Raising young kids in Conifer, Morrison or Evergreen? (Littleton, Monument: houses, neighborhoods)

[dayzend]

Hi Everyone,

I have read many threads on best places to raise kids on the front range but I was hoping to get a better sense of these specific communities.
We are targeting these foothill areas for the lifestyle balance we are looking for, jobs & mountains near by..

Can anyone who lives in these areas raising young kids, elementary school age. Drop a line in this thread on the good and the bad? Points of consideration:

- Kids near by to play with, ride bikes etc.
- Schools, mostly interested in the sense of community aspect. School ratings are excellent i see.
- Extra curricular activities, soccer, parks & rec, local community center/gym/pools etc.



Basically any pros. and cons. appreciated. We are coming from Northwest CT and there is a decent balance of these things and we are somewhat in a rural community outside of Hartford. So we are trying to have a similar balance but with the added bonus of being back in Colorado and the west.

Thanks for any insight!

Todd

[TeamFoster]

We raised our kids in Littleton so it’s a little different. My in-laws lived in Conifer when my kids were little. We spent most Sundays there. Our kids played soccer teams from Conifer/Evergreen. I know there is lots of opportunity for extracurricular activities. The only thing I would hesitate about is bike riding. The kids would have to stay on bike trails because the mountain roads really aren't built to accommodate both bikes and cars.

[Consider_Again]

We lived in Conifer for two years, but no kids. I think you will find the extra curricular activities/parental involvement/sense of community in the Conifer area similar to any other place in the country where people responsibly raise kids.

The biggest difference is the neighborhood itself. The Conifer area averages two-acre lots and a child’s friends and schoolmates may live miles away and walking to a friend’s house may not be so practical. Other than you may drive a little more to shuttle kids around, Conifer is a great place to raise children, just like many other parts of the country.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Consider_Again

The biggest difference is the neighborhood itself. The Conifer area averages two-acre lots and a child’s friends and schoolmates may live miles away and walking to a friend’s house may not be so practical. Other than you may drive a little more to shuttle kids around, Conifer is a great place to raise children, just like many other parts of the country.

From personal experience this is very true. We had four kids under nine living in a fine community of 2.5 acre lots in the Monument area. What a major hassle it was to schedule play dates. It was almost impossible for the kids to spontaneously go outside and ride bikes and scooters or play with lots of other kids. Also, large lot communities are often loaded with retired people who like their privacy.

[Consider_Again]

Originally Posted by Charles

From personal experience this is very true. We had four kids under nine living in a fine community of 2.5 acre lots in the Monument area. What a major hassle it was to schedule play dates. It was almost impossible for the kids to spontaneously go outside and ride bikes and scooters or play with lots of other kids. Also, large lot communities are often loaded with retired people who like their privacy.

I can vouch for this. Our neighbors across the street from us had an 11 yo son and they were always scheduling his activities around their work schedules. He would not have had much peer companionship outside of school otherwise.

On the other point, the neighbors above us on the mountain had a couple of teenagers that found it interesting to hike down to our house after dark and look into our windows. Evidently they did not appreciate or care that their voices and laughter carried in the quiet mountain air. I surprised them one evening with a very bright light and that issue did not repeat itself. We are not retired or that old, but we do appreciate our privacy.

[cvinny25]

Great choice to think about Evergreen. I've lived here for 5 years coming from California. You will think the Winters are a piece of cake. Raising a family is wonderful here. The schools are all rated "Excellent" in this area. Depending on how you would like to live, the neighborhoods here offer the subdivision feel with homes close by for kids walking to friend's houses or homes with over an acre that offer kids the fun of climbing rocks. I have a 3 year old living on a street of 35 homes with a more mountain feel. We have half the neighbors with families and it's great to get together.

The recreation centers have a multitude of programs and activities. The outdoor activities are fantastic. Hiking or snowshoeing, mountain biking, fly fishing, ice fishing, hockey on Evergreen Lake, so much.


Chris