Results from Phase III Community Forums:

Highland High School - March 28, 2000

Our Slogan:
· Bakersfield where the vision never stops!!
· Be all you can be
· It just keeps getting better
· Welcome to Bakersfield
· The light of California
· City of Creativity
· Bakerfield-the valley's best kept secret
· We all can get along
· Best in the West
· Don't hate, congratulate "East Side"
· The minds of the future

Our Image:
· A nice town to raise kids
· Civic Pride
· Somewhere people actually want to go
· Big city with a small town atmosphere
· Lots of Trees - more trees
· Clean streets -sidewalks everywhere
· Determined to succeed
· Caring
· Exciting
· The best "Clean"
· Pretty
· Kind
· Sweet
· Happy
· Joyful
· Clean streets! No bums!
· Good clean community
· Helpful when needed
· Fun
· A growing small town
· Safe and down to earth
· Not country hicks
· More parks
· Taller buildings
· Bigger Roads
· Use of canals
· Landscape Oildale
· Community entertainment
· Family oriented
· Tourist entertainment
· Come visit Buck!
· Dance clubs for under 18
· Calm
· Non-violence
· Less traffic
· Good place to live and have fun
· More lights
· Professional people
· Smarter, Nice, caring

Our Reputation:
· Clean city
· Low crime
· Business Conference
· Family values
· More than just cows & farms
· Good people
· Beautiful place to live
· Clean
· Diversity
· Trees
· Have lots of money
· Live parties
· Fun
· Smart kids
· Diversity
· Tolerance (we shouldn't be worse than Alabama)
· Bigger city
· Less people
· Party city
· Better air quality
· Tourist friendly
· Not hot year round
· Buck Owens' Crystal Palace
· Agricultural area
· Education
· To be known for something!
· To be known to have family values
· Everyone is friendly
· To have lots of activities for youth - safe
· Environmentally conscious
· Less conservative-more accepting of all races and backgrounds
· Better shopping
· Smart
· Artistic
· Giving more of a hand for others
· More volunteering
· Fun, not boring
· Shadow of Los Angeles

Civic Culture:
· Even bigger libraries
· Museums - cultural/original
· More historical museums
· Involvement of community

Business Environment:
· More independently owned stores downtown
· More technology
· Give more to charity
· Clean up the streets
· Factory outlet
· Move toward technology in industries
· Better and more universities
· Better technical aid for schooling
· Internships for students
· Plant more trees
· More of a variety of restaurants
· More business on Eastside of B-town
· 24 hour activity/park
· More pay for jobs and better ways for high school students to get a job.
· Many different types of jobs
· Family oriented activities
· Job Shadowing
· Theme parks
· Zoos
· Water Park
· Painball Fields
· Game shows
· High paying jobs
· Better jobs for teens
· Starbuck's and Barnes & Noble - Eastside
· More business hiring Deaf
· More business in East: hardware store, In-n-Out. We don't need any more Taco Bells outhere. We have too many empty business buildings here. Save the East Hills Mall. Why don't we have any fancy theaters on this side?
· City cleanup
· More jobs
· Leader in agriculture
· Huge Farmer's Market
· More classy hotels (no more motels)
· Outlet mall
· More technological jobs
· More varieties of jobs
· Job opportunities(or program) for homeless, welfare, WICK
· Equal job opportunities
· Bigger & better
· More companies
· Minimum wages must go up - better benefits

Arts & Culture:
· Opera house
· More art galleries
· Dance Theatres
· More venues for local bands
· School Music programs
· Local, community Theatre
· More city plays
· More musical acts (concerts)
· Talks with important positive role models
· Free outdoor concerts for the public
· More events at parks with music
· More popular plays at the Civic such as The Phontom of the Operat
· More symphony and orchestras
· More famous artist and musicians coming to the Cent. Garden
· Cultural festivals
· We need a decent concert hall
· We need foreign films, not a buch of screens all showing the same thing
· Decent fine arts center to educate in the fine arts
· More concerts
· Botanical Garden and large Zoo
· Museums
· Bigger parades
· Large music store outlets
· Blues or jazz club
· Strengthen the support the community gives agriculture and music school programs
· More plays & concerts
· Musicals!
· Showcases of amateur talent
· More foreign language opportunities
· Hall (Music)
· New museum's (arts amd culture)
· More music
· More International focus (International music)
· Broadway to Bakersfield

