Clubhouse 5
January 28
5:15 p.m.
$40 club members, $50 non-members
Hosted by the California Club, enjoy a sit-down dinner with complimentary wine and entertainment. The Derek Bordeaux group will play your favorite blues, jazz and soul songs. They will have a tribute to Smokey Robinson.
For more information, contact Leon St.Hilaire at 949-478-4901 or email californiaclubLWV@gmail.com.
If you’re seeking fresh ways to engage your mind and body in a group setting with guidance from an instructor, consider enrolling in a class—or even multiple classes—ranging from cycling and dance to yoga and meditation, among others.
Click here to view our schedule of classes, activities and events. This calendar can also be found at lagunawoodsvillage.com > Calendars > Schedules and Activities > Activities Calendar.
For more information about classes, email the recreation office at recreation@vmsinc.org, call 949-597-4273 or register through ActiveNet.
For more Village news, click on the tag “Recreation Events” below.
Laguna Woods Village spends a significantly lower percentage of revenue on IT (1.87%) than the national average of all industries (7.62%), underscoring the need to investigate IT initiatives to improve organizational results.
Detailed information on Information Services Department – Information Technology benchmarking comparisons can be found on pages 27 to 28 of the full VMS Benchmarking Report, available online.
For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.
Starting January 1, California drivers will face enforcement of a new parking restriction under the “Daylighting Law” (AB 413). Designed to enhance pedestrian safety, the law prohibits stopping or parking:
The regulation applies to both sides of one-way streets, a departure from the rules for two-way streets, where only the approach on the right side is restricted.
This measure aims to keep areas near crosswalks free of parked cars, improving visibility for both drivers and pedestrians. Daylighting, already mandated in over 40 states, has been shown to reduce crashes at intersections by up to 30%.
For more information, visit the full bill text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.
For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) designates November through February as check-before-you-burn season in an effort to limit fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions. PM2.5 is a combination of dust, soot, aerosols, vehicle emissions, wood burning smoke and other hazardous matter that can travel into the lungs when inhaled and cause heart and lung diseases. Children and infants are especially vulnerable to its effects.
When AQMD forecasters expect PM2.5 to reach levels that cause unhealthy air quality, the agency calls for a 24-hour ban on burning wood in fireplaces, stoves and outdoor fire pits. Gas fireplaces are exempt from AQMD’s no-burn day alerts.
The AQMD offers alert notifications and resources for no-burn days, including:
Keep in mind that VMS, GRF and the mutuals do not enforce AQMD rules and are exempt from the AQMD requirements that prohibit the sale of wood-burning devices. The exemption applies to all indoor and outdoor wood-burning devices that are permanently installed and included in the sale or transfer of any existing development. Although the mutual is responsible for the infrastructure of existing wood-burning fireplaces, the use and compliance related to the AQMD rules is the responsibility of the member and occupant.
Remember to be mindful of the fire risk associated with wood-burning fireplace use and follow best practices for safe operation. Keep flammable items, such as curtains, furniture, newspaper and books, away from your fire-burning devices, and keep a fire extinguisher handy.
For more information, visit the AQMD website’s Check Before You Burn webpage.
For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.
Laguna Woods Village offers state-of-the-art fitness centers designed to support all health and wellness journeys. Conveniently located in the Community Center and Clubhouses 1 and 5, each facility provides a welcoming environment for residents of all fitness levels.
The Community Fitness Center features an array of cardio and strength-training equipment, along with free weights to customize your workout routine and group classes. Conveniently located on the southwest side of the Community Center (24351 El Toro Road), you can stop by Resident Services or other administrative offices on your way or after a workout. This fitness center is open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Clubhouse 1 Fitness Center (24232 Calle Aragon) stands out with its extensive equipment options, dedicated space for group fitness classes and convenient hours that cater to a variety of schedules. This facility is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Note that certain machines may be in use during regularly held circuit classes. Also, visit the Clubhouse 1 fitness center to learn more about its seven highly qualified personal trainers who can help custom-craft a personal workout or strength routine and guide you in your fitness journey. The gymnasium at Clubhouse 1 also hosts group exercise classes, basketball, volleyball and badminton, and a variety of dance classes.
At the Clubhouse 5 Fitness Center (24262 Punta Alta), enjoy a smaller, more intimate setting with cardio machines and weight-training options. Open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., this center is perfect for those looking for early birds and evening exercisers alike. Your resident ID is required for access to this unstaffed facility.
Resident guests are welcome to visit the fitness centers, provided they are 16 years of age and accompanied by residents.
