Factual Information About ID Checking at Recreation Department Facilities

I recently had the opportunity to receive a very thorough and detailed review of the policies and reports used by the Recreation Department as they work diligently to make sure that only authorized users are using our recreational facilities. There are specific written standards and policies to check IDs of all users at all facilities. While no system is or can be perfect, it is quite apparent that a well-designed process is used, and Recreation Department staff and managers work very hard to try to ensure that only authorized users are our pools and recreation centers.

It is simply false to claim that our recreational facilities are never checked or only occasionally checked in a haphazard manner. It is true that there are occasions when unauthorized users try to use our facilities and not pay for that use like we do with our amenity fees. It is also true that this is a serious concern and a focus for our recreational staff, many of whom are village residents just like you! They do not want unauthorized users using facilities that they are paying for either! It’s also true that the Recreation Department and Community Watch welcomes your help to ensure only authorized users are using our facilities.

IDs are checked on a regular but random basis so unauthorized users have no idea as to when ID checks will be conducted. I’m not going to share everything I learned as we want to keep the violators guessing! Recent data shows 2,320,974 ID scans for the period of October 2022 through August 2023. Community Watch as assisted the Recreation Department over 90,000 since January 10, 2022 checking for unauthorized users, proper lighting and that the restrooms are cleaned. This number is close to pre-COVID numbers.  Attendance at many facilities dropped off some during COVID. Scans are conducted using both scanners and manual checks for guest ID passes.

There are residents who do lose their access privileges if they are found trying to obtain guest passes they are not entitled to. Once residents who are found to be fraudulently using our facilities, they are suspended for a period of time and could eventually lose their access privileges.

You can help support our recreation staff members by making sure you have your ID with you when using a facility and ensuring your guests have their passes. Please consider notifying the recreation department when you see a violation occurring. If there is a public safety issue that is criminal in nature, call 911. If it is criminal in nature you can either call the recreation center directly at their contact number or you can call community watch at 352-753-0550. Someone will investigate. It’s helpful if staff knows of violations as they are occurring.