My experiences in Bakersfield
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11/21/2008
I born here in Bakersfield, CA and lived there until age three. My relatives still living there by now. I used to go there twice per month until I was 17 years old. Now, I visit there once a year because I live so far away now. I live in Seattle, Washington. I have been watching Bakersfield from small farm town into really sprawling bedroom community. I can relate to some people's comments about Bakersfield from my personal experiences.
I honestly think Bakersfield would be much better city if they rethink about their massive growth... Stop developers from building thousands of new homes, shopping centers, mega churches, schools, and everything in the suburbs. Start focus on downtown Bakersfield and its surrounding neighborhoods for redevelopments. Build up not out. Build light rail system. Expand bus system. Narrow all streets to two ways streets and add more bike lanes. Limit parking spaces. Forget new freeways/parkways. That would help reduce air pollution dramatically. Then start demolishing existing suburban homes and replace them with low-mid rise residential buildings with street level retail spaces. Demolish strip malls and replace them with lifestyle centers with very little parking lots. Demolish sprawling office complex and replace them with high rises. Last thing, ban Wal-Mart stores and we will start see charm rises in Bakersfield.
Unfortunately, this idea will not happen in Bakersfield for really long time. Bakersield will always be same ugly city as today. Bakersfield people are not really doing anything to make Bakersfield a better place to live but makes it worse.
To the people who said Bakersfield is a great place to raise children... Are you kidding me!?!? It is very dangerous place to raise children in really bad air pollution. That is very high risk for your children to get asthma or having severe breathing issues. Bakersfield has bad water system, that damage brain cells which explains why so many people in Bakersfield are not so thinking forwarded or educated. Bakersfield school districts are ones of worst in the nation. Bakersfield is not safe place to live... If you compare another cities with same size... You will be very surprised. Do you still consider Bakersfield a better place to raise children?
I wish my relatives would just pack and leave Bakersfield for good. That will give me no reason to come back to Bakersfield.
Joshua | Seattle, WA