Phase III  

Visioning Meeting

High School Input � Centennial High � March 29, 2000

Our Slogan:

�        Great place to live

�        Bakersfield.. Oh Yeah! I drove through there once

�        Bakersfield � a town for all things local

�        There is something for everyone

�        Small town with a BIG heart

�        An equal opportunity community

�        Bakersfield�.Oh Yeah

�        The future is yours

�        Growing towards the future

Our Image:

�        Cleaner

�        Great place to live

�        Diverse

�        Green

�        Clean

�        Agricultural community + big city

�        Successful and entertainment filled town

�        More trees and greenery

�        Better malls

�        A better one � no �redneck�

�        Cheap housing

�        Conservatives

�        Cultural and racial diversity

�        We are not all farmers! I don�t drive a tractor!

�        People think that it�s a place to retire

�        Clean and safe city

�        Advertising for events

�        Primarily agricultural

�        More business

�        More community involvement

�        More �nature�

�        More waterways

�        Major shopping town

Our Reputation:

�        Safe and enjoyable community

�        Clean city

�        Friendly

�        Good location

�        A lot of recreation

�        Needs to change � just the people need to help with our reputation

�        A town with opportunities

�        A place to vacation

�        Not hicks

�        Bakersfield needs a facelift, no more hicksville

�        Strong standings

�        Agriculture

�        Lots of jobs (for homeless and financially impaired families)

�        Strong on values

�        A good place to raise a family

�        Small, serene community

Civic Culture:

�        Active & involved

�        Open gyms

�        More community informed

�        Community togetherness

�        Family oriented

�        More museums

�        More plays (big ones like Les Miserables)

�        Very involved � town meeting � community involvement high

Business Environment:

�        More job opportunities

�        More technology

�        Variety of jobs

�        Unemployment at a low

�        More stable income of oil � not based on OPEC

�        Lower gas prices

�        Higher minimum wage

�        More jobs-

�        Improve technology

�        Big industries

�        Record companies

�        More businesses geared towards teenagers, restaurants, clubs

�        Higher wages

�        Better shops, not necessarily in the malls

�        Casinos

�        Jobs that offer training for future offered to teens

�        Bigger companies Ex: Sony, Mattel

�        Need more �big� businesses

�        A bigger medical clinic (like Sansom Clinic)

�        Bigger/better airport

�        Local businesses use the internet to sell products in a global market

Arts & Culture:

�        More diversity

�        More concerts & plays/musicals

�        Appeals to all ages

�        More facilities

�        More people brought to Centennial Garden

�        Recording studios

�        Not the land of Buck Owens

�        More variety in the arts. Sure we have a few live theaters but what about just music or art (paintings etc)

�        No culture, needs a greater influence from American Indians, pagans, something other than Christian

�        An Art Museum for the local talent

�        A bigger museum and art gallery

�        A bigger theater

�        Night clubs

�        Bigger variety of concerts

�        More melodrama/plays (cheaper)

�        Music for everyone �divers

�        More big performers

�        More money to Pioneer Village

Heart of the City:

�        Downtown should be (the heart) if restored well!

�        More needed and flourishing businesses downtown

�        Homeless Center (Big)

�        More community oriented activities where families can go

�        Family oriented

�        Friendly people

�        More places for disabled children

�        More trees

�        Centennial Gardens

�        The heart of the city should be the youth but it�s not

�        More kids centers. Ex: Boys and Girls Club

�        Public gym and rec area

�        More cultural activities

�        Improve the area surrounding the Kern River�offer recreational facilities/parks

�        Marketplace and Chester are the heart of Bakersfield

�        Downtown needs to be upgraded (more trees)

�        Not safe enough to go out at night alone

�        The Bakersfield sign

�        Downtown:  restaurants, clubs/entertainment, bars, no bums, more color-lights-trees-benches, sidewalks, public restrooms, more up to date

�        More shops

�        Lights, bright signs

�        Maze craze & water slides

�        Hard Rock Caf� of Bakersfield

�        Focus on downtown �Isla Vista�

Our Values:

�        Community involvement

�        Family

�        Working together

�        God

�        Taking care of elderly/disabled

�        Classic conservative

�        The consideration for others

�        Especially in schools the value is on athletics way too much

�        Cleaner, safer community

�        Children�s future

�        Students will not have books, they would use a laptop computer and disks for all their classes. They would have access to internet

�        Good clean fun

�        Family oriented

�        Tolerance

�        Hard workers

�        Involvement

Technology:

�        More in schools - better

�        Schools need computers

�        Jobs based on technology

�        New Silicone Valley

�        More DSL & cable providers

�        More tech education

�         We need to better prepare our youth to go on & succeed

�        A larger improvement in tech. For schools

�        More libraries

�        More computers in libraries

�        Trolleys run through downtown

�        Better public transportation

�        Wider roads

�        A better bike path with more trees and less bums

�        More involvement through internet

�        Newer technology for schools

�        Robotics factory

Transportation:

�        More of it! � larger means of public transport

�        Less air pollution

�        Better roads

�        �Metro�

�        Bus prices lower

�        Train station needs to be away from the busy areas

�        Amtrak trains

�        We need a major airport, not the small planes we have

�        How bout shuttle vans rather than buses

�        Better transportation

�        Safer public trans.

