SC parks and lakes...

Discussion in 'Sun City General Discussions' started by Michigander, Mar 16, 2021.

  1. Michigander

    Michigander New Member

    2020 was supposed to be our year of move to SC or SCW but Covid visitor changed our plans. Now we hope to move later this year.
    We have couple of questions.
    1. What is the closest Toyota new car dealership? Would anyone know there an honest new car dealer? We leave cars in Michigan and buy new one first thing.
    2. I have been studying SC map and don't see any parks. Are there any besides the dog park. There is a church in almost every street corner. A park would be for the soul as well as for the body.
    How about converting one of the money loosing golf courses into a park. Each so called card holder could plant his or her own tree there.
    3. How many lakes are there? Are they manmade? Public or private?

    Forgive me if I have insulted anyone of you. Thank you all for your replies. No arrows please.

    Get vaccinated!

    All the best,
    Michigander
     
  2. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Hey Mich, welcome to TOSC. Good luck on the house hunting; just talked to friend of mine who is easily the best Realtor in Sun City and he said he has never seen so many potential home buyers looking for their place in the sun. I have written several times now that the pandemic has created in people a sense of urgency in finding the next chapter in their lives. No question, 2020 helped people focus on finding better ways to live than the craziness outside the walls.

    You can't do better than Sun City or Sun City West. Both are unique communities with amazing volunteer opportunities to add to the incredible array of fun stuff to do.

    Here is a list of answers to your questions:
    1). There is a Toyota dealership just outside Sun City (less than a mile away). I don't know anything about them but their client base is in large part Sun City residents so i suspect they are decent. That said, we bought a car almost a year ago. We had a Ford we had bought at a close-by Ford dealer and hated how they dealt with us. When it came time to trade in/up, we went to the Enterprise Car rental store a mile from us and got a great price on a one year old Ford Edge. Low miles, wonderful condition and they took our car in trade for more than a dealership would have given us.

    2). 31 churches to be exact. Guess as we get to the end, we all are looking for salvation...or at least that's how the story goes. Bring up GOOGLE Earth and you will see two lakes. Viewpoint lake has what we lovingly call Meeker Mountain. It has an awesome pavilion at the top with all kinds of cool switchbacks to reach it. On the lower level are picnic tables, barbecue grills and stuff like that. Several of us have bantered about converting a golf course to green space but golfers consider that a sacrilege. Careful who you mouth those words to, there isn't much tolerance for recognizing the game is struggling and we have too many courses and not enough water. Oddly enough, they used to (still might for that matter) let you buy a tree and have it planted on one of the courses with a plaque in honor of a loved one.

    3). As noted above; Viewpoint lake (where the Lakeview Rec Center is located) is public. The private lake, Dawn, is owned by the residents having homes around the lake. Pretty nice setup and homes on it are pricey. Just so you know, Viewpoint has paddle boats and a row boats that residents can check out to use. And to further add to your knowledge base, Banner/Boswell Hospital, across Thunderbird Ave is one of the reasons the lake is there to start with. Jim Boswell (Webb's partner in DEVCO and the owner of the land Sun City and Sun City West sits on) donated 1.2 million dollars to help fund the hospital. The stipulation to get it was it had to have more than 100 beds; it had to serve more than just Sun City residents, it had to be named after his uncle Walter O Boswell and it had to sit on high ground. To do that, they dug out the lake across the street and hauled the dirt over to build it up.

    Any other questions, just ask.
     
  3. IndependentCynic

    IndependentCynic Active Member

    SC is nearly 15 square miles, thus most of us wouldn't walk to a park even if one existed, especially as Summer approaches. There is little green space in SC that isn't dedicated to golf, other than the lakes Bill discussed. And, being desert, most yards are gravel rather than grass -- it takes some getting used to compared to Mich.

