Update: A follow up public forum to review the plans in further detail is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, in Palm Ridge Summit Hall, 13800 W. Deer Valley Drive. The community is encouraged to attend and provide input on the plans.
With the community more than 40 years old, facilities beginning to show their age and a third generation of homeowners poised to move in, the Recreation Centers of Sun City West is undertaking a space utilization study to ensure its chartered clubs and facilities are aligned to meet the needs of current and future residents.
A systematic approach to updating the Association’s four recreation centers began with a modernization of the R.H. Johnson Complex beginning in the fall of 2017. Attention then moved to Kuentz Rec Center, which was seen as the next center needing an update. It soon became apparent, however, that given all the changes in Sun City West over the last four decades, the best way to meet the needs of all 109 chartered clubs, in the most cost-efficient manner for the long-term, was to review all four recreation centers.
In the summer of 2018, a Space Utilization Study Committee was convened. It was comprised of members of the Chartered Clubs Committee, Budget and Finance Committee, Properties Committee and the former Long-Range Planning Committee; as well as staff from the Recreation, Facilities, Project Management and Finance divisions. Their goal was to review the spaces used by all 109 chartered clubs and the Association, as well as the expansion needs of various clubs.
Club members were invited to share their thoughts about their current spaces and their requests for expansion. Facilities staff discussed set up and tear down challenges and time constraints. The Committee made recommendations on space allocation and additions needed to move the Association forward to stay relevant over the next several years, particularly in light of increasing competition from other age-restricted communities.
At this point, a landscape architect and building architect were brought in to explore various configurations at each recreation center facility where the growing clubs’ needs could be met. The ideas were shared with the committee, as well as with the affected clubs. Some changes were made based on feedback, revised drawings were created, and those ideas were presented to the Governing Board at its Dec. 20 Regular meeting.
At that time, the Board approved staff’s recommendation to approve future development of architectural plans for the next three phases of construction. This does not mean any construction is imminent. Rather, the approval to move forward allows staff to work with the architect to create more definitive drawings, from which cost estimates can be developed. Those numbers are required so estimates can be placed in the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Capital Budget, which is being prepared now.
As of first blush, the proposals include developing the plans in three phases, starting in the next fiscal year and continuing through FY 2021-22.
I like all the plans except getting rid of the mini golf course at RH Johnson. This is a much nicer course than Beardsley and a huge draw for all our guests 🙁 The RH Johnson pool & the RH Johnson mini golf are the two most requested activities in our household.
Love, Love, Love that the quilters will be getting their own space! This is a huge hobby for us younger residents moving in. Would love to see them have room for some long arm machines.
Thank you for your comments, Gina. This is still a work in progress, and we have some thoughts about keeping but compressing the R.H. Johnson course, which is now quite a huge space that might be used for the amphitheater and a smaller mini golf course.
I would hate to see the mini golf coarse changed, There are many of us who do not golf and this is one of the activities we enjoy. It is also one of the few activities that we can enjoy with family and friends when they come. PLEASE do not take it away.
Please reconsider demolishing the RH Johnson mini-golf!! The one at Beardsley is in no way comparable. Even reducing it to 9 holes would be preferable to completely removing it. This course is on the top of the list for “must-do” whenever family visits. They always talk about how much fun it is. It would be so sad to see it go.
Thanks Tish. We appreciate your input!
When ever we have guest an family in town that is the first place we go, lots of fun
Why on earth would admin and the board ever WANT TO INVITE THE NORTHWEST VALLEY residents into our SCW community????
We have enough invasion of uninvited guests in our facilities, clubs and social events!!!
We are not the social events committee for the NORTHWEST!!!!
We hope you reconsider these pipe dreams and just focus on the needs of our SCW residents for gosh sakes.
Please do not get rid of the mini golf course at Rh Johnson. That is a big hit when the family comes out and also the new pool We also enjoy going over with friends and playing mini golf. The mini golf course at Beardsley is super nice for really young children because it is smaller and the younger children really enjoy it and it’s much shorter than the mini course at R.H. Johnson. There is absolutely no comparison in the two mini golf courses.
