| What
do you like about the Bakersfield area? |
|
|
|
| Location: 2 hours any
direction to coast, mountains, desert, bigger cities |
2581 |
| Centennial Garden Events |
2542 |
| Schools. Good education
system including adult school |
2439 |
| Valley Plaza, other malls,
shopping centers |
1884 |
| Reasonable cost of living |
1676 |
| Entertainment
opportunities - many growing |
1300 |
| Family & Friends |
1258 |
| Employment opportunities/good
jobs |
1245 |
| Parks & Recreation -
outdoor community |
989 |
| Movie Theaters-many choices |
962 |
| Affordable housing |
959 |
| Friendly, nice people |
879 |
| Good restaurants-food
diversity |
832 |
| Security-feels safe out on
the town/low crime rate |
808 |
| Size-not too crowded |
771 |
| Agriculture |
692 |
| Traffic not too heavy |
674 |
| Downtown improvements |
635 |
| Sports & Sporting
opportunities |
631 |
| CSUB & BC |
597 |
| Family oriented-great place
to be raised |
596 |
| Marketplace |
574 |
| Weather/climate-outside 360
days per year |
492 |
| Diverse Population/Culture |
478 |
| Hospitals-good hospitals
& health care |
395 |
| Skate Park |
350 |
| Churches-many different/great
moral climate |
335 |
| Small town feel-Biggest
little city |
274 |
| Fair & Fairgrounds |
261 |
| Volunteerism-people have a
strong sense of community-involved/charity |
245 |
| Growth in SW
Bakersfield-clean, newer houses. Schools are better |
228 |
| Public Transportation: GET,
Airport, wide roads |
224 |
| Night clubs |
171 |
| Clean city/nice neighborhoods |
160 |
| Diverse economic
opportunities: oil,
ag, private business |
151 |
| Peaceful & relaxed
community-not too much chaos, quiet |
151 |
| Economic expansion:
Businesses/corporations |
139 |
| Freeway/highway system/good
roads |
138 |
| Kern River, Bike Path |
125 |
| Few natural disasters |
111 |
| Natural Resources: cotton,
oil, fruits, veggies |
95 |
| Strong local music scene |
89 |
| Room to grow |
76 |
| Concerts |
71 |
| Expanding population |
66 |
| Golf courses |
66 |
| Dewar's Candy Shop |
59 |
| Open space |
55 |
| Good police |
53 |
| Big John's Incredible Pizza |
53 |
| Community services/Social
"help" programs |
53 |
| Tourism |
53 |
| Ming Ave. (East/West) |
50 |
| Good programs for young kids
under 13 |
50 |
| Camelot |
49 |
| National events: Business
Conference |
48 |
| Oil Industry/jobs |
47 |
| Crystal Palace |
43 |
| Older, traditional
neighborhoods, businesses, activities |
43 |
| Auto racing & events |
38 |
| Lots of Spanish spoken |
36 |
| High school football |
36 |
| Good technology-growing
technology |
34 |
| Christmas lights-downtown and
other |
32 |
| History of our town/Historic
buildings |
31 |
| Surroundings: mountains &
rivers |
30 |
| East side of town-comfort
& slowness |
30 |
| Teen activities/teenager
hangout |
30 |
| JTPA/summer work program |
29 |
| Trader Joe's |
27 |
| Few homeless |
27 |
| Live theatre |
26 |
| Grand Canal Project "Riverwalk" |
25 |
| Not too much discrimination
against immigrants |
24 |
| Progressive
policies-"hands on" government |
23 |
| Something for all social
classes & educational backgrounds |
22 |
| Doctors |
22 |
| Boys & Girls Club |
22 |
| Good court system |
18 |
| Media does a good job of
highlighting positives |
18 |
| East High-2 hour delays |
18 |
| Good youth centers |
18 |
| Child care facilities |
16 |
| Street Fairs |
16 |
| All-America City |
16 |
| Low unemployment |
16 |
| Clean air |
16 |
| Northwest/Rosedale area
because it's new |
16 |
| 24 hour gyms |
16 |
| Bowling |
16 |