�        Different variety of transportation

�        More flexible traveling

�        Less pollution

�        Bullet train

�        Beef up the GET

�        Light rail

�        Better bike path � cross town access

�        Subway

�        Monorail

Biggest Changes:

�        Upgrading the whole city, mainly the S.W.

�        More plants and trees, less dirt

�        Football here & baseball

�        Building more schools that are helping out the kids these days

�        Soccer stadium

�        A new technological university

�        More clubs

�        Broader views-not so local-minded More KMC � more productive

�        Bigger colleges with more programs offered

�        Clean up the whole city

�        Centennial Garden

�        Marketplace

�        Big city

�        Cost of living

�        No more country stuff

�        More local TV stations

�        More rock stations

�        Affordable Theme Park, Water Park

Break Thrus

�        Downtown Bakersfield restored

�        More businesses = more jobs

�        Safe (crime at a low)

�        Getting little kids to read more books and helping to learn that reading is important

�        Bigger events in music

�        A big break through for this town would be the acceptance of diversity and the lack of fear from one another

�        Amusement park

�        Water park

�        New freeways

�        Alternative energy resources

�        Need substitutes for gasoline or cars

�        Indoor ski hill

�        New college

�        Water resort � new lake etc. more jet ski, boat, places to go

Looking Back I�m Most Proud of�

�        The effort to try and improve the community

�        The growing

�        Family environment

In our Community�s Future We Wanted and We Got�

�        Beautify Rosedale Hwy

�        Larger corporations (businesses)

�        Space amp for kids

�        Dance clubs for kids 18 and under

�        Outlet malls

�        Better malls ( Nordstroms)

�        Music played @ Malls (live bands)

�        More gyms �free recreation; upgrade recreation

�        Welcome to Bakersfield sign

�        More nature/exercise paths

�        Longer lunch hours

�        More trees

�        Water parks

�        More Starbucks

�        Lakes (better ones)

�        Year round schools

�        Prettier (more trees, flowers, less dirt and dead grass)

�        More free skate parks

�        Higher pay rates

�        More Bagels & Blenders (by Centennial)

�        More appealing to the eye

�        More activities for youth (i.e. concerts, pro-games, etc.

�        More places like the Market Place (more appealing to the eye)

�        Splash Cafee

�        Better libraries

�        Upgrading the whole city, mainly the S.W.

�        More plants and trees, less dirt

�        Upgrading the whole city, mainly the S.W.

�        More parks and recreation areas

�        Stricter laws against drugs and hate crimes

�        More transportation, maybe �Metro�

�        Better roadways

�        More youth facilities to keep problems off the streets

�        Cleaner cities, it looks dirty around here

�        More community oriented activities like �First Night�

�        More forms of entertainment. Not everyone likes that twangy country crap

�        Lass strict laws on skateboarding

�        Medical school

�        Put more money into our schools:  lower class size, hire more and more qualified teachers, offer more choices in school

�        Computer Businesses � Occupation

�        Improve public libraries

�        Put in more palm trees

�        More patrol on the bake path

�        More plants and trees around Bakersfield

�        Lower gas prices

�        18 yr old drinking law

�        Water Park

�        Amusement Park

�        Soccer stadium

�        Restoration of older communities

�        MLS, NFL, NBA, MLB teams

�        More churches (activities)

�        Something to get people to stop instead of just driving through

�        Better air

�        10 commandments back in the schools

�        Wholesome places for kids to hangout

�        More colleges and private schools

�        IMAX movie theatre

�        Zoo

�        Green � more grass

�        Better college programs (business, petroleum, agriculture programs at CSUB)

�        College events, something to attract people to go to college here, equestrian courses, concerts, better advertising

�        Better curriculum, we don�t test well cause we�re not actually learning, just getting good grades (high school)

�        More activities that are less expensive

�        More electives in high school

�        Controlled growth

�        Clean air

�        Good paying jobs

�        We want more opportunity for East Bakersfield

�        More community service/involvement

�        More funding for education (so we can compete with Clovis)

�        More public parks

�        More public restrooms

�        Controlled theater growth

�        Outdoor options � hiking trails, ATV rental, horse rides, cleaner parks, water slides, amusement park

�        Mall of America to be center of town

�        Recycling cans with garbage

�        Attractive Old Town Kern to be able to see our old city beautiful

�        Airport

�        Outdoor mall/recreation (Ex. Santa Barbara)

�        Cultural places to visit

�        More parks in the Northwest area

�        Sculptures

�        To be able to window shop downtown

�        Sports facilities for teens/children/adults

�        Clean lakes!

