I was told I'm in phase 2. Will have to ask a neighbor.
Glad to hear you are enjoying Sun City. The Phases in Sun City really don't mean much as there are rec facilities and golf courses nearby to everyone. Your area was built in the late 60s so it's a bit like Phase 1.5. What they refer to as Phase 2 is generally north of Grand with builds in the 70s. We're in the original homes build in the early 60s so have easy access to Fairway or Oakmont. You have Mountainview and Fairway within a short distance. Do you take advantage of the library at Fairway? A great resource to get you through the heat of summer.
My home was built in 1969 so that makes sense. I also like that there are no power poles above ground here. South of Peoria does give me a different vibe than north of Peoria. I have been inside the library a few times. I see they have a lot going on this month.
It is easy and very, very convenient to order books from the library online. Every 2 weeks I order about 10 books. I am notified when book(s) is ready for pickup but wait until they are all ready and then get them. It is also easy to renew books online. You can also recommend a book if the library does not have it. The library personnel at Bell are very helpful.
Hi Michigander, I visited SC three years ago while looking for retirement places. I'm still doing research. What do you like about SC and what do you not like?
I do not have any negative thoughts about Sun City. Even the summer heat is quite bearable. You just don't spend a lot of time outside! The people are friendly and there are many things to do both in Sun City and the surrounding area. I posted a link to my webpage about Sun City. Here it is again. Additions & corrections are welcome. https://pegmihedu.webs.com/Suncity.htm
When we visited one clothing store was going out of business. I believe SC has only two grocery stores. Is that enough for the size of SC? We have eight good size grocery stores in the radius of five miles. Can you order groceries on line and do they deliver? Thanks for the info.
There are two (2) grocery stores WITHIN Sun City. There are also grocery stores bordering Sun City. You can order online at the local Frys and Safeway. I think they both deliver. There are several shopping malls nearby including Walmarts and Targets. Sun City has a couple of CVS and Walgreen stores. There are small clothing stores within Sun City, a BEALS, and a very large Thrift Store across from the Fairway Rec Center. And, if you like baseball, there are 2 (maybe more) Spring Training Centers nearby. You name it. SUN CITY'S GOT IT !! Come on Talk of Sun City people. Help me with this one. What have I forgotten?
So lot's of Sun City residents make the trek to COSTCO and Walmart about 4 miles away. The reality is the grocery delivery is available but not widely used. Amazon shipping is becoming a more a thing these days and what we know from looking at the next generation of home owners it will become even more the way of the world. My dad used to joke about making the daily trip (about 4 blocks) to Safeway as his new job. We had more grocery store at one time but like everywhere, customer purchases were low, costs were high due to the need for service and consequently they left. There were originally 16 shopping centers of varying sizes built by the Del E Webb Development Corporation (DEVCO). About a third of them have been converted to medical services. When i went for my annual physical the other day i told the doctor how impressed i am of that movement. Going to see doctors used to be a nightmare with wait times and crowded conditions. Now they've got it down to a science. For the younger, healthier buyers, it may seem trivial, but as we age, those services are invaluable. We actually put together a pretty comprehensive plan for the RCSC via the long range planning committee where we looked at Gen X and their expectations. There's no question, we need evolve. Technology will continue to force us to change or we run the risk of becoming outdated (no matter how much money we put into golf courses and buildings). Seriously M, you need to look at Sun City and then compare us to the others you are considering. We are different, unique as i like to say. There are other communities more glitzy and glamorous, but you will be hard pressed to find a better value for your dollar.
I get a copy of the RCSCW weekly newsletter every Wednesday. They do a nice job of explaining what is going on. No idea what kind of penetration they get within the community with it, but there is vital and valuable changes that are in the works. They are and have been more transparent than we are in Sun City. Years back they decided to operate under Title 33 in an effort to squash potential litigation. In retrospect, it worked out far better than our choice to fight to the death over being part of Title 10. It is noteworthy they have stepped up their game regarding entertainment. We used to crush them, simply because we had better venues to operate from. It appears they have opted to increase the numbers of performances to compensate for their lack of size. They sell their tickets on-line and at their offices. They do still run their bus tours and they are more ingrained in member participation in decisions being made. In this weeks newsletter they announced a significant change in rec cards and visitors using them. Apparently there have been abuses by folks using cards without picture id's. They have now begun a massive undertaking to insure every card holder has a current photo in their system. In fact, those who don't get their photo updated will have their card/privileges suspended until they do. It is a drastic move, but apparently there were too many abuses for the board not to take action. For years they have allowed for interactive comments and questions on their website (there's a novel idea eh?). This issue was just posted, but the early comments were mostly positive. Sun City and Sun City West are closely tied together. Our history is nearly identical, with only minor changes made when DEVCO moved west and began building in 1979. Those changes have magnified over the years, as they have tried to set themselves apart from the original Sun City. I hated to see them remove the Del Webb connection from their name, but they felt it was in their best interest. Time will tell if it is a good or bad move. For anyone shopping for their place in the sun, they should give both Sun City and Sun City West a close examination. Both are unique and both an exceptional value.
If you take the 4 mile drive to Arrowhead Town center mall area in Peoria you will find almost every store you can imagine. And restaurants. I’m always amazed at that place. While I do shop a lot from Amazon, I also head to that area for Costco, Trader Joes, Target, or Sweet Tomatoes. I grocery at Fry’s in SC which is ok, but quite crowded. They have most of what I want but not all... I wish Trader Joes delivered. Or I wish the Youngtown one was still there.
