Bethel park (Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, Dormont: home, school district, live in)

[tonyahunting]

Can anyone tell me about bethel park. They seem to have home prices in my price range and a decent school district. Is this true? Is it a safe commuity? Anything you can tell me about the area would help.

[janiesgirl]

Has a good school district and it is indeed safe.

BP has several parks/parklets and is adjacent to the big County South Park and all of its amenities. The community does not have its own pool, but then again the County Wave pool is relatively close...

Plenty of retail, professional offices and places of worship.

If you work in town, the commute is longer than closer in suburbs (Scott Twp, Greentree, Dormont, Mt. Lebanon) because you need to negotiate the Rt. 19 corridor and its multitude of traffic lights.

[airstrip]

What about the reputation it received about drugs a few years back? Do you think there are worse drug problems in Bethel Park than other South Hills areas or did they just get the publicity and the bad reputation?

Having easy access to the T is a big plus for Bethel Park if you commute downtown, versus say South Park or Peters.

[janiesgirl]

Originally Posted by airstrip

What about the reputation it received about drugs a few years back? Do you think there are worse drug problems in Bethel Park than other South Hills areas or did they just get the publicity and the bad reputation?

First, all communities have substance problems, but some are more exposed than others. The South Hills communities are no different, but some communities receive more publicity than others, like Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park. Many reasons why; one of which is that many media reporters live in Mt. Lebanon, BP, USC, etc. and they have a vested interest in exposing these problems so a solution can be found.

BP has been involved some aggressive prevention, detection and enforcement initiatives. Coupled with an experienced police force, they are making good headway. Lebo's police force is not as mature/wise, but they are ramping up efforts too. Results should follow. Even so these communities are VERY SAFE.

[Pittgal]

Originally Posted by airstrip

What about the reputation it received about drugs a few years back? Do you think there are worse drug problems in Bethel Park than other South Hills areas or did they just get the publicity and the bad reputation?

Having easy access to the T is a big plus for Bethel Park if you commute downtown, versus say South Park or Peters.

All areas have drug problems, you only know about Bethel's because it was leaked while most districts are mum about that kind of info getting out. We have friends who are police officers in the surrounding areas who say that the drugs are everywhere but you are just kept in the dark about it.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by airstrip

What about the reputation it received about drugs a few years back? Do you think there are worse drug problems in Bethel Park than other South Hills areas or did they just get the publicity and the bad reputation?

Drugs are no worse in Bethel Park than anywhere else. Mt. Lebanon or Upper St. Clair announced the time and day of a drug search one week prior to searching the schools. They did this so they could claim the school was drug free. Dont' be fooled at all by thinking any school district doesn't have a drug problem. Furthermore, I do not feel that Bethel Park has a bad reputation. I've heard about heroine deaths in all of the surrounding townships.

[airstrip]

I'm really glad to hear what you all have said. You have validated what I hoped was true all along. I had heard that other areas announced their searches ahead of time and felt that drug problems were kept quiet in some other communities. I'm glad to hear that they are aggressively targeting solutions and prevention, not only in Bethel Park but in the South Hills. I've never felt that Bethel Park was unsafe or that substance abuse was worse there than any other community but I didn't want to be naive or in the dark about it, just because I grew up there. I had heard the rumors and thought what better place to see if they stand up. Apparently, they don't. COOL!! Now, if only we had a job to relocate to, I'd be there in a heartbeat.