visited Camas, Vancouver, and Beaverton this last weekend (Bellingham, Kennewick: for sale, sex offenders)

[allimiller]

Hi!
I was fortunate enough to visit Beaverton (Oregon) and Camas and Vancouver this weekend. I have some questions because i'm wondering if I missed something...

I absolutely loved most of the neighborhoods in Beaverton. Oak Hills, Cedar Mill, Cedar Hills, South Beaverton, Highland Hills, Greenway, and West Beaverton (crappy Aloha schools in that area though).

I drove over the brige and was amazed by the beauty on 14E driving into Camas. I thought Camas was so cute but after visiting all the schools and driving around the neighborhoods I noticed that there seemed to be a big disparity in the housing. There were huge fancy homes (not my style at all) up on the hill, getting bigger and fancier as you went up, and down towards downtown and the strip by the jack, will, and rob (?) youth center the houses seemed really small and old, which would have been fine, except that the neighborhoods that the homes were in lacked a neighborhood feel. I don't know how to describe it except that it felt very different from the neighborhoods in Beaverton. I also noticed that much of Camas was so hilly that I couldn't really see my kids biking around or anything....Are there any issues at all between the "rich kids" up on the hill and by the lake and the normal, middle class kids that live in the more average housing? I would be worried about that if we lived there. I saw a Safeway there. Is that the only shopping (ouside of the produce shop and the mom and pop shops downtown)? Are there any other grocery stores there? I also noticed that Zellerbach and Helen Baller elementary schools were across the street from each other. I thought that was really weird to have TWO elementary schools within a stone's throw of one another. What is that about? What are they building next to the Jack, Will, and Rob Youth Center? Can anyone comment on the things I mentioned? I'd like to hear if I just missed something...I LOVED how beautiful it was there in Camas, but I didn't care for the neighborhood layout. I'm wondering if I just didn't go out far enough...

Then I went to the Fisher's Landing area of Vancouver and HATED it. It was BLAND. All the houses looked the same, all the trees seemed to dissappear, and there were strip malls everwhere. I even found an elementary school in the back of a business park. It was REALLY weird. Then I drove over to the other side of Vancouver to visit Mountain View High to see if the area over there was any better. It was some...there were more trees, but I still felt that it lacked a real neighborhood feel. The houses were all still very much cookie cutter houses that were all varying shades of beige with strip malls abounding. I felt that many of the neighborhoods were not that big, and ended in dead ends or out on big roads.

To my knowlege, I visited the areas with the good schools, and was not excited by what I saw. I DO think that the area seemed safe, and NICE if you like that style of housing, like many people do. However, I greatly prefered the older ranch style of homes that many of the Beaverton neighborhoods I visited had. I also loved that there are so many parks in Beaverton, that the neighborhoods connect up with each other, and you can walk for quite a ways surrounded by trees and homes in each neighborhood.

I'd love to hear from people familiar with this area. My husband is job hunting. We are going to take what(if) we can get. If he gets a job on the WA side of the river, we'll live over there. If he gets a job in Oregon, we plan to live in Beaverton. I am REALLY hoping that I just missed a huge chunk of Camas or Vancouver. I need the area that we move to, to have good schools. As of now, i'd be leaning toward Camas, in the older area, just becasue it had more personality than what I saw in Vancouver, however, i'm not blown away by what I saw there either, though it was absolutely gorgeous.