| Good water |
16 |
| More arts/cultural activities
than a few years ago |
16 |
| More famous people are coming
here (ex: Lakers) |
15 |
| Parties |
13 |
| Hunting area |
13 |
| Ogden Entertainment |
13 |
| KORN, the band is from
Bakersfield |
13 |
| SnoShak |
13 |
| Seven Oaks Area |
13 |
| Silver Creek-lots for
community to do at park |
13 |
| CALM |
13 |
| Large labor pool |
13 |
| MLK Center |
13 |
| Construction business |
13 |
| Recycling programs |
12 |
| Growth potential |
12 |
| Fox Theater |
12 |
| Interaction of schools,
guys/girls |
11 |
| Swimming pools |
4 |
|
|
|
|
| What don't
you like about Bakersfield? |
|
| Air Pollution |
3657 |
| Not enough for teens to
do-lack of entertainment/recreational opportunities. No
"hangouts" |
3235 |
| Gangs, crime |
2844 |
| Drugs |
902 |
| Weather- too hot |
873 |
| Racism/discrimination |
850 |
| Congestion, messed up roads |
715 |
| Urban blight/slums/rundown
neighborhoods |
695 |
| No real/professional job
opportunities=poor jobs/poor opportunity/need more diverse
employment |
666 |
| Poor shopping facilities/need
more variety |
592 |
| No amusement parks/no water
parks |
546 |
| Filthy city-not green, trashy
neighborhoods, weeds |
536 |
| Lack of entertainment
diversity |
475 |
| Police: bad attitude, harassment,
abusive, overzealous, arbitrary, prioritize neighborhoods |
465 |
| Public transportation:
mentioned no late night service/ poor SW service |
445 |
| Lack of educational variety,
U.C., etc |
427 |
| Not enough large malls |
386 |
| Oildale |
344 |
| Road conditions: maintenance
and potholes |
343 |
| East side is run-down,
neglected, unsafe, no development |
315 |
| High gas prices |
312 |
| Small job market for teens |
293 |
| Image/Lack of respect from
other cities. "Nashville West" seen as backward. |
279 |
| Poverty-not enough good
paying jobs/some welfare abuse |
269 |
| Too many homeless |
261 |
| Curfew-too early |
252 |
| Need more trees, lakes,
beaches |
248 |
| Downtown needs facelift, new
buildings, etc |
231 |
| Unemployment especially for
unskilled labor |
214 |
| Poor quality
schools/education |
214 |
| Lack of recreational
facilities |
209 |
| Graffiti |
207 |
| Too many people/overcrowded
for infrastructure |
206 |
| Hospitals-emergency
services/overcrowding/long wait in emergency |
195 |
| Lack of cultural events and
facilities |
194 |
| Urban sprawl vs Ag land
use/crowding out farmland |
168 |
| Segregated community:
informal race & wealth divisions |
159 |
| People's philosophy &
attitude is not progressive/forward thinking |
149 |
| Teen Pregnancy |
146 |
| Lack of pro-sports teams |
145 |
| Bakersfield is too small |
142 |
| Lack of balance in
development: all in
NW or SW, none in other parts of community |
141 |
| Small airport |
136 |
| Overcrowded schools |
134 |
| Transportation: lack of
efficient system, freeways |
132 |
| Landscape on freeways &
streets is inadequate |
125 |
| Lack of cultural diversity
& interaction |
102 |
| No nightlife |
85 |
| Need more police/police
protection in the right spots |
83 |
| Water quality |
76 |
| Airport service/connections |
75 |
| Condition of parks |
75 |
| The name-Bakersfield. Perhaps
rename "La Mancha" |
67 |
| Smell - farms, etc. |
66 |
| Lack of support for homeless,
abused. Inadequate homeless shelters |
65 |
| Police target youth |
64 |
| Poor drivers, road rage, no
insurance, drunk drivers |
63 |
| Awful people/not friendly/too
conceited/SW are yuppies |
60 |
| Union Avenue appearance and
prostitution |
57 |
