Recreation Recap: Parking tips, dances and more
by Kathy Thayer
GRF Recreation Manager
Summer in LWSB turns out to be a great staycation. Whether your passion is swimming, golf, keeping fit in the gym, or tripping the light fantastic at musical productions, we’ve got it all. To top it off, the Thursday night amphitheater season is in full swing, bringing live entertainment to 2,500 residents and friends weekly.
This is the season for outdoor fun. Families and friends and clubs alike enjoy barbecues at the Clubhouse 1 picnic grounds or at Mission Park for smaller get-togethers. Drop by the Recreation office any weekday to book a reservation at no cost to residents.
Reminder: Limited Parking at Clubhouse 1 The Recreation Department reminds everyone that parking at Clubhouse 1 is limited as the street and land adjacent to Del Monte Drive is actually owned by Mutual 17. Parking is available off Golden Rain Road at the golf course lot and on Burning Tree on the west side of the clubhouse— however anyone who is not a Mutual 17 resident or authorized guest of a Mutual 17 resident can expect to be ticketed or towed when illegally parked.
The Mutual plans to escalate enforcement as it installs new signage to mark the area clearly, so Recreation is working with the Transportation Department to offer bus service to and from the venue. Contact the on-call bus service at 562-472-1367 at least 15 minutes before the desired pickup time and people will be picked up at their homes. For groups of 40 or more, Recreation will assist in having the group park at another location and shuttled to Clubhouse 1.
Card and game groups who meet inside the clubhouse should take note that these restrictions apply to them as well and expect even tighter parking during the season. In California, owners of private residential property are not required to provide accessible parking so non-Mutual 17 residents with ADA placards or license plates are still prohibited from parking where posted, according to the Mutual 17 board.
New pilot program offers Minibus rides to GRF dances The Recreation and Transportation departments have teamed up to provide bus service to the GRF Weekend Dances. Normally, bus service terminates at 6 p.m., however those attending the Velvetones on the first and third Sunday evenings or Vinyl Rock and Abilene on the second and fourth Saturday, respectively, can hop on a ride. The requested location for a pickup must be where the resident can see the approaching bus and the driver of the bus can see the resident. Shuttles will be provided at the end of the dances to return riders to their units. Last shuttle departure for a return ride home will be at 9:20 p.m. This is a trial endeavor that runs through August and will be reassessed at that time.
Upcoming committee discussion on GRFsponsored dance lineup Speaking of dances, residents are often confused as to the difference between GRF dances and club-sponsored events. GRF sponsors four weekend dances monthly, but the demand for live entertainment continues to grow beyond what is budgeted so Recreation began working with clubs who were willing to use their excess reservations to sponsor bands. Those musical groups are not financially supported by GRF but are permitted to collect tips.
At the end of the 2025-2026 fiscal year in June, the Member Services Committee was approached about adding more GRF-sponsored performances. This will be on the agenda when the new committee convenes this month. Resident opinion is welcomed and important in guiding GRF in deciding on new entertainment options. The committee meets at 10 a.m. on each second Tuesday in the Conference Room B. People can make comments at the beginning of each meeting.
The Recreation Department loves to hear from residents and welcomes respectful input and inquiries on all things Recreation.
For more information or to share feedback, contact kathyt@lwsb.com.