Heart of the City:
· The people
· Downtown
· Water park
· Stadium
· Grand Canal
· Downtown improvement
· Bakersfield Heart Hospital East Side
· Centennial Gardens
· Parks (some)
· Kern River
· Better police
· More child care programs
· Restaurants (healthy)
· Clubs
· Kid fun
· Friendliness for eveyone
· Togetherness
· Safe town
· Oil industry
· Downtown old-fashioned
· Somewhere to shop downtown
· Something like downtown Sacramento! (outdoor makets, nice landscaping, etc/)
· Shopping!
· Safe place for kids to hang out
· More restaurants on the NE
· Better parks
· More teenage activities (concerts, clubs, etc.)
· Pride
· City Hall
· Diversity
· Small independent companies - encourage small businesses
· Move "Bakersfield" sign back
· Theme park
· Youth Rec. Center (24 Hours)
· Ice skating rink
· Water slides
· More concerts (better people)
· Agriculture
· Love
· Not judging people on their outward appearance
· Caring

Technology:
· Greater technology in schools
· Art work technology training
· More tech. Oriented companies
· Access for everyone
· Computer Factory
· Laptops for students
· More computers in schools and libraries
· T3 Connections for schoolf for (free)
· Battery powered cars
· Colleges and lower prices on computers so it will be affordable for those who really need them
· Public computer labs
· Faster Internet connections
· Computers in the schools that work at least some of the time
· Brain chip - no more school
· Computer cafes - Cyber/Internet Cafe
· Intercall system al all schools
· News media (broaden coverage to not just local news)
· Computers that work, for the schools
· Advanced recylcing program
· Solar power
· Computerized homes
· More ways to get to a computer

Transportation:
· Fix railroad downtown
· Bus station needs improvement
· Mini-rail
· Bullet Train
· More bike paths
· Better transportation to schools and colleges
· Trolley
· Encouragement of the use of bikes, skates, etc.
· Subway
· Airport bigger
· Buses
· Cabs, trollies, horsedrawn carriages, hayrides
· Hover crafts
· Anything that doesn't use gas
· Transportation machine
· 24x7 all day and night rides
· Buses that run on the actual schedule
· Better mass transit
· Light rail on Chester Ave.
· Metro
· Monorail
· Belt route
· Constant conversion to electric cars
· Rapid transit to L.A.
· Safe for farm workers
· Better freeways (less pot holes)
· Car pool lanes
· Amtrak to take us: L.A., Oakland, across town

Our Values:
· Family
· Community
· Stay faithful to family
· Less divorces!!
· Religious tolerance
· Pride in our history
· Education
· Younger politicians
· Acceptance of diversity
· Respect authority figures
· Importance of family
· Safer neighborhoods
· Freedom
· Less teen pregnancy
· Safe sex
· Marriage for everyone
· Work ethic
· Conservative
· Family friendly
· Friendly people
· Family values
· Equality
· Teachers
· UC Bakersfield
· Pride in our city
· Children first
· More attention to Education!
· Good morals
· Responsible
· Respectful

Biggest Changes:
· Cleaner environment
· We want a better overall reputation for Bakersfield.
· Less pollution!
· Clean up Union
· Eclectic mix of people living in neighborhoods ( no more division)
· Low unemployment - 2 out of 3 employed
· Nonexistent poverty
· Expand East side neighborhoods
· Northeast Mall-fixer upper
· Clean up neighborhoods
· Fix the streets around our neighborhoods
· Reparation of old buildings
· More streert lights
· Clubs
· More restaurants
· N.E. side of town needs improvement!
· IMAX
· Cheap gas
· More tourists
· Intro. Of amusement park
· Better freeways
· School facilities (pool, etc.)
· Public restrooms
· More trees & plants
· High schools making sure students can read before they're graduated
· Cute downtown - safe
· Better parks -more of them and cleanliness-with lots of tees
· City-wide beautification
· Rename Buck Owens Blvd back to Pierce Road
· No Oildale - or totally rebuild
· Centennial Garden
· Lori Brock Museum
· Pioneer Village
· Sam Lynn Ballpark
· Stadium
· Amusement park
· Improve growth on East side of city
· Some kind of funky architectural structure (Eiffel Tower)
· Make downtown taller
· More grass, trees, flowers, etc.
· Bullet train
· More help for homeless
· Quality air
· Pay more attention to agriculture
· Stop expanding housing projects - its eliminating agriculture
· Schools