�        Better �hangouts�

�        Water in Kern River

�        We want to maintain our agriculture

�        Variety of restaurants

�        A better reputation

�        More drug rehab centers

�        Better law enforcement

�        More �Boys and Girls Club� type centers

�        Better downtown living

�        Places to go to have fun for everyone. Activities:  rock climbing, skiing, swimming/diving

In our Community�s Future We Didn�t Want and We Didn�t Get

�        No more movie theaters

�        No more housing developments

�        No more Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Rite-Aids

�        No 10pm curfew for minors

�        GET bus ( no more)

�        Dirt fields, tractors on the busy roads

�        Useless oil derricks

�        Shopping centers/grocery stores

�        Overcrowded facilities

�        Police thinking they can do anything they want like mess up traffic laws � they don�t respect them

�        Huge diversity in culture, this causes problems

�        Slums

�        Dirty streets �trash

�        Homeless people on busy streets ( or homeless at all)

�        The immigration problems

�        Power unevenly dispersed

�        Poor budget management

�        Expansion of Bakersfield, taking away too much agricultural land

�        Overcrowded schools

�        Any more movie theaters

�        Teen rape, child abuse

�        Teen drop out

�        No more gangs

�        Drugs

�        Teen pregnancy

�        Bad people released in our state that have done crimes in another state

�        Run-down hotels

�        Prostitution

�        Prejudice

�        Racial division

�        Strip clubs

�        18 yr. Old drinking law

�        Nigh clubs

�        El Caminos

�        Unequal distribution of funds and resources

�        Gerrymandering of school districts for socio-economic reasons

�        Oildale

�        Buck Owens Blvd.

�        Bad education ratings �California�s too low

�        Discrimination � culture is low and segregated. Ex. East side and N.W.

�        No ghetto areas

�        People not involved in their community

�        Empty shopping centers

�        Unemployment

�        Over urbanization

�        Bad air days

�        Over-cultivated residential areas (we need more land with more space in housing areas)

�        Business environment in residential neighborhoods

�        No more high schools to be built

�        Less golf course, country clubs

�        Graffiti

�        Crime

�        Blight

�        Traffic congestion/accidents

�        No more K-marts, Wal-marts or dumpy shopping centers

�        No more cheap theaters shut down the old � open new big ones

�        No opportunity

Our Vision for Downtown

�        Museums

�        Good hospitals

�        Night clubs

�        Big Lake

�        Magic Mountain

�        Football stadium

�        Police Station

�        Better roads

�        Help schools in all Downtown

�        Cleaner neighborhoods N of 34^th

�        Museum:  fix the roads, better landscape, cleaner, Amusement park

�        Gang counselors near Lakeview

�        Water slides

�        Lots of trees

�        YMCA N of 34^th

�        Homeless Shelter and Park S of California bet. Union and Chester

�        Lake E of Lakeview

�        Grocery Store on California W of Union

�        Beale � Clean up this area a lot

�        Bigger streets � California

�        Clean the highway better (99)

�        All people need to help out with the problems of Bakersfield

�        More road work on all roads

�        Clean up image N of Golden State � fix the road

�        No homeless

�        Homeless center N of 34^th

�        A play center for disabled kids S of California

�        Clean up Union Ave

�        Image of Rancho Motel

�        Keep improving our town image

�        Expanding fo the business district

�        Restore buildings S of California

�        More events for teens near Lakeview

�        Streetscape N of 34^th

�        Beale Ave. area:  economic engine; need equal distribution of funds; More police officers patroling the area; Events

�        Go cart tract S of California

�        Better shops

�        Better parking everywhere

�        Bigger arcades

�        Restaurants (with more than just food � like performers or themes) with teenager/young adult appeal

�        I would like to be able to �walk� downtown

�        Drop in to entertainment downtown

�        Lakeview area needs to be cleaned up

�        Street Fairs along California

�        Add trees and flowers to hide Hwy 99

�        Along highway have murals (covers graffiti � improves overall look and style and drive

�        Waterslides

�        Entertainment for all cultures

�        Clean up along Golden State Hwy

�        Playgrounds near 34^th

�        Fix Padre Hotel

�        Computer library

�        Canal like in Venice

�        Mall of America

�        Better living � apartments � fix blight

�        Add restaurants and shops

�        Fix up hotels

�        Add events

�        Trolleys around down town

�        Make roads look better

�        More places to go � 34^th st. cafes, shops

�        Renovations � facelift

�        More hours for buses on weekends

�        Career Center in E. Bakersfield

�        Nursery, fix buildings on Bakers T. More Homeless Shelters

�        Lakeview: Teaching center, restaurants, safer church environment. Boys and Girls Club, street signs, Bigger shopping center, Park security, fix streets, neighborhood watch