I agree the great lawn does need more room. Can’t all the activities at the great lawn be moved over to Beardsley Park to accommodate everyone. That is a fabulous area for entertainment.
While the Sundome was way too large with 7000 seats, we could use an indoor area similar to the Sundome with maybe 1000 to 3500 seats. We seem to be filling up all the entertainment areas and people are being turned away. Please consider this.
I agree with everyone writing about the Johnson mini golf course. I have been here since 1994 and that is always the family’s favorite. The Beardsley one is not even considered after playing there once. The same goes for the Beardsley pool. The smell of chlorine is unbearable and it is way too hot in there. We love the new Johnson pool !!
I agree.
The mini-golf and bocce courts are used often at Johnson. It’s the highlight for entertaining guests. The Beardsley course is old, flat, and short. Not much fun. Besides the Great Lawn is poorly designed with the sound echoing off the walls and the slant of the audience chairs going uphill instead of down as they should be. There’s just not good dancing space either. Plus parking for Great Lawn events is tight with all the other activities happening at the same time. Why not just move those concerts to Beardsley Park and utilize the newly existing space for clubs to enjoy? The Handicapped and Arthritis Groups use the seating area at Beardsley extensively. It would be a shame to take that away. We have asked for sound baffling for years at the pool as it’s very difficult to hear the instructors. Even with some insulation, sound from yoga classes would carry and make it just that much worse. Also, based on the exercise classes I’ve attended, the space isn’t large enough. They need the Johnson Social Hall or Palm Ridge space. The Rec Center missed a great opportunity to buy the property behind Goodwill for expansion opportunities. If we’re running out of space now, how can we justify adding more homes behind Goodwill? Perhaps that developer needs to add a large, general meeting space that could be used by everyone in the community as their “buy-in”.
With the continued decline in golf course useage, what is SCW’s plan for the future conversion of all this open space and who will bear the cost of the conversion to a better use?
Hello from the Golf Operations Department at the RCSCW!
I’m not sure what golf numbers you are looking at but overall our golf rounds and revenues were on pace to equal or exceed last year’s numbers until we got into a stretch of cold / wet weather.
Last year we had 289,000+ golfers play at one of our 7 golf courses. This is up from 274,000+ in 2013. To say that golf in Sun City West is declining would not be accurate. Like all other golf courses, we stay busy this time of year when the weather cooperates. When it doesn’t we see a slowdown. Sun City West is a golf community that has a large and loyal following from both the residents and their guests. There are currently no plans to convert any of the RCSCW golf courses to some other type of green space. Each golf course brings in over $1 million dollars apiece in revenue each year and we are hopeful that this will be the same this year as well.
If you would like to discuss the importance of golf in Sun City West or have further comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at 623-544-6499 or patrick.ohara@suncitywest.com
I hope this answered your question,
Patrick O’Hara
I agree to leave the RH Johnson mini golf alone!! Beardsley is certainly not as good put-put golf as RH Johnson.
I agree with Gina. Keep the mini golf at RH Johnson. They complement each other.
I agree with Mike and Gina! Love the RHJ mini golf course and so do all my relatives when they come to visit! Leave it alone! The area with the fountains and chairs at Beardsley give it atmosphere and a nice place to spend the day while at the pool just like the chair areas around the RHJ, Palm Ridge and Kunitz pools.
Leave the min golf course at RH Johnson alone. We have our mini golf club there every week. We play all year round and can’t even use Beardsley because it is in need of such repair. We had to suspend summer play this year at Beardsley because of tripping hazards through out the course. You want to expand use Beardsley they already have outdoor events. Utilize the room over there.
Love all the suggestions especially the dedicated yoga room. I’ve been living here for 5 winters snd have missed the true “yoga” vibe.
Do not agree with moving the miniature golf. We use it all the time!
