The Amenity Authority Committee is facing a decision about access gates at Paradise Park.
The popular park on the Historic Side of The Villages has 14 gates along the walking trail that must be unlocked by 7 a.m. each morning and locked at dusk each evening by Recreation Department staff. There are numerous access areas that are not fenced or gated for after hours access. In addition, the walking path gates currently do not prevent access to the park.
The AAC, which will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Savannah Center, is considering two options for the gates at Paradise Park. Here are the options being put forth by Recreation Director John Rohan:
Option 1: For improved access control and to prevent vagrant or homeless incursion into the park areas, keep that gates in place as is and unlock and lock daily by Recreation staff.
Option 2: Removal of all 14 gates, which would reduce Recreation staff’s time as well as the maintenance costs of the gates. If Option 2 is chosen, staff recommends replacement of the gates with bollards to prevent golf cart access to the walking trail and park areas. The estimated cost for the installation of the bollards is $2,500.
In 2015 when Paradise Park was renovated, the AAC supported the current fence with locked gates. At the time, the Lady Lake police chief was in favor of the locked gate design to better enforce laws and control vagrants and the homeless.
Do you think the gates should stay or go? Share your thoughts at [email protected]