Bedford/Hollis (Manchester: rentals, restaurant, prices)

[seamusnh]

My kids are in the amherst school system and the class sizes are generally 18 - 20 students per class. As for sidewalks, no, there are none, othter than a few in the village...

[maestramommy]

Originally Posted by ALSM

I think we're leaning towards Bedford.
We really liked the feel of Bedford. We took the kids to the playground on Nashua Road and really liked it. Are there other playgrounds/family areas in the town?

When we drove around though we didn't see any sidewalks in the neighborhoods. Is this typical? Are there any neighborhoods with sidewalks or that are especially family/kid friendly? We drove around the three corners and liked that area, the houses were maybe just a little too close to each other than what we are looking for, but we liked the idea of having a pond close by. Is Hollis the same way in terms of sidewalks in neighborhoods?

Another question is about schools in Bedford. The population is almost double of Hollis's and we are a little concerned about class size in the schools. What is the typical class size in the elementary schools? Are the elementary schools K-5 and then middle school 6-8? Does the class sizes go up a lot after they start the middle and high schools b/c of the combining of the elementary schools?

We recently went to a yard sale in 3 corners and I agree the houses are very close together. We did like the feeling that you could get to know your neighbors much more easily and walk/jog in the streets without worrying about get hit. However, the close proximity of the houses, plus the more contemporary style of the houses (not us) is a downside. That area of Bedford is more sparsely populated, and the class size of the elementary school may reflect that. We live in a much older development and the houses are QUITE far apart. Took us a little getting used to at first, but now the 3 corners (which is CA would be pretty spacious) seems a little crowded.

Thank you. Sorry this is so long but we have a lot of questions

At the moment I believe the playground on Nashua is the only official playground. However, all the elementary schools have playgrounds, and they are open to the public when school is not in session.

As for sidewalks, that's something I noticed too. There are sidewalks near the playground and the high school, which is further up the street. Otherwise I haven't seen any. It's not particularly pedestrian friendly, but I think that is true of a lot of towns in the area. We don't have sidewalks on our street even. I see a lot of people walking their dogs and jogging on the street. Luckily it's a quiet one.

I second Lisa's rec to call the schools. They are very helpful and friendly. Another thing you can do is go to greatschools.net, and look up Bedford. You should see the schools listed, and it will give you info like class sizes.

[maestramommy]

Originally Posted by ALSM

I think we're leaning towards Bedford.
We really liked the feel of Bedford. We took the kids to the playground on Nashua Road and really liked it. Are there other playgrounds/family areas in the town?

When we drove around though we didn't see any sidewalks in the neighborhoods. Is this typical? Are there any neighborhoods with sidewalks or that are especially family/kid friendly? We drove around the three corners and liked that area, the houses were maybe just a little too close to each other than what we are looking for, but we liked the idea of having a pond close by. Is Hollis the same way in terms of sidewalks in neighborhoods?

Another question is about schools in Bedford. The population is almost double of Hollis's and we are a little concerned about class size in the schools. What is the typical class size in the elementary schools? Are the elementary schools K-5 and then middle school 6-8? Does the class sizes go up a lot after they start the middle and high schools b/c of the combining of the elementary schools?

Thank you. Sorry this is so long but we have a lot of questions

At the moment I believe the playground on Nashua is the only official playground. However, all the elementary schools have playgrounds, and they are open to the public when school is not in session.

As for sidewalks, that's something I noticed too. There are sidewalks near the playground and the high school, which is further up the street. Otherwise I haven't seen any. It's not particularly pedestrian friendly, but I think that is true of a lot of towns in the area. We don't have sidewalks on our street even. I see a lot of people walking their dogs and jogging on the street. Luckily it's a quiet one.

I second Lisa's rec to call the schools. They are very helpful and friendly. Another thing you can do is go to greatschools.net, and look up Bedford. You should see the schools listed, and it will give you info like class sizes.

We recently went to a yard sale in the 3 corners and I agree the houses are close together. It's a very nice looking neighborhood, and it seems like you'd get to know your neighbors more easily. However, the close proximity of the houses and contemporary styling (not us) is a downside. That area of Bedford is actually less densely populated, and the class sizes at the elementary school may reflect that. We live in a much older development, and the houses are quite far apart. Each lot is approx. an acre, so that gives you an idea. In the summer when all the leaves are on the trees it's hard to see your adjacent neighbor's house. At first it felt a little like living in the sticks, but now we are used to it, and places like 3 corners feels a little crowded.

[lisa g]

Originally Posted by ALSM

Are you happy you chose Hollis? I really loved Bedford and I think we could get more house for the money there as well as lower taxes, I'm just not sure about the size of the town/schools. That's my only concern about Bedford.

We are happy in Hollis. Chose it over Bedford because we preferred the smaller agricultural town with smaller population (2 acre min. property sizes if you want to manage that much land- it can be a chore) with a shorter commute for dh - with no toll booths on the route. Just a personal preference, both towns are nice. Bedford will offer more commercial options - which is important to consider if that is important to you. Both towns also have conservation lands w/trails.

[BF66389]

Hollis is pretty much awesome We love it here as well.

[ALSM]

A few more questions:

What would be the closest/best hospital from Bedford if there should ever be an emergency?

Are there any bike trails in Bedford or Hollist that are safe- maybe an old railway trail - or are there any in the nearby towns?

Is anyone familiar with Greenfield Farms neighborhood of Bedford? If so is it child friendly, what is the average house lot size?

Thank you again.
We're getting closer. We're probably putting our house on the market here next week.

[lisa g]

I am thinking Elliot Hospital in Manchester is closest to Bedford but not sure. Maestra?
There are trails through woods in both towns, but if you're looking for paved bike paths, there is the River Rail Trail from Nashua South into Mass: Nashua River Rail Trail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There must be something similar in Bedford, I just don't know. Good luck w/the sale of your home.

[Valerie C]

The closest hospital to Bedford would be CMC (Catholic Medical Center) also the home of New England Heart Institute. Elliot is also in Manchester, which has a very highly recommended neo-natal intensive care unit.

The Greenfield Farms neighborhood is nice, and considered very desirable. Lots range from .25 acre up to over 1 acre. The larger lots tend to be more heavily treed, but there is very nice landscaping throughout the subdivision. There are areas of common land, which adds to the country atmosphere. AND if I remember correctly the neighborhood has public water and sewer (so no worries on well and septic systems). This may or may not be an added benefit for you.

I wish you all the best in getting your house sold quickly, so you can get here to New Hampshire

[BF66389]

Originally Posted by ALSM

Are there any bike trails in Bedford or Hollist that are safe- maybe an old railway trail - or are there any in the nearby towns?

Hollis has several roads which have been widened/biking trails added.

[Valerie C]

ALSM, are you looking for a paved or stone dust trail? Depending on the biking skill level of the kids, you might want to consider the Windham Rail, a paved 4-mile running/biking/walking trail. Windham is 30 minutes or under from Hollis/Bedford. The Windham/Salem section is paved, the Windham/Derry section is not. We like both, but the paved section rides through some beautiful scenic areas, and is very easy for the younger bikers to handle.

Website: Located in Windham New Hampshire, the Windham Rail Trail Alliance is dedicated to the development and promotion of this scenic 4.1 mile trail that is part of the Salem to Concord Bike Ped Rail Trail