What about expanding the Zymurgy Club into the ping pong space and adding on a new room for ping pong? The Z-Club only fits 200 people and there are over 450 members plus more cooler space is needed!
How many times a month does Zymurgy need room for more than 200 members? Nothing requires that all members of a club meet at one time! Instead of adding more space, two gatherings might be scheduled rather than one?
So Beardsley (once again) represents the ugly, red-headed stepchild??
All, we appreciate your input and as we’ve stated before, the project will change before final plans are approved. Beardsley is by no means a red-headed stepchild! The suggestions proposed here best represent the needs we have identified in working with the clubs and analyzing the membership numbers, and the space available to best meet those needs. As always, we take into consideration utilization trends, parking lot loads and other considerations where one center might be able to handle more capacity than another. Please continue to send us your ideas. They are appreciated!
Please keep mini golf at R H Johnson.
Any plans for upgrading the pool, hot tub, work out room annex?
hi Richard. To which recreation center are you referring?
Please don’t remove the mini golf at Johnson! It is the nicer course and used far more than tiny Beardsley.
Also let someone else provide a Northwest Valley venue. We have enough people grabbing tickets before SCW people have a chance to get them.
The Great Lawn needs work. Not a very pleasant evening venue with dampish cold grass and no where to dance.
I agree the Great Lawn is not a nice place to dance who thought anyone one wants to dance on an uneven surface. It is cold and damp. Most of us came to Arizona for the warmth. Please remember we are all over 55 years old. I am pushing 70 and have a bad leg. I am not alone in problems. I like a flat surface to walk and dance on. My thoughts are to scrap the not so great lawn and build a venue to house the clubs with growing memberships. Has anyone thought to build a new building on Johnson in the now parking lot across from the SCW offices? The new building could share the parking lot only used by a bus company running suckers to the casino. That bus has wheels and the company does not pay association dues so they can move to another part of the lot or another less used facility.
what a wonderful idea (using the commercial bus parking area) for a large, new multi purpose building and the noise created by the activity within would not bother anyone. However we need to think forward a tad better too when issuing a new charter to a group that could grow so dramatically that they quickly out grew any space provided. Now all the powers that be are trying to make them happy and are causing upset amongst a lot of long standing, successful Charter clubs. That’s wrong.
Where is the great lawn location?
Hi Jim. The Great Lawn is between the pool and mini golf at R.H. Johnson, behind the Railroad Club.
I love the Great Lawn, I even like the name. I haven’t taken advantage of the picnic area but have seen great shows.
Why wasn’t the space where townhouses are being built used for some of these space needs? Keep the mini golf.
Hi Jeanette. The Rec Centers does not own that property. It is being developed by a private company.
My thoughts exactly. Build more clubhouses in that space, not homes. It can be an extension of R.H.Johnson Rec. Center. The plan for the homes : they are packed in like sardines and will cause traffic congestion in that area.
Good idea. That space could have been used.
Agree with other’s comments to keep RH Johnson mini-golf
Definitely…Keep the mini-golf. It’s been a wonderful experience and it’s perfect where it is.
Keep RH Johnson mini golf. The one at Beardsley is a sad little space. We love the one at RH Johnson!
I agree, keep the RH Johnson mini golf. Why should we loose a facility enjoyed by many so that we can be a “Major draw for the Northwest Valley”? Our facilities are well used without drawing from outside our community. It’s already difficult to get tickets to events in our own community. If people want to enjoy our facilities and are of the appropriate age, then they should mover here…. especially since we’ll have new housing available. Don’t give away what make Sun City West Special.
Agree. If other nonresidents want to use our facilities, they should buy a house here, like the rest of us. We as scwvresidents are not responsible for the NORTHWEST VALLEY. Stay focused on the needs of SCW residents ONLY. stay within the budget. Keep these pipe dreams focused to this community’s needs ONLY.
The mini golf at Beardsley is all our retirement community needs! T he RHJ course occupies more space than is justified by usage! On the other hand we do not need an amphitheater to draw outsiders to the community! We will take that to court to stop it if need be!
