An unplanned trip to a planned retirement comm.

The Villages, FL

Sorry, had problems getting into blog site last night so this is the post from last night.

Last night, after I had posted my blog, my friend Jo-Anne (from BC) wrote me to let me know that her sister, Karen, from Ontario, who I also know (yes, of course, I know both through politics and their brother) was nearby and Jo-Anne connected Karen and I. So on short notice, but with both of us motivated to make it happen, we managed to meet up today despite tornado and thunderstorm threats.

Karen and husband Graeme live for 6 months of the year in Florida, in a community called The Villages. So we met in one of the three town centres within The Villages, called Lake Sumter Landing, for coffee, then a walking tour around the town square area, then a nice lunch at Panera and then I joined them back at their place to continue to catch up. Their home is beautiful with all sorts of shades of green and high ceilings making it feel very airy and serene. Graeme is a professional photographer and he has several of his photographs on the walls of their place. One in particular, of Wormsloe Plantation, I just loved. It was such a lovely day and so glad we could make it work.

The Villages is an interesting community just 45 minutes or so north of Orlando in the middle of the Floridian peninsula. It’s a planned (by the developer), age restricted retirement community (55+) that started as grazing land in the 1970s and in 2014 ranked as the fastest-growing US city for the second year in a row. It more than doubled in size from 2010 with a population of about 115,000 people by the end of 2014.

All phases of construction and development are tightly controlled by the developer creating a similar look and feel throughout the neighbourhoods, and infrastructure (signage, landscaping, etc). There are dozens of golf courses, including ones designed by Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lopez. Many of them are executive length or 9 holes which the owners can use free for life. It has 3 town centres that includes activities in the town square (free music every evening), shopping, restaurants, movie theatres, bowling, recreational facilities, etc.

One thing that is immediately striking is that it’s also planned around the use of golf carts. There is even a golf cart “dealership” like a car dealership that includes new golf cart sales (with a show room just like in a car dealership), service department, storage facilities, gas, accessories, etc. It’s got everything, except it’s all in miniature. There are cart ways throughout the communities, allowing the residents to head to the town centre and do much of their shopping, etc using the golf carts rather than cars. Around town you see several that have modifications that demonstrate their owner’s personalities. Nearby, on the county roads, where you need to use regular vehicles, there are also the usual big box and chain stores and restaurants.

It’s a hopping place with a real buzz in the town centre where you can see people know each other and stop to chat along the sidewalks or at the local Starbucks. (Of course, there is a Starbucks on the main drag in the centre of the action). There is lots to do, or nothing should that be your choice.

Unfortunately, I completely spaced out and didn’t take my camera and even forgot to take a picture of Karen and Graeme and I! Next time.