No matter your fitness goals, these centers are here to help you stay active and healthy. Take your fitness a step further with personal trainers who can help with personalized workout plans, expert guidance and motivation to help you achieve your health and wellness goals. There are a number of trainers available for bookings with sessions hosted at the Clubhouse 1 and Community Fitness Centers. Pick up pamphlets to learn more about and contact personal trainers at either fitness center.
Learn more about the fitness classes hosted by Recreation by visiting the community website or by visiting the Recreation Events, Classes and Activities calendar to view the schedule directly. Join a yoga, ballroom dance or cycling class today!
For more Village news, click on the tag “Recreation Events” below.
Compared to public and private entities in the transportation services industry, VMS transportation offers greater service levels, more routes and more services at a competitive annual cost.
Over the last two years, the VMS Transportation Division has reduced costs by more than twice the projected savings had the Age Well Senior Services 2022 proposal been accepted.
Detailed information on the Transportation Benchmarking comparisons can be found on pages 23 to 26 of the full VMS Benchmarking Report, available online.
For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.
The GRF Broadband Ad Hoc Committee, along with VMS staff and The Broadband Group (a leading telecommunications consulting firm), have been looking into some changes coming for television and internet services in Laguna Woods Village. This process began in 2019, and the committee has spent hundreds of hours researching the best television and internet options for our residents. The committee is exploring different ways these services can be delivered at the best price possible, including satellite, cellular, cable and fiber.
Here’s a quick rundown of the options:
The Past: Coaxial Cable
The current hybrid cable system installed 25 years ago has served us well, but the time is now to replace the aging infrastructure. The equipment is at the end of life and the coaxial copper connections are oxidizing and failing, creating unreliable service and noise. Repairs and updates are no longer viable options. The cable system is on life support and cannot be sustained much longer before failures occur on a regular basis.
The Future: Fiber to the Premise
The most advanced solution on the table is fiber to the premise (FTTP), which would bring the fastest speeds possible—currently up to 10,000 Mbps—right to residents. Moving to fiber also allows us the ability to transition from traditional cable television to internet-based streaming services, which offers many more options at lower prices and more viewing choices. This approach would help keep our community up to date with technology, providing faster internet speeds, flexibility and value for every home in the community.
The Good News
The great thing about our current system is that we already have an additional, empty conduit path underground. This means adding new fiber all the way to your manor will be less intrusive, making it easier to bring faster speeds with the FTTP upgrade. The new system will use a passive optical network, which means there’s no active field equipment between the broadband building and the home, making it much more reliable and easier to maintain.
So, overall, it will be a smoother, more dependable connection right to your home!
More Information
Visit Village Television’s YouTube Channel and search “the future of broadband,” and watch “Tech Talk” with Debbie Dotson and the PC Club show with Gary Russell. You may also request important information included in the white paper “The Next Generation of Technology” by emailing the Broadband Services General Manager paul.ortiz@vmsinc.org.
To view previous coverage of this topic in “What’s Up in the Village,” click here.
Community outreach and education will be an important priority as this project progresses.
Please note: Village Television’s TV6 will continue to broadcast! Rest assured; your community television station is safe!
For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.
After comparing now Laguna Woods Village maintains its varied and considerable fleet of vehicles used in service of the community, repair and maintenance offered by VMS are a great value to residents.
The VMS staff hourly repair rate is less than a third of the average of three local repair shops ($63.08 vs $198.33).
The VMS staff cost for a typical preventative maintenance service is $63.08, compared to $143.33 for local repair shops.
Additional savings accrue from not having to transport vehicles to an off-site facility.
Detailed information on fleet maintenance benchmarking comparisons can be found on pages 21-22 of the full Benchmarking Report.
For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.
The new Laguna Woods Village website is up and running! We encourage you to explore the new website to begin your improved user journey. Please check out this tutorial, which highlights most of the main need-to-know navigation updates.
NOTE: Accessing Sensitive Documents Now Requires Log-In
One significant update is the protection of sensitive documents—such as agendas, minutes, reports and financials—behind a single sign-on. When visiting Governance > Governance Documents, residents will be prompted to use their existing resident portal login credentials to access these documents securely.
First-time resident portal users can click the Resident login link, click Register Account, and enter their email on file with Resident Services. Click Verify Email. If you don’t know the email address you have on file with Resident Services, email the department at residentservices@vmsinc.org. View a step-by-step tutorial here or watch a video tutorial here. For resident portal log-in assistance, please contact residentservices@vmsinc.org.
Patience and Continuous Improvement
Please take your time, browse our pages and find what you need to fully embrace and enjoy Village living. Please note that as with any new website launch, ongoing updates will occur behind the scenes to deliver the best user experience. If you have questions or comments, please email webmaster@vmsinc.org.
For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.