Absolutely correct! We don’t need outsiders! We have plenty outsiders as our guest! The outsiders don’t support our facilities! How did the Sundome work for us?
Hi Loretta. Thank you for your comments. Just as a point of clarification, the Sundome was never owned nor operated by the Rec Centers. It was run by ASU and later Maricopa County. The Rec Centers was simply a neighbor to the venue.
I believe the softball club is maxing out with players a second field in the future might be in serious need.
What meetings are the space utilization discussed at? And when is the next meeting? As a newer owner, I’m very interested in getting involved and contributing input into the direction our rec centers are going. I hope to be a resident for many years, so I have a vested interest.
Hi Gina. A good place to start is to attend Properties Committee meetings, where the Space Utilization Study may be discussed. As far as forums dedicated to this topic, those have not been scheduled yet. When they are we will announce them on Facebook and in the e-newsletter, so stay tuned. Have a great day.
Who came up with this ridiculous idea of getting rid of the Johnson Mini-Golf? How often is the so-called Great Lawn being used and do we really need more expensive entertainment here? We have Beardsley, Palm Ridge, the Stardust Theater and now you want to make a show place out of Johnson Lawn area. Dudley you should be ashamed of yourself just because you are getting older and want people to know you’re still around and don’t use the mini golf you think other people should think the way you do. Stop doing away with the activities that residents are using. I remember when all management was against Pickleball because it was just a passing fancy which only proves you’re not as smart as you would want people to think you are. When clubs need expansion the first thing that comes up is the club will have to pay but now since someone came up with an idea of expanding the Lawn area you want to do away with mini golf. Where does this money come from and why not use that money to better some of the clubs so they can expand without charging them?
Thank you for your comments, Mr. Warren. Let’s all be sure to continue to keep our comments civil and provide constructive criticism and suggestions as we pursue this space utilization process. As with any undertaking this large, not every suggestion will please everyone, but we are working toward the best interests of the entire community. Our primary goal is to meet the most immediate needs of our growing clubs and activities. These have been identified as Yoga, Stained Glass, Boomers, Palo Verde Patchers, and the Recreation Division’s Special Events, which have been selling out. The proposal to build a large performance pavilion would be to accommodate larger crowds and bigger acts as our residents clearly have an appetite for such programs. Putting in the pavilion would require the elimination, or more likely, a compression of the mini golf course. We have heard from many residents that mini golf should stay at R.H. Johnson. We have heard those comments and appreciate the input. All of these ideas are still in the proposal stage. Input is still very much welcome, and no decisions have been made. So again, please continue to provide input, but do so constructively and civilly. Thanks everyone!
You say “our residents” clearly have an appetite for more entertainment. Then why open it up to the West Valley? Do we really want hundreds of outsiders in our wonderful community all the time. Take a poll. You’ll see. Let the residents have a say about their community. It appears to me they would rather take their visitors to play mini golf…enjoying this resort style living, rather than spending thousands of dollars to bring more people in.
Why are Boomers not being given their own room? Recommendations seem to indicate Boomers/Womens Club stay in same room. Both should have their own rooms. Boomers has over 1,000 members.
Hmmmmm, that means there are over 26,000 REC members who chose not to be a member of the Boomers. Maybe they do not want more room for Boomers.
Please leave our beautiful mini-golf course at RH Johnson as it is. For those who used to love golf and can no longer golf because of mobility issues, the mini-golf course provides an opportunity to still have fun, even if with only a putter.
I would hate to see the RH Johnson mini golf course be demolished as it is a much better course than Beardsley. My family much prefers the RH Johnson course.
Please keep the mini golf course at RH Johnson. It is much better course than the one at Beardsley. It is an important part of the outdoor activities at RH Johnson. There is already an outdoor venue for performances at Beardsley; improve this area.
The mini golf adds greatly to the use of the pool and bocce for visiting families.