Break Thrus:
· Grand Canal
· Clubs!!!
· Waterpark
· Theme Park
· Garment District
· Outlet Stores
· Growth in schools (less disparity
· More Lakes
· More security in parks
· Cultural diversity in the SW 7 Oaks area
· Better parks
· Less teenage pregnancies
· More opportunity for cheaper entertainment for people under 21
· More medical facilities
· Cultural barriers
· Miniature golf
· Baseball stadium
· Cleaner water
· Zoo
· Cure for A.I.D.S.
· Music studio

Looking back I'm most proud of…
· Enforced voluntary Community Service
· To be an American
· The way everyone had a say in the future
· Being close to everything
· Growth

In our Community's Future We Wanted and We Got…
· New roads
· East side economic development
· Water Parks
· Shopping outlets
· Legalize Weed
· New baseball field
· Indoor football team
· Better malls
· More stuff that stays open 24 hours/day
· More clubs
· All night dance clubs
· Legalized gambling
· More entertainment for youths
· Attract more stores to East Hills - expand property
· Bhigger or more skatepark(s)
· Another, bigger mall
· Less traffic problems
· Better paying mobs
· More recreation for young adults
· Landscaped freeways like L.A.
· Amusement Park
· More concerts
· Another crosstown highway, or connect 178 to 99
· Trauma & ICU hospital
· Cap the population
· Cap housing projects
· Arcades
· Bigger better music store
· Cleaner air - Strong government
· Highways
· Healthier restaurants
· City wide mist system
· Trees
· Guitar center
· Faster growth
· Rehersal studios
· Hip Hop Café
· Cruising Lane
· Public racing spot
· Bigger gyms
· More family activities on the Eastside
· More theaters
· Discovery zone
· Lower drinking age
· Downtown restored
· More public transportation
· Support Mesa Marin
· Clean up SouthEast
· Clean up Union Ave.
· More variety of job opportunities
· Themeing in each district of city
· 18+ over Dance Clubs
· Indoor ski/snowboard park
· Renovation of Highland campus (more grass)
· More businesses on the Northeast side
· More agricultural opportunities
· Skate parks Free
· Eastside needs help! Stop Southwest!
· More rec. parks
· Fun restaurants
· We want parks fixed
· More jobs
· More opportunities for teens
· North to South Freeway on East side past Fairfax
· Smaller class sizes
· Development on Northeast side of town
· Clean up downtown
· More community organized activities
· Better recycle program
· Small businesses
· More housing developments on the East where you can't grow anything anyway
· Do something about Union Ave. Invest some money into this neighborhood turning into a ghetto
· Public pools and parks open and accessable later, and more months out of the year
· More Ag classes
· Bigger school farm on Mt. Vernon
· More teachers
· Plant lots more trees!
· More jobs for teens, like internships
· All year round Fair
· More women's sports
· Football team for Bakersfield
· Overpass @ 178 and Fairfax
· More Latino programs
· Basketball team
· Preserve our farmland
· Pro-sports teams: NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, WNBA
· Major league sports arena
· Less discrimination
· Equal restoration for more run-down parts
· Homeless shelters
· Fix roads
· More recreation
· Better air quality
· More free clinics
· Green grass
· Higher paying jobs
· Bigger, better high schools
· More high school field trips
· Bowling alleys
· Marketplace & Edwards on Northeast (not Oildale)
· More scenic views
· Amusement partk 24/7 at Hart Park
· Camelot Park
· UC Bakersfield
· After school programs
· Higher education for teachers
· Safe place to live
· Secured homes
· Better computer programs at school
· Clean/safe parks
· More developed downtown
· Golf courses
· More money for teachers
· IMAX Theater
· Zoo
· Clean lakes
· Cheap recreation ie mini golf
· More funding for schools (equal)
· Massive block parties - without police shutting it down

