Mount Vernon, Marion, or North Liberty (Cedar Rapids, Iowa City: houses, transfer, neighborhood)

[hockeymomma8]

My husband is being transfered to North Liberty - Coralville area. We are currently living in a small town in North Iowa of about 3000 people. We are trying to decide where to live we have 2 children in elementary and one in junior high and our boys are involved in hockey. If anyone has any input on the school systems or cities we are looking into or any other ideas please post. Also interested in hockey iowa city youth program vs. Cedar Rapids. I will probably be working in Cedar Rapids.

[metro223]

North Liberty will be close to Cedar Rapids for the hockey, and also close to Iowa City for your husband.

I would say Marion because that is basically Cedar Rapids, but driving from the NE side all the way down to IA city could be a hassle.

N. Liberty or Marion are my two choices for you though.

[WoodwardGirl]

Hmmm... I'm going to have to disagree with metro223 (this is a first!) I'd vote N. Liberty or Mt. Vernon for exactly the reasons he gave -- closer for commutes to both CR and IC. I'd lean toward North Liberty just for the ease, though -- the roads between Mt. Vernon and the cities are much less forgiving in the winter than the North Liberty jaunt.

As metro suggests, I think it will be Cedar Rapids for hockey; we have an indoor ice arena and Iowa City doesn't at this time. I don't know how IC could have a hockey program... do they?

[SharpHawkeye]

Iowa City may have some youth hockey, I'm not sure. I think I've seen some pee-wee leaguers going at it at the Coral Ridge Mall rink once or twice when I've been out there--but I don't know enough to say for sure. The mall rink isn't really an arena per se, but it's a flat slab of ice with two goals and a Zamboni...so it works.

I'm going to have to say just North Liberty. It'd be the most fair commute for both of you. Plus, being in the middle, you'd get to enjoy both cities more and you've got the lake for the summer. It's also got phenomenal growth, so you've got more housing choices. I've heard lots of good things about Clear Creek-Amana schools (west side of North Liberty) and Iowa City schools aren't bad either (east side).

[WoodwardGirl]

<smacking head> I had totally forgotten about the ice at Coral Ridge! You're right, not an arena, but it is indoor ice. My apologies to IC/Coralville. Having visited The House on the Rock once, I developed a bit of a phobia of carousels, and now tend to just block out everything that is down at that end of the mall

[SykoByte]

I'd choose Marion because it's in the Cedar Rapids metro area... and it's a nice place that's growing pretty well. The Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty area has too many college students, I can't understand why anybody would want to live in a college town unless you happen to be attending that college. I hated living in I.C. Too small and too collegey (if that's a word).. =)
That's just me though.. some people may like having nothing but bars and immature drunk college students all over the place. C.R./Marion is more for families.
Mount Vernon may not be that bad since it would be in the middle of CR and IC... but it's also a college town.
You could check out Solon, or Ely.. or even Swisher. They are smaller towns in between CR/IC. But they would probably be too small and boring. Depends on what you prefer. Good luck with the move!

[LPerkins33]

Originally Posted by SykoByte

I'd choose Marion because it's in the Cedar Rapids metro area... and it's a nice place that's growing pretty well. The Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty area has too many college students, I can't understand why anybody would want to live in a college town unless you happen to be attending that college. I hated living in I.C. Too small and too collegey (if that's a word).. =)
That's just me though.. some people may like having nothing but bars and immature drunk college students all over the place. C.R./Marion is more for families.
Mount Vernon may not be that bad since it would be in the middle of CR and IC... but it's also a college town.
You could check out Solon, or Ely.. or even Swisher. They are smaller towns in between CR/IC. But they would probably be too small and boring. Depends on what you prefer. Good luck with the move!

I disagree with everything here. The only time you run into college students in IC/Ville/NL is downtown Iowa City. And its not even close to as bad as you make it seem.

NL is the place to be if you have to be going between IC and CR, it used to be a dumpy little town but has exploded into a really nice clean town. Good elementary schools, good junior high schools and a brand spanking new high school.

[metro223]

Originally Posted by LPerkins33

I disagree with everything here. The only time you run into college students in IC/Ville/NL is downtown Iowa City. And its not even close to as bad as you make it seem.

NL is the place to be if you have to be going between IC and CR, it used to be a dumpy little town but has exploded into a really nice clean town. Good elementary schools, good junior high schools and a brand spanking new high school.

Oh they have a hs up there now? I thought they were still going to IC West.... they did go to IC West right?

[SykoByte]

Originally Posted by LPerkins33

I disagree with everything here. The only time you run into college students in IC/Ville/NL is downtown Iowa City. And its not even close to as bad as you make it seem.

NL is the place to be if you have to be going between IC and CR, it used to be a dumpy little town but has exploded into a really nice clean town. Good elementary schools, good junior high schools and a brand spanking new high school.

My dentist was in North Liberty.. and I still saw a lot of college-age people around. I guess yeah North Liberty has turned into a nice neighborhood-type area.. it used to be nothing. But it's also quite dull there. Nothing but houses and small shops. If you want to do anything, you have to go into Iowa City, and deal with all the college kids.
I think the Cedar Rapids area is more ideal for families...
Nothing wrong with living in a college town, if you are going to college there.. =)
But other than that, what's the point? Everwhere I looked there were students.. I like to see a mix of people.. not just young kids out of high school running around. And you go anywhere in downtown Iowa City at night, and you can expect to be harrassed. I used to deliver papers in downtown I.C. late at night.. the I.C. police sure don't do a very good job of keeping those drunk students in line. Not a family-friendly town IMO.
You can actually go out at night in C.R. and not have to worry about anything, unless maybe you're in Wellington Heights. =)

I will say that Coralville is a nice area. My mother lived there back when nothing was there.. so I've seen how it has grown into something much better.. however it's still too Iowa City-ish for my tastes.
My father lives in Iowa City and he wouldn't live anywhere else (except for maybe Florida) so I.C. does have it's share of older folks.. but honestly I think they're just trying to feel young by living in a "young" city. I think my dad is crazy and should move to Florida ASAP! =)

[SharpHawkeye]

Originally Posted by metro223

Oh they have a hs up there now? I thought they were still going to IC West.... they did go to IC West right?

I think the western half of North Liberty goes to Clear Creek Amana HS in Tiffin, and they're working on a new high school in Tiffin and a new elementary in North Liberty. I'm not sure exactly what the dividing line is, but it's a bit east of 380. The eastern half of North Liberty still goes to West, although that probably will change as time goes by.