What does the study recommend for the Large Dog Park upgrade and are there plans available?
Hi Dudley. The dog parks were not addressed in the Space Utilization Study as plans for them are already in the pipeline. The revamping of the small dog park is in this year’s approved budget. Plans are ready to be submitted to Maricopa County, after which we go out to bid for an anticipated mid-April (2019) start. The revamp of the large dog park is in the new FY19-20 budget up for approval soon and any actual plans will wait on that approval before proceeding. If approved, that projected start would be mid-April 2020.
How about opening up the Beardsley Pool area to the outside with several big & wide roll-up door type openings. This would allow the pool area to open to the patio area (weather permitting of course). Today the pool area does not have adequate ventilation and always seems stuffy and closed in and the outdoor area does not connect to the pool area. Being able to open the pool area up to the courtyard would eliminate this problem and enhance both the pool and the adjoining outdoor space and give both a country club atmosphere.
I agree 100% withe the above commenter. Beardsley pool desperately needs updating and better ventilation.
I agree with Annette and Gary. Beardsley could use a ventilation enhancement. The patio area that is only accessible through the pool is not utilized and is a nice space for ??? something! And I’m with everyone else about RHJ mini golf. It’s a lovely little course! Please do consider keeping it. Look forward to seeing proposed plans – keeping in mind things can change! Thanks to all you guys do to keep our community desirable.
Great suggestion Gary. That pool desperately needs some ventilation!
We also enjoy R H Johnson mini golf and think having all the activities in one area is so inviting. Leave it alone, please! We also are not in favor of providing a venue for the Northwest Valley…the whole NW valley doesn’t pay dues! Tickets should not be sold to outsiders until a later time and give residents ample time to get theirs…at least a week if not two. If we have no room to expand, we have no room for parking for extra venue users.
Thank you for your hard work in this process and listening to lots of input … my personal input is to keep the large mini golf at RH Johnson … it is utilized a lot when the months get warmer … and in the summer evenings … replacing the smaller course at Beardsley with other more utilized activities could be an option … Gini Baker
Please do not demolish the RHJ mini golf. That is a best attraction to my family & out of town visitors. Beardsley mini golf is no comparison to the one in RHJ.
Any discussion of the other “Craft Clubs” such as Metal, Wood and Auto? Seems most of those considered are more social in nature where the men’s crafts are more solitary.
Hi Louis. All clubs were invited to give input to the committee and comments from those clubs who provided input can be found in the study results, which can be found here. It seems the committee found that the wood shop was doing well, but has some issues with work space in the assembly room. Our construction superintendent currently has an approved exterior work space patio for the wood shop in the approved FY18-19 budget. Our construction team is also working the the metal shop on non-space utilization requests.
We are in favor of trying to accomodate space needs of the various clubs in a reasonable manner. Some will shrink, and some will grow and we favor an approach that addresses this logically. However, we are adamantly opposed to any thinking or actions that include plans to enhance a venue for NW Valley residents. That is just absurd! This is OUR money being spent for OUR community ONLY. Any grandiose ideas of anything outside our walls is not in our best interests. The entertainments are for those who pay the fees. The planners should remember that!
I couldn’t agree more with Randall Zimmerman. I am not in favor of coming up with ways to make our spaces draw non-residents in. Consideration should be given to the impact increased ‘outsider’ traffic has on our community. This includes the safety of dues paying residents who drive golf carts on our streets. It’s hard enough for residents to notice them, let alone people from outside the community who are not used to watching for smaller slower vehicles.
I just moved here in March, and it is so confusing as to who is making decisions for our community. I did not move here so we can make some dollars inviting the whole west Valley to the amphitheater they did not contribute a dime to. What I am learning about SCW is that the residents opinions and views are rarely considered. I love the resort style living here that I gladly pay for in my dues, but do not feel the need to share it with the rest of the world. It’s our community, not theirs.
