A club has announced its desire to take over prime space previously used by Properties of The Villages.
Ratana Dong of the Fun Fitness Table Tennis Club made the pitch Monday morning before the Project Wide Advisory Committee at SeaBreeze Recreation Center.
The sales representatives left their officers at Everglades Recreation Center several months ago after the recreation center was included in a sale of amenities by the Developer to the Sumter Landing Amenities Division.
Dong noticed the empty space and concluded it would make a terrific location for table tennis enthusiasts in the southern end of The Villages.
She and many members of the table tennis club extolled the virtues of the sport when they made their request of PWAC. Villagers suffering from Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis told PWAC members that table tennis offers mobility exercise and has the added benefit of taking place in climate-controlled indoor spaces.
Earlier this year, the table tennis club celebrated the christening of its exclusive table tennis location at La Hacienda Recreation Center. Dong and her fellow members passionately lobbied for the space formerly occupied by La Hacienda Catering, which was evicted for not paying its rent. The Amenity Authority Committee agreed to gut the old catering kitchen and retrofitted the facility for the table tennis players, who dislike the chandelier lighting and other features in many recreation facilities. The AAC spent nearly $700,000 in the renovation project.
PWAC members were hesitant to grant the wishes of the table tennis club, particularly after hearing from District staff.
Assistant District Manager Bruce Brown noted that the La Hacienda space offered “a unique opportunity.” He also said that the District is planning to repurpose the space at Everglades for government offices. The District hopes to save $400,000 by terminating leases and moving staff from Lake Sumter Landing down to Everglades.
Director of Recreation John Rohan recited a long list of table tennis opportunities already available to residents. He added that the new Olympia Recreation Center will offer table tennis.
Rohan also pointed to the long-held operational philosophy that recreation centers are shared spaces for a wide variety of activities desired by residents. While table tennis is granted time at recreational facilities, residents may also use the same rooms for pilates and club meetings.
“Tables are on wheels and they fold up. They are meant to move,” Rohan said.
PWAC members said they were uncomfortable with the notion that the table tennis club wanted a permanent home at Everglades.
“If you give table tennis a permanent space in a facility, you are going to get the same requests from bean bag baseball and yoga,” said PWAC member Steve Bova, of Community Development District 10.
Fellow PWAC member Duane Johnson, of Community Development District 8, agreed.
“I have a problem with ‘permanency.’ You have to be able to move and groove with what the residents and the community need,” Johnson said.
Do you think the table tennis club should be allowed to take over the former Properties of The Villages offices at Everglades Recreation Center? Share your thoughts at [email protected]