To the Editor:
Residents of The Villages know that at some point in the future, someone will have to initiate actions to restore some form of live entertainment to the town squares.
When that time comes, here are some positive suggestions for consideration.
DO THINGS SMARTLY & SMOOTHLY.
Resume limited entertainment operations one square at a time. Nobody wants a knee-jerk approach which could possibly lead to a painful re-cancellation of operations.
PARKING.
Eliminate auto parking on the two sides of each square closest to the stages. To partially accommodate auto parking displacement, require golf cart rental/sales dealerships to relocate depot parking of unsold/unrented golf carts to the periphery of parking lots. Restripe restricted diagonal square-side parking spaces to accommodate 90-degree perpendicular appropriately-spaced golf cart parking. Erect tasteful visible signage to clearly advertise the golf cart only restriction in these areas.
OUTSIDE BARS.
Keep them closed. Operation leads to customer congestion. Remove unenforced/unenforceable prohibition on open beverage containers in the squares, as these are not enforced in The Villages proper. SEATING.
Reduce by setting out only half total chair capacity. Forbid use of folding chairs. Place chairs 2×2, spaced an appropriate distance apart. In stadium bleacher seating, tape off appropriate spacing, using 2×2 approach.
DANCING. Reduce available space by half, using plentiful supplies of traffic cones and white plastic chain.
ENFORCEMENT.
Get Community Watch personnel out of the plentiful white pickups, and assign duties as ushers/enforcers in and around the squares, after appropriate training. Limit square attendance to available spaced seating capacity. Ensure law enforcement is readily available for rarely-needed backup, if required.
PUBLICITY.
Advertise modified operations well in advance to educate The Villages residents.
ENTERTAINERS
They should make periodic announcements reminding audiences of the social distancing requirements. Eliminate widely-ignored taped announcements.
MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP
Appoint an “Entertainment Czar” to be in charge of the reopening process, and empower this individual to implement needed changes in operation and management of square entertainment. Widely advertise “Czar” identity, with clear contact methods. Eliminate ineffective management-by-committee mentality. FUTURE OPERATIONS.
Recognize needed changes in future entertainment operations. Be guided by old “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ and “if it ain’t working, try something else” approaches.
Jeremiah Riordan
Village of Collier