Hi Reny. Thank you for your comments. The idea behind the amphitheater is to better accommodate our residents who are not able to attend our shows because they are selling out. A very, very small percentage of tickets to our shows to go outsiders (about 2-3 percent). Residents also have asked for larger entertainment groups, which we cannot accommodate at our current venues (Palm Ridge, due to space and stage constraints; and Beardsley, which already sells out and is close to neighbors so we have sound limitations). The amphitheater would meet residents’ needs. As a side point, yes, it would attract outsiders, who would bring in outside revenue to keep our members’ prices low. We currently allow the public to golf in Sun City West, which subsidizes golf to the tune of about $1.7 million a year! We very much value your input, and we encourage you to get more involved in the community and the decision making process. You are more than welcome to attend committee and Board meetings, or consider taking our TORCH Citizens Academy. As a relative newcomer, it’s a great way to quickly learn about your community. Welcome!
Dear RCSCW PR,
Subsidizing golf in a community that is designed to be a golf community and in which most residents came here for golf, is right and proper, and in no way excuses excesses in other areas of operation! The very idea that you accept the notion that subsidizing and building bigger venues, to attract outside people, that are not members here, is troubling.
We mini-golfers love our golf course at R.H. Johnson please don’t make us try to use Beardsley especially for our yearly tournament with Sun City. They have 4 nice courses and if R.H. Johnson is taken away we have no nice course for this venue.
Where is the new housing/new townhouses? Thank you.
Hi Patricia. The parcel of land is up behind the Goodwill store, between Fry’s and the Church on the Green.
Space is valuable. Way are we allowing Fry’s to turn the parking space in front of the Social Hall into their annex parking lot? Carts all over the place. Looks tacky. Loose carts are a hazard.
Keep the mini golf.
I have enjoyed reading all the comments about the perspective updates. I didn’t realize so many people used the mini golf course. I agree the mini course at Beardsley is sub standard to say the least. What about redoing the one at Beardsley and making it a real show stopper? Wouldn’t that solve the problem?
I’d hate to see the tennis courts at Kuentz removed to add more parking. These courts are important for our community.
I have some concerns when I hear that one of the limitations at Beardsley is the volume of entertainment. We live on the other side of Fry’s and have heard the reverberation of music on the Great Lawn. And now that homes will be going in behind Goodwill the noise level for them needs to be considered. If noise needs to be limited at Beardsley out of consideration for nearby residents, the same consideration should be extended to those of us who live near RH Johnson. Don’t be too quick to make the Great Lawn into a noisy amphitheatre that will ruin the peace and quiet for those unfortunate enough to live near it, whether they want to listen or not.
I guess I am confused as to all the needs for expansion when we have a stagnant population in our community to take part in all these activities. Are we making room for for an expanded sun City west population? It seems like we are bent on spending money for the sake of spending money.
Hi Howard. Sun City West is more than 40 years old – but we are far from stagnant! Ground was broken on the community in 1978, and we have been growing and changing and getting better ever since! It’s fair to say that what was popular in 1978, is not necessarily popular today, and many uses, styles and activities have changed since them. These demographic changes are requiring modifications to our facilities. For example, yoga, wasn’t even “a thing” back then. Neither was pickleball or the “Boomers Club.” Today these are among our fastest growing clubs. Likewise, our Computer Club is one of our biggest clubs, and has expanded to multiple rooms that are networked together but aren’t physically connected. In other words, it’s time to modify some of our buildings to better accommodate new and growing uses, update outdated facilities, and yes, in some cases, expand the footprint of some buildings because our residents are more active than ever. That’s a good thing! Sun City West is built out, but the newest and future generations are of the philosophy that they want to do a little bit of everything, where as past generations stuck to one or two activities: golf, tennis, cards. We encourage you to keep an eye out for upcoming meetings as we gather input and plan for these important changes.
