The Amenity Authority Committee has reached a common sense solution with regard to gates at Paradise Park.
AAC members had been asked to leave the 14 gates in place along the popular walking path on the Historic Side of The Villages.
The gates were put in place in 2015 at the time of a major renovation at the popular park. However, the gates have to be unlocked every morning and relocked every night. And AAC members agree that the gates offer little protection
“Any able bodied person can step over those gates” said AAC Chair Donna Kempa, at a meeting of the AAC on Wednesday morning at Savannah Center.
One of the options put to the board was the removal of the gates and installation of bollards, at a cost of about $2,500, to keep golf carts from wandering onto the pedestrian path.
AAC member Rich Cole offered another idea.
“Why don’t we leave the gates open for a while and see what happens?” Cole said.
James Wronka of the Village of Orange Blossom Gardens agreed that leaving the gates open makes the most sense. He said he is opposed to spending $2,500 on bollards.
“I haven’t seen a golf cart drive down these paths,” Wronka said. “Save the $2,500, Apply it to something else.”
The AAC agreed to keep the gates open and continue to monitor how it works out.
