Out of an abundance of caution and due to the high number of out of state visitors at this time of year, the Recreation Centers of Sun City West advises residents to be aware that event cancelations or facility closures could happen at any time. Residents who are at higher risk of infection are advised to avoid social situations and group settings.
“Coronavirus in Arizona is a rapidly evolving situation. We don’t know what the Covid-19 cases will look like in two weeks, but we do know Arizona will have more, as will the rest of the country,” said General Manager Bill Schwind. “We want to be sure to give all our residents, including those who are expecting guests, as much time as possible to make alternative plans if they choose. That’s why we are putting out this notice now, even though no local cases have been reported.”
The Rec Centers is canceling its Happy Camp programming, which was scheduled to begin March 23 and invites participation from youngsters who are visiting their grandparents. “We know our residents love this annual two-week long celebration with their visiting grandchildren, but safety comes first, so this event has been canceled,” Schwind said.
As for other events and activities planned in Sun City West, decisions regarding closures or cancelations will be made as more is known. “We have a Covid-19 plan in place and can make decisions quickly, as the need arises,” Schwind said.
Residents are advised to take precautions to safeguard their own health, particularly residents who are at higher risk. Per the CDC, older adults and those with a chronic medical condition such as heart disease, diabetes or lung disease are at higher risk for Covid-19 complications.
“As of right now, there are no known cases of Covid-19 in our area, but that could change at any time,” said Schwind.
Per advice from the CDC and Arizona Fire and Medical Authority, all residents are advised to take precautions to safeguard their own health, including social distancing. The Rec Centers encourages residents to ensure they have a supply of prescription medicines, as well as food and other necessities to last them for two weeks. The Rec Centers will make decisions on cancelations and closures to safeguard our members, should we reach that point.
Residents are advised to watch suncitywest.com and sign up for the Rec Centers’ enews or follow us on Twitter at @rcscw to stay abreast of local conditions pertaining to the Rec Centers. Any event cancelations or facility closures will be announced there. Arizona Fire and Medical Authority is the local agency responsible for working with residents throughout the community. Follow AZFMA on Twitter at @azfireauthority.com or visit afma.az.gov.
Thank you.
Refunds for Happy Camp?
Hi Margaret. Please contact our box office at 623-544-6093 for any questions concerning Happy Camp.
I love this camp for all of our grandchildren however we all need to take care and protect ourselves and our neighbors.
Thank you SCW fir this very difficult decision.
Thank you for being proactive instead of reactive
Refunds for Happy Camp?
Hi Judi. Please contact our box office at 623-544-6093 for any questions concerning Happy Camp.
Thanks much, keep up the good work
CORONA VIRUS IS HERE IN THE SUN CITY’S. Don’t kid yourselves. May of residents of the Sun City’s visit CA and other hot spots. We need to be smart about what we do. When it hits us, you just need to look at the Seniors Deaths in the state of Washington. BTW…. POTUS called the Governor of WA a snake when she banned “CLOSE” social distancing.
what about the craft fair, hundreds will be here people need to know early
Hi David. The Spring Arts and Craft Fair this month has been canceled.
What about the up coming fair? It is next Saturday.?
Hi Vondell. The Spring Arts and Crafts this month has been canceled.
Thank you for your leadership.
What about the concerts this weekend?
Hi William and Angela. This weekend’s Spring Fest concerts are still scheduled to go on. Do be aware that Friday’s show has now been moved to Sunday, March 15, at noon because of the weather.
Will the Beardsley Pool and spa be closed from 3/12 at 5:00 to 3/30?
Hi Harry. The Beardsley pool and spa will be closed during this two-week closure.
are the Outdoor pools closed during this period
Hi Rick. Outdoor pools will be closed during this two-week closure.
Will Pajama Game be cancelled, rescheduled or money refunded ?
Hi Helen. The Pajama Game performances at Stardust Theatre have been canceled. As for refunds, we are currently working on a plan for how to properly go about doing that and we ask that residents please be patient during this time. Thank you.
Could you please clarify if the closure includes the bocce, mini-golf, and pickleball activities? Thanks for being proactive in keeping the community informed and as safe as we can be at this time
Hi Jodi. This two-week closure does include activities such as bocce, mini-golf, and pickleball.
Why can’t the lawn bowlers have access to their greens while the walkers are on the walking path?
I asked a question this morning, but never got a reply
You didn’t answer my question from this morning, but the biggest complaint from most all the sport clubs is that golf still goes on!
Hi William. To help limit the financial hit during this two-week closure, the decision was made to keep the golf courses open. Precautions are being taken to limit person-to-person contact on the golf courses such as not selling concessions or beverages and asking golfers to limit their time in the pro shops.
Coors Light Tournament March 14 & 15?
Hi RJC. Golf courses are open during this time but we suggest giving Golf Operations a call at 623-544-6037 and double-checking the status of this tournament.
Refunds for the 5k?
Hi Tonia. Details on how refunds for canceled events will be issued are still being worked on. We are currently asking residents to be patient and give us time to work out the details.
I see the walking path is still open; then why can’t the lawn bowlers practice on the greens?
I think you should cancel the buses to the casinos – who knows who is there and what virus they might have. There is no way to have 6′ of distance there either.
I don’t understand how to keep a social distance at the concerts this weekend. Why are they not being cancelled? I have a lung issues and don’t want to take a chance. How do I get a refund?
Hi Michael. An announcement was made this past Thursday, March 12, that our Spring Fest concerts over the weekend were canceled. As for refunds, we are asking for residents to be patient with us as we work out the details. For continued updates, please visit suncitywest.com/covid19 or follow us on our social media pages.
Hi RJC, I read your comment from 3/12 that the concerts were still on for Saturday and Sunday. Is that still the case?
Was this decision to shut our community down made unilaterally by the GM, or done in conjunction with board approval? If the latter, when did the board meet to discuss it (there is no record in Board Docs) and was it actually voted on? If there was a vote, was it unanimous?
It’s not true that the walking path is closed. Yesterday there were dozens of members on the path, today there are several again! There are no signs telling people of the closure, so why can’t the pickle ball,tennis, and lawn bowlers use the outdoors? I hope this is being reconsidered.
If the horsehoe guys can get back to their games, why can’t the lawn bowlers?
Hi William. Both indoor and outdoor rec center areas are closed during this two-week period. However, not all of our amenities can be locked to keep people out, so we are asking our residents to cooperate and stay out of these areas as we do not have staff to force compliance. This includes areas such as the walking tracks, lawn bowling and mini golf. We know there are some people who will ignore the closure and go into these areas, but they do so at their own risk.
I appreciate your replies. The talk around town is that the golfers are allowed to continue while the lawn bowlers ( who have their own equipment and have no need to enter the clubhouse ) will only be using the greens outside and social distancing will be implemented since there will only be 8 or so using the green. The golfers games are no different. We will still acknowledge the instructions from the rec. center and cooperate as best we can.
Is Army Air Force Band still on for April 14 at Beardsley ?