[StealthRabbit]

For an 'in-town' Camas experience with kids in tow..., I would only look in the area near Crown Park / Will and Rob Center / Cemetery. As you mentioned the terrain is challenging for bicycles, but that area is a plateau (neighborhood layout is pretty bad I will admit...but digestible). Safeway is it at the moment, there are a couple other places in Washougal (and another Safeway). Camas Produce and Fern Prairie Market fill a vital need and are greatly appreciated, I try to give them as much business as possible. But... My Safeway Club card saves me a bundle QFC is 5 min from Camas, as well as Fred Meyer (164th, 10 min) and Winco (134th, 15 min). Walmart is on 192nd but I don't shop there (since I am a commercial property owner that is not keen on 'Walmart economics', I prefer to keep my commercial tenants eating, and paying rent)

For Vancouver, I like the area around Officers Row, and east along Evergreen. Also Lincoln area and parts of NW Minnehaha (Near BPA / ROSS) (pretty hilly too)

I was in Beaverton yesterday, I just can't handle the crowds and rushing traffic, seems like CA to me. It is a bit too much into 'upward mobility' for my comfort level, but... it has its good points (like indoor swimming).

How old are the kids? That would make a huge difference for me.

Are you interested in Rural living? A lot of Camas is better tailored for that, and there are a few 'pockets' of neighborhoods in rural areas that are nice. Rural is losing its luster, and when gas prices get back to their new normal, it could become downright difficult to justify, as you need to DRIVE to everything.

[cdelena]

I live in the Felida / Salmon Creek area and think it is one of the more desirable areas... the Chinook / Alki / Skyline Vancouver schools in the area have a good rep.

[allimiller]

Janb,
Thanks for the information, I appreciate it.

You asked if I am interested in rural living. I don't think so....As it is, the most populated areas of Camas still feel rural to me. It's gorgeous though, so even though I'm used to a way more crowded place, I think it would be nice to live there...but for the neighborhood layouts etc...

The neighborhoods you mentioned are the only ones that I would consider, after seeing all the "rich" areas. We don't have a ton of money, and if we did, I really couldn't see myself living like that. Is there an issue with the overly rich kids being snobbish toward the "regular" people? How about the adults? That usually reflects on the children. That would be a concern for me. My kids are 9 years old and 10 months old (big difference).

I did see the produce shop and I thought that was awesome, especially since the Safeway's in my area don't have good produce.

you said:
"Officers Row, and east along Evergreen. Also Lincoln area and parts of NW Minnehaha (Near BPA / ROSS) (pretty hilly too)"

I'm not familiar with Vancouver at all. I just researched all the schools and drove around the areas of the schools that I thought were supposed to be good. Do you happen to know if the areas you mentioned have good schools? Do the areas that you mentioned have "personality"?

Allison

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by allimiller

you said:
"Officers Row, and east along Evergreen. Also Lincoln area and parts of NW Minnehaha (Near BPA / ROSS) (pretty hilly too)"

I'm not familiar with Vancouver at all. I just researched all the schools and drove around the areas of the schools that I thought were supposed to be good. Do you happen to know if the areas you mentioned have good schools? Do the areas that you mentioned have "personality"?

Allison

check the neighborhood links here
http://www.city-data.com/forum/vanco...vancouver.html

I feel the neighborhood across the street Edgewood Park in Vancouver, Washington, Edgewood Park Neighborhood Guide and Business Directory.
from Harney Elementary School public School in Portland Oregon (Portland is wrong) has some personality, but Vancouver schools vary year to year. Harney area has a pretty mixed demographic, but the neighborhood right near, and to the south and east of the school is pretty nice and small homes too (lower taxes). Central Park is very nice to have closeby. As you probably know, we had to homeschool due to VSD quality, (and living and working internationally) but that was ages ago. I won't claim it was best, but it was the best choice we could make at the time.

I have several friends teaching in Vancouver School district, but ironically they all homeschool their own kids.

for private schools,
Kingsway Christian, King's Way Christian Schools | Complete Pre-K through 12 Christian Education
and
Our Lady of Lourdes school Our Lady of Lourdes School
are close to north central Vancouver and both are superb.

as cdelena mentioned Felida / Salmon Creek area is good too. (and also close to the above private schools) There are some more established homes in those areas and nice soil for gardening!! and very close to most things you need.