    There are parks, however, in surrounding communities (Peoria, Suprise, etc.) that are only a short drive -- 15-min +/- depending on where you live in SC, and County regional parks (White Tank and Lake Pleasant) a little further away -- 30-45 minutes. The surrounding communities also have dog parks (with grass!). We take day trips when we want to see mountains and green; Prescott, Sedona, Jerome, etc -- it's not the same quality of green as back East, but it usually fills the need.
     
  4. pegmih

    pegmih Well-Known Member

    Dear Michigander wherever you wander.
    With all your questions and concerns,
    I'm wondering why you are considering moving to Sun City.
    Why not just stay in Mich and enjoy the snowy white ground.
    Negativity does now last long in our blazing sun.
     
  5. Riggo

    Riggo Member

    Now that’s a warm welcome to someone asking some legitimate questions. Wow....I found far more negativity in the above post than the original poster who was apologetic in tone.
     
  6. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Hey R, how you doing? Sometime i just elect to ignore rather than even try and make sense. Hopefully Michigander will stop back and chat with us.
     
  7. pegmih

    pegmih Well-Known Member

    Sorry to have offended anyone.
    However, before someone starts "reinventing" Sun City,
    they should live in this wonderful Valley of the Sun.
    'Tis no wonder we are among the top retirements communities in the country.
     
  8. Riggo

    Riggo Member

    Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to see what those with their heads in the sand trap cannot.
     
    suncityjack likes this.
  9. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Sadly it looks like Michagander has elected to leave based on the warm welcome they received. Too bad. Not much will change anytime soon regarding golf. And if the reports from the PGA are correct and the state limits water to be used on the courses, the most impacted will be the 3 private courses. Based on what i read, they will allocate water for fairways and greens. They want to force courses to convert to desert landscaping. With each passing day that becomes a more expensive proposition.

    The 3 private courses are in no position financially to do that and if they simply stop watering the roughs the lots bordering the courses will look like hell. The RCSC on the other hand has unlimited resources; assuming we forgo any other community improvements. As i have said before, once the first private course falls, the wheels will come off and the other two will closely watch. That alone will drive some of those members/players to RCSC courses.

    All of which helps the bottom line and more so because building high-end condo units on those courses will generate millions of dollars from buy-in to the rec center by the developer, PIF from the buyers and then the accompanying yearly lot assessment fees. It simply will prolong the inevitable as water becomes more scarce in Arizona. We do know newer age restricted community's are not building golf courses and if there is a course it is owned and operated by an outside entity. That said, green spaces with walking trails and parks are more popular.

    It is exactly why i have long advocated for a true long range planning committee with a realistic long range plan. When the re-established it i was a huge fan. I think the folks on it now are doing a really good job, especially given how the current gm and board interacts with them. I tried being a part of it, but hated the bs that came with and from one of the board members who carried water for the gm. I give high marks to Dale and the committee for staying around and doing their best. Hopefully under the new gm it will be allowed to flourish.
     
  10. Riggo

    Riggo Member

    Converting to high-end condos will not be easy due to deed restrictions. Just ask those formerly high end homes sitting on Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Club (closed on May 5, 2013) who are looking at a rusting fence and endless blight. This is why the Long Range Planning Committee needs to have a plan well in advance. It will likely take working with attorneys and local legislature to carve a future path for golf course conversion. Pay me now or pay me later. Why not deal with Quail Run now?

    Also, would those homes sitting on the golf courses rather be looking at blight, condos, or a nice desert park/walking trails? The future is NOW!
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2021
    suncityjack likes this.
  11. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Don't hold your breath Riggo. They (the RCSC) won't act until well after the private country club battles have played out. 10, 20 years from now, if golf is struggling to stay afloat, then you will see options for the RCSC courses be examined. It is the reason i keep reminding people golf is supposed to be self-sufficient. Once we start subsidizing it, they'll never act. It's bad enough how they did business the past 15 years.

    The Ahwatukee story has played out a hundred plus times around the country and those gorgeous golf views tuning to steel fences and blight quickly become hot button issues.
     

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