A familiar sight on Power Road is the globe and security guard stand marking the entrance to Leisure World. The guard stand is one of the reasons most of us don’t realize how much is happening on the other side of the gate. You’ve got to have a reason to get past the security gate – like clearance or invitation from a resident. Once inside you’d discover there’s a lot more to Leisure World than the globe and security.
One thing that’s been happening over the last few years is Leisure world is in the process of reinventing itself. Age restrictions have been relaxed to allow a younger demographic to develop. Many of the residents are not “retired” but still working, those that aren’t working are much too active to be classified as retired. Leisure world is an active – “active adult” community. As you drive through Leisure World, its’ hard to believe the community is 40 years old. Not only is it immaculately maintained, many of the facilities have in the last few years been completely rebuilt or refurbished. New programs, amenities and hi tech facilities have been added to keep up with the times. A new fitness center, with a massage and nursing staff are examples of the management philosophy. Others examples are the state of the art woodworking shop and the culinary center where cooking classes take place. While other like communities have more or less stagnated, Leisure World has proven to be quite progressive.
A major distinction is that Leisure World is a county island within Mesa. Over the years Mesa has grown around the community. Because it is unincorporated and not considered part of the city, property taxes are low and it’s operated more like a business enterprise than a municipality. It has an elected Board of Directors made up of property owners with a history of independent strategic planning. The three committees established early on by the Board attest to its long-term thinking. In a community that counts its golf courses as a major asset, the Golf committee provides valuable feedback to the Board on issues concerning the golf courses. Even though the developer sold its last lot years ago, the Board has kept an active Marketing committee. The third committee is the Long-Range Planning Committee. Add to this mix, professional management hired by the Board and its no wonder the property values have held up as values in other communities have dropped.