To the Editor:
I was under the impression when I moved here 8 years ago that the recreation centers were for the benefit of residents who lived here. If I belonged to an organization that was outside the Villages and I wanted to use such a facility I would have to submit a request, agree to pay for the facility, and I would be able to use it. The key here is that I live in the Villages. Recently, an op-ed piece indicated that a church from Leesburg was going to use the rec center at Colony as its meeting place. Are there no facilities in Leesburg e.g. schools, halls, etc.? I would guess that they are paying a weekly fee to use a room in the building and at least 1 member of that church is a Village resident.
But what is next? Is the Villages so hungry for cash that they will allow anyone to use our “resident” facilities? Where is the line drawn between “renting” and “using for the benefit of its residents” especially since the Villages is not done growing.
Jim Meyer
Village of Rio Grande