In our Community's Future We Didn't Want and Didn't Get…
· Poverty
· Pollution
· East Hllls Mall
· Crime
· Mean Cops
· No more check points
· Discrimination
· 10pm curfew law
· Traffic problems
· High gas prices
· Racist comments
· Ghettos
· Fix up lower income parts of the city
· Housing projects
· Don't build on country farmland
· Kids tried as adults
· People to serve a lesser jail time
· Pollution, litter
· Illegal immigrants
· Crowded neighborhoods
· Old run down neighborhoods
· Crime
· Drugs
· Gangs
· Holes in the roads
· Racism
· To be like L.A.
· Overpopulation
· Anymore building on farm land
· Everything moved to the South side
· Housing out in fields near Hart Park
· Canal Mall
· Gangs or tagging on the walls
· Any more laws
· No homeless
· Oildale slum
· Crack houses
· Stop sexual harrassment
· Violence
· Southwest to be better than the East side of town
· Pot crops
· Discrimination
· Dirty air
· Class segregation by areas
· Any more building on the fabulous farmland in the Southwest
· Speeding laws (crack down on wreckless driving)
· Hungry people/homeless
· Less separation between Southwest and Northeast - more unity ranther than class comparisons - Need to Change!
· Run down sections of town
· Dairies
· Less involved customer service jobs
· Less school state testing
· Oildale ugliness
· Drug labs
· Bakersfield Police Dept.
· Pregnant teenagers
· Ugly Hwy 58 and 99
· Bums on Baker
· Anymore empty fields for lots in NE
· Ugly grass (yellow)
· Gangs, drugs, smog
· No more Walgreens or Rite Aids
· Mercado Latino
· Prostitutes
· Potholes
· Closed campus
· Fences at school
· Trashy neighborhoods
· Dilapidated buildings
· Dirty rivers
· Ugly parts of town
· Corrupt cops
· Rednecks
· Guns
· Welfare - less, much less
· Less country stuff
· Less police harrassing black people and Mexicans

Our Vision for Downtown:
· Bigger baseball field at Sam Lynn
· More business, restaurants & shopping downtow
· High speed train to L.A. & San Diego
· Better preservation of Old Town Kern
· Clubs for Teens along the So.Fork of River
· Better housing and renovtion of public facilities in SE
· Affordable recreational facilities - SE
· Tear down old abandoned buildings to create better ones - SE
· Programs to help the youth get involved in helping their community
· Forest by Kern river
· Mall of America
· Trees everywhere
· Finish sidewalks - lake - park between Oak & Chester S of 24th
· 3 story mall
· More freeways
· Theatre
· Restaurants
· Skate park and nice Mall S of California W of Union
· Outlet Center & trees near Lakeview
· Water Park N of 24th
· Boats and river side shops along S. Fork
· Better School Systems - NE
· University - college - 34th St
· Beale area: Lake, Mall - great, Cancer research hospital- pollution machine
· Cleaner water - plant lots of trees
· Water slide park by museum
· Zoo
· Free children's arcade
· Clubs for 17 and under
· Stadium in E. Bakersfield
· Bigger park - Central Park
· Miniature golf
· IMAX theater
· 2 story school
· Theme park
· Indoor ski/snowboard park @ museum
· Eastside Marketplace
· Plant world
· Mall-more things to do on this side of town - S of California, bet. Union and Chester
· Lakeview: skate park, cop station, more stores, parks, jobs, no dope
· More homes and jobs in E. Bakersfield
· Indoor paintball field W of Beale
· Skate Park
· Use empty buildings N of 34th
· Lakeview: Stop gangmembers and violence; better houses
· Museum on the E. side
· Library near museum
· Clean up Union Avenue
· More restaurants on California
· Hospital @ Chester & California
· Lakeview: soccer parks, super parks, 2nd Magic Mountain, more police at nights, less trouble & violence, more stores
· Place for rodeos E of Beale
· Relieve traffic at 24th and Oak
· More community functions E of Beale
· M.C.F. 3 on 3 tournaments
· More modern shops and stores Truxtun and Chester
· More business on Union
· A nice state-of-the-art park N of 34th, more trees, & restaurants
· Canal walkway
· S of California bet. Union & Chester: more trees, arcade, imprive this area - a park/community activity center - same @ Lakeview (really improve + more jobs)
· Close Chester: put light rail and make it old fashioned cute tourist attraction
· Get some parking complex building S of Truxtun - there's no more room
· Restore and clean up Old Town Kern - accent our historical aspects - be proud of our history
· Restore low income apartments N of Columbus
· Better roads everywhere
· Develoop Lake Ming area (campbrounds)
· Lakeview: Organizae Neighborhood watch - get minority cops in here; kids activities; movie theater; clean up roads; more development in general
· Public skate park S of California bet. Union & Chester
· Between Haley & Mt. Vernon: more place to hang out and stay out of trouble
· Around Beale: Better parks (cleaner); more street lights; clean up Old Town Kern (help homeless)
· Make off ramps nicer with grass strips
· NFL football stadium
· Build new shopping centers on NorthEast - get rid of empty lots

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