I think utilizing the extra space in the Beardsley pool area for Yoga is certainly an good innovation. But I think access to this space could raise problems the way it is laid out with the door going outside in the far corner of the pool area. The room will probably use the air from the fitness center and the locker areas since the pool air would be too warm and humid. An outside door for that space without a passageway that would have be long enough to close one end before the other end opens will be very uncomfortable on cold and windy days. There is a passageway going outside in the other end of the pool going outside however it is is small. Often both doors are open and a cold breeze sweeps across that end of the pool. I wonder how I would feel in the Yoga class when the next class starts to come in while I was laying down on my mat doing a Savasana pose near the end of my workout. I can’t see the next class waiting outside in the cold.
It seems that the often vacant Card Room next to the Beardsley Room Yoga uses would be a better option than building a new room.
We enjoy having the mini golf at RH Johnson, use it often, and would be disappointed to lose it.
Keep the mini golf my grand children come to see me just to play golf. Gene L. Meyer
Just recently we have heard about the plans to tear out the mini-golf course at R.H. JOHNSON Rec Center. We feel this is a terrible idea. We play that course at least twice a week. Even on the chilly days last week the course was full of older adults and just a few children. We say find a different idea and KEEP the course at RHJ!!
I think utilizing the Beardsley pool deck to construct a separate yoga room is a bad idea.
A. That space is currently a common use area for all Sun City West members and should not be commandeered for select club member use. This space is not under utilized!
B. Modifications would require more than just adding a wall. I assume the floor would be torn up to remove the fountains and the garden area, new lighting would probably be requested, new heating and ventilation and air-conditioning would be requested.
C. Adding a wall will block the natural light that comes through the south facing windows making the pool even more cavernous like.
D. How will additional capacity impact current users of the pool and gym?
E. How will the construction of this new space affect the ongoing use of the pool and the programs currently held there?
F. Aren’t there other areas not requiring construction that this club could use. How about the hall at R.H. Johnson or the hall at Palm Ridge? Do they need more than just a place to put down a yoga mat?
Hi Steve. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this portion of the space utilization study. We hope that you will be able to attend upcoming public forums once they are announced.
I read that the rec center wants to remove the mini-golf course and make the great lawn larger. We have a great mini-golf course at rh Johnson and it is used by most residents for their pleasure and show it off to any guests that come for a visit. We also have a fantastic large “great lawn” at Beardsley rec center for events that will hold up to 2,500 people.
So why destroy a great asset in order to duplicate something we already have.
Adding my concern about suggesting changes to the mini golf course! We use the mini golf course at least once a week if not more and it is one of the enjoyable evening outdoor options open to us here in the community. If people want more entertainment venues, they only need to drive to a nearby community and take advantage of bigger name acts. That is also true for us who would like to visit a mini golf course that is a bit more upscale and modern. If you want big city stuff, go to Phoenix! I also have a great deal of sympathy for the folks who live near to the Johnson Center as the noise must be extremely annoying and to suggest the possibility of higher volumes is very troubling.
We need to keep the Johnson mini-golf as it is, but the mini-golf at Beardsley, I believe, is little used and the space may be better utilized for additional parking. Almost on a daily basis the existing parking on its West side is filled to accommodate the ongoing scheduled activities.
Parking at Kuentz is also a problem without an obvious solution.
On the other hand, there appears to be space available at the Stardust GC site to add an additional multipurpose building. My first choice would be to build on the grassy area along Stardust Blvd. the existing parking lot should easily accommodate additional demand, because it’s underutilized.
I agree with the above comments that the patio area outside the Beardsley Pool seems underutilized. I would love to see large doors open from the pool to this area to invite access to the outdoor space and improve ventilation at the pool. We live 3 blocks from Beardsley but much prefer the outdoor pool at Johnson because Beardsley is always too hot, too stuffy, and too cavernous. The acoustics are terrible. Please consider improving this space. The large outdoor patio could be better utilized.
Additionally, it would be nice to see an effort to invite a “nice” restaurant to Sun City West–as well as small coffee shops at each of the rec centers as gathering spots for meeting friends or destinations for neighborhood walks.
