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OPINION

Vraney: Small groups targeted for elimination

Posted

Realtors beware! Do not promise prospective clients that Sun City West is the best place to live in retirement or that we have more than 100 clubs.

There is a troublesome development afoot, namely the elimination of the smaller charter clubs.

These clubs are being booted out for not having enough members, not having members come often enough to use the facilities or for needing outside people to participate, such as the dance clubs. And all of this has happened during a pandemic when membership has been comprised.

Various reasons are given by the rec center board, e.g., so many staff quit during COVID that there aren’t enough staff to set up rooms for just 50 or 60 people. Apparently, it is not an option to hire staff to replace these people or to revisit the tax issue to make the dance clubs viable again. 

People do not buy a home here to play golf, which loses money every year. Nearby communities all have golf, swimming pools and workout rooms. What they don’t have are the many clubs that offer fun, creative activities that retired people have time to do. People love being in a vibrant community of artists and crafters and having a choice of physical as well as intellectual activities.

Decreasing the number of charter clubs is very short-sighted and could well affect our property values over time as this community no longer remains special, but is just another run-of-the-mill, ho-hum retirement development like all the rest.

Mary Vraney

Sun City West