Any comments about Prineville? (Bend, Redmond: fit in, new house, unemployment)

[expgc]

Starting to look at the Central Oregon area and wanted some comments about Prineville.

Thanks for the input.

[mdvaden]

Originally Posted by expgc

Starting to look at the Central Oregon area and wanted some comments about Prineville.

Thanks for the input.

Home of Les Schwab tires, I think.

Top-notch tire store from Oregon to Idaho, and I think Washington, to maybe the CA border. I was bummed to find out that they were not east of Idaho when we moved to Savannah for 8 months. So I stopped in the last one and got everything done like struts and stuff.

I don't know much about Prineville, other than that. Pine trees and pine trees.

[PNW-type-gal]

Quiet ranching community, outside Redmond (which is north of Bend). Recently some serious issues with "gentrification" especially some land disputes about building up on the rimrock that overlooks the valley. Not quite as expensive, per square foot, as Bend, but since the new houses tend to be larger and on more land, still pretty expensive.

Prineville Reservoir is a popular second home/retirement home area - not a lot of "subdivision" type homes.

[doneinsocal]

I too have questions about Prineville. I recently visited there and really liked the area. Can anyone tell me about the community? I have three young children and would like to know about the schools, especially cecil sly, little league?, crime? Thanks for your input!

[Bendite]

Like the rest of Central Oregon, Prineville has grown and with that has changed a bit over the past few years. It remains a conservative community with ranching and wood products being two important industries and Les Schwab Tire Centers headquarters is a major employer. However, Les Schwab will be moving its headquarters to Bend in the next couple of years after it builds a new campus.

Not far from Prineville is one of Central Oregon's most expensive destination resorts, Pronghorn. Residents have two private golf courses and a spa is going to be built next year. I've heard that with the housing slump, not nearly as many of those multi-million dollar houses are being built as was originally was planned. Prineville has a new mixed use development called IronHorse that is being developed by Brooks Resources. Brooks Resources has done a couple of developments in Bend that are very well planned. Homes are selling at IronHorse are listed from about $240,000 to $350,000.

Crook County Parks & Rec has about 11 parks in Prineville and there are a number of recreational activities for kids available through Parks & Rec. Nearby is Ochoco Lake and Prineville Reservoir for hiking, camping and fishing. Smith Rock for rock climbing & hiking is also not far. Redmond is only 20 minutes away, so air travel is quite accessible.

Schools average slightly lower in performance than state average - just a couple of points lower in each measurement. Powell Butte Elementary has been rated strong every year and the other elementary schools are rated satisfactory. The Middle School was rated strong last year. The high school was rated satisfactory.

[MENTHEBOYS]

I just saw this post . If you are still interested in Prineville. I was born her but not raised, have lived here for 19 years, I like it here you are close to camping, hiking fishing swimming and lots of outdoor activities there is not a lot here for shopping ect.. need to go to Bend about 40 miles or Redmond 18 miles. We have grocery stores and Bi-mart rite aid but no big sones many places to go out and eat 2 feed stores and just opened back up the theater, its small but better than nothing.

[JAYP541]

In reality at the age of 20, i can say that prineville could have been and actually has been the best place my parents chose to raise my sibilings and i. As mentioned before it has been a growing community, but not as fast as people might think, however the city of pville and crook county school district have embarked upon projects that well serve as a benifit in the future, in preparing for a much growing place. A place in which you live a peaceful life and have many options in regards to outdoor activities for the entire family.i consider prineville, "the city that works!" as i was growing i have created many unforgettable experiences with many prineville residents. Being part of the crook county high school alumni has also been a pleasure. Always maintaing a busy schedule with leadership and athletic activities. The bottom line is that prineville's hospitality is wonderful, as a matter fact what can i say, its oregon....best in the west! If u ever get a chance, and you would like to enhoy the beauty of the great northwest in the high desert of central oregon! Stop by prineville.... My recomendation would be during the months of june-august.... It is a lot fun!

[rural lady]

Prineville is a nice little town, shopping is limited as someone mentioned, glad the show opened. Don't expect it to be like Bend or Redmond,

I hope Prinevile does not change like Bend and Redmond has.

[jimjulie]

Originally Posted by expgc

Starting to look at the Central Oregon area and wanted some comments about Prineville.

Thanks for the input.

I live in Prineville, its not a bad place to live and have a family

[zendigger]

Prineville is exactly what you might imagine as small-town Americana at its best. In the spring there are little league games, fruit trees in blossom everywhere you look, and people are busy planting gardens. Summer has maybe a week of hot weather, otherwise it is mild and evenings are still cool. There are weekly free concerts in the park, craft festivals, car shows, the county fair, rodeos, and the Crooked River Roundup. Fall brings crisp mornings - the woods are close by and filled with golden tamarack and hunter's camps. And though winter is cold and long, here in the high desert the sun shines most days and it is still a pleasure to walk on the river trail. The whole town turns out for the Christmas parade, which is all home-made floats displaying the high school dance club and Head-Start pre-school and church choirs and Bookmobile and every tow-truck in town festooned with lights, with Santa on horseback bringing up the rear.

The town is small enough that I can ride my bike anywhere I need to go. There is a GREAT library, an old-fashioned cinema, lots of gyms and karate and yoga classes for fitness buffs, community education courses offered here and in Redmond/Bend through COCC. I find it remarkably open-minded for a ranch town; that might be the Bend influence, but there none of Bend's trendy-hip kind of showy wealth. It will be interesting to see how rising unemployment affects the community, but I suspect the folks here know how to dig in and be pretty self-sufficient.