| Schools in need of
maintenance |
57 |
| Lack of technological careers |
52 |
| Not enough clubs |
52 |
| Allergies, health problems |
51 |
| Population growth too
rapid-no planning/zoning |
50 |
| No shopping nor entertainment
on East side |
49 |
| Nothing to attract tourists |
47 |
| Not enough swimming pools:
high schools and parks |
46 |
| Lack of community. People are
not united |
46 |
| People have no sense of style
or culture |
45 |
| Taxes are too high/ too
expensive |
43 |
| High school boundaries are
poorly drawn |
41 |
| Low educational attainment |
41 |
| More fine dining/restaurants |
41 |
| Weapons, guns, and
availability to youth |
41 |
| Filthy public restrooms |
40 |
| Near prisons |
40 |
| Too conservative |
39 |
| Dairies |
38 |
| Lack of student rights. No
teen representation |
37 |
| Need "famous"
businesses. Govt should encourage businesses to "try
Bakersfield" |
36 |
| Need more vocational training |
36 |
| Schools not strict enough |
35 |
| Chester Avenue |
34 |
| Poor handicap accessibility |
33 |
| Not enough skateboard parks |
33 |
| Closed drive-in theaters |
33 |
| Local government lack of
follow through |
32 |
| Valley Fever |
31 |
| Libraries: need more, lack of big library |
29 |
| Slow law enforcement |
29 |
| Too many bars in Arvin |
29 |
| Silly laws affect teens |
29 |
| Need to beautify some areas |
29 |
| Lack of international airport |
29 |
| Stray animals |
28 |
| Kern River dry |
27 |
| More moderate housing:
condos, apartments, housing |
25 |
| Southeast side of town |
25 |
| Radio stations-need better
mix of music |
24 |
| Fog |
22 |
| Unequal distribution of
public resources |
21 |
| Slow down housing development |
21 |
| Growth |
21 |
| Media improvement needed -
quality |
20 |
| Low school funding.
Perception that schools in West get more than in East side |
20 |
| Moved Bakersfield sign |
20 |
| City procrastination |
20 |
| Lack of communication about
events |
18 |
| Empty stores-vandal targets |
18 |
| Not enough good books in
school |
17 |
| Justice system bias |
17 |
| High rates of business
failure |
17 |
| No snow |
17 |
| Isolated |
17 |
| High cost of insurance |
17 |
| Too many vacant lots |
15 |
| Need famous businesses |
15 |
| People go to L.A. for events |
15 |
| Not enough places to ride
motorcycles |
14 |
| Too many restrictions on
teens |
14 |
| Modern ball park |
14 |
| Too big |
14 |
| Not enough parks |
14 |
| Weak politicians |
14 |
| Lack of family values |
14 |
| Trains too many stops |
14 |
| Lack of environmental
awareness in urban development |
14 |
| The pace is getting too fast |
13 |
| Slow pace |
13 |
| Stores close too early |
13 |
| Have to learn English |
13 |
| Places to go are too spaced
out |
13 |
| More lighting for streets |
13 |
| Fair needs improvement |
13 |
| Not enough teachers |
13 |
| Need a zoo |
12 |
| Public workers too rude |
12 |
| Earthquakes |
12 |
| Oil refineries |
12 |
| Too many insects |
12 |
| Driving age |
12 |
| Too many houses in small area |
12 |
| Lack of quality housing |
12 |
| No Imax Theater |
12 |
| Unattractive business
appearance |
12 |
| School violence |
10 |
| Local govt does poor job of
keeping people informed |
10 |
| Bakersfield College too far
away |
10 |
| Companies downsizing |
10 |
| No football at CSUB |
10 |
| Ice skating |
10 |
| Colleges need to improve
academic image |
10 |
| Price fixing on cars |
10 |
| Central Park |
9 |
| No sex offenders in
neighborhoods |
8 |
| No famous people |
8 |
| Too many social programs |
8 |
