Community Input

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 Caf�
- 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