Our family has been coming to Sun City West since 1985. Through the years we have seen many changes in this community of which some have been good and some not. One of the consistent pleasures we have always enjoyed has been the mini golf course at Johnson. Mini golf has been a mutually agreed apron event to hold the attention of both young and old family members through the years. Many happy memories have been made by 4 family generations on that course. Don’t take that away or downgrade the pleasing esthetics like the Beardsley course.
Could a bench be placed outdoors near the pool entrance? People who wait for rides have no place to sit, and sometimes the interior check-in area is too cold. Thanks.
Hi Christine. We will pass along your request.
We love all of our excellent facilities here, but here are two suggestions:
*Refresh and update Beardsley pool. The air is very musty, heavy chlorine smell.
*Indoor half court basketball facility.
Looks like the decision has already been made. Give us a place to Vent, then do what they want. We should be grateful that we might get to keep a much smaller Mini golf. For the life of me I don’t see a need to make us The Northwest Valley entertainment Capital.
Hi Geoffrey. Thank you for your input. The Space Utilization plan has gone through several iterations as we’ve received comments from our members. We’ve heard loud and clear residents were not in favor of eliminating mini golf at R.H. Johnson. That whole area was not considered in phase one regardless. Phase one has been changed many times, and we have taken input into consideration. We’ve listened to several comments and will continue to do so at the next public forum.
You should have the message by now regarding the Mini Golf Course. Having lived here since 1996, my kids still want to come and play miniature golf. Have you ever asked the residents? No one ever asked me.
Several questions: With the new development proposal behind Fry’s are the new homes going to be incorporated into SCW? If so can’t the developer be required to leave a designated amount of open space? I believe that our recreation centers must continue to reinvent themselves to stay attractive to future baby boomers. Revitalization space for growth of clubs and community needs is and will always be difficult to balance for the leadership of the recreation centers. There is no way to please everyone. Are the space crunches for clubs just during peak times when seasonal owners arrive? These are things we have to consider before we build new spaces? These are just observations not criticisms.
Hi Matt. Thanks for your comments. We are working with K. Hovnanian to bring those new homes into the Association. That is still a work in progress as they have only recently closed escrow on the property. Stay tuned. The developer will meet county codes including regarding open space. The property is not so big that a large plot of land can be set aside for future amenities. The club space crunches are due to club growth and while of course peak time is the most affected, it does affect some year round. We have tried to solve most issues with scheduling, but some clubs are simply outgrowing their space.
I’ve heard the Board is giving thought to modifying the Bowling Alley area to accommodate a possible Sports Bar/ Gathering area. Number one nobody wants to tell their guests lets go to the Bar at the Bowling Alley and have a couple drinks. Sounds a little low class to me. Number two, I feel the Rec Center operating a Bar is one wrongful death lawsuit away from bankrupting the Community. Not sure why the hurry to do something right away. A bar/meeting place is a good idea but must be well thought out to be sure it is financially feasible and be inviting to prospective new residents.
Hi George. Placing a sports bar/gathering area in the bowling alley was a suggestion by the Bowling Committee. The suggestion is being considered but no decision has been made.
I have looked at the proposals and comments with some interest. My takeaway so far is that we intend to build to meet today’s requirements rather than risk identifying future needs. All the proposals I’ve seen so far have not gone beyond what is happening at the moment. I know there is no crystal ball to determine what the next group of retirees are going to be into; however, I can say there is research available. For instance, cornhole ( a bean bag game) has become more popular than horseshoes and bocce combined. We don’t have that here but I’ve found it in retirement communities, tailgating parties, and other places. My question is this; how are we planning for space utilization 5-10 years from now. If we embark on an expansion plan that takes 5 years to build, we’ll miss the boat using today’s needs assessments.
Please do NOT get rid of the mini golf at RH Johnson. Every time we are there it is busy. Why take away something so popular? We enjoy playing mini golf as do our adult children and our grandchildren when they are visiting. We need activities that are not only entertaining for us but our visitors as well.