ON soapbox
(to do over... I would private school grades 1-5, then travel internationally / homeschool grades 6-8, then DAIRY FARM BOARDING School (milking cows and shoveling manure 7 days / week) grades 9&10 (kids working in adolescence is FAR BETTER than getting in trouble or playing sports or video games, didn't hurt me any (just a tad Warped) + I'm a BIG fan of 4-H... every presidential candidate should have been a 4-H kid(then they could run a country) Grades 11 & 12 Running Start (Clark College)) After HS graduation the kids are 'outta here', and need to figure out how to make it on their own BEFORE figuring out how THEY can pay for college (and what major they are willing to pay for...)

I have a good friend who set his four boys to very remote and distant destinations after HS (Where the friend had a family for the boys to live with) He told them when they could figure out how to work their way home, they could come back! (and visit) They went to India, Chile, Kenya, and New Zealand (which wasn't a good idea, as the NZ kid stayed away for 7 yrs!, too nice, too ez) This is a good idea for boys... for girls, I think I would use something like the peace corps. It is sad that there is not an avenue for kids to 'find themselves' before going to college. Our economy / leadership / higher EDU is suffering from this today. Too bad, so sad...
OFF soapbox

[hml1976]

Allison - we moved to Camas a little over a year ago and had a similar first impression as you. My husband actually called me and said that despite working in Vancouver we were going to have to live somewhere on the Oregon side because Camas was "weird" with its disparity between new and old areas and the houses all on top of each other up the hill. We rented for a while and almost put an offer on a house near Crown Park. Then we met a family who lived in Lake Pointe at the bottom of Prune Hill and realized that there was this whole area that was a "normal" suburban neighborhood. While the houses up on Prune Hill are beautiful, they're pricey and riding bikes is pretty difficult. I would recommend that you take a look at Lake Pointe, Lake Heights and Sunningdale Gardens. Prices range from around 300K which is still pricey but honestly not much more than you would find in Beaverton or downtown Camas. I've never lived in a friendlier place and honestly the lack of "keeping up with the Joneses" is one of the things I like best about living in Camas. Even up on Prune Hill the people have all been very kind to us and snobby isn't a word I would use to describe them. I don't know if there are issues in the high school at all but the volunteer organizations I belong to are split between people who live in old and new Camas and if we didn't actually meet at people's houses, you would never know who belonged to which area.

I agree with you about Fisher's Landing, but as well as shopping downtown Camas we do drive to the Wal mart on 192nd and once in a while to the boutique area near 14 where QFC is. I do most of my shopping at the Safeway on 162nd.

On the schools. They are closing Zellerbach and opening a new school, Grass Valley in the fall, my kids will go to the new school, they were previously zoned for Helen Baller.

Hope that helps a little, it really is a wonderful town!

[allimiller]

That was so helpful. I'm glad that i'm not "crazy" in my impression of the areas. I just kept driving around wondering if I was missing something, because it felt weird there. Gorgeous though. Amazingly beautiful. I do love that all the schools in Camas are good (unless I've misunderstood), so that I don't have to freak out about what block to live on in order to get my kids into the better school. Thank you for the neighborhood info, the shopping info, the new school info, and for not calling me crazy for saying what I said about an otherwise gorgeous area.

Allison

Originally Posted by hml1976

Allison - we moved to Camas a little over a year ago and had a similar first impression as you. My husband actually called me and said that despite working in Vancouver we were going to have to live somewhere on the Oregon side because Camas was "weird" with its disparity between new and old areas and the houses all on top of each other up the hill. We rented for a while and almost put an offer on a house near Crown Park. Then we met a family who lived in Lake Pointe at the bottom of Prune Hill and realized that there was this whole area that was a "normal" suburban neighborhood. While the houses up on Prune Hill are beautiful, they're pricey and riding bikes is pretty difficult. I would recommend that you take a look at Lake Pointe, Lake Heights and Sunningdale Gardens. Prices range from around 300K which is still pricey but honestly not much more than you would find in Beaverton or downtown Camas. I've never lived in a friendlier place and honestly the lack of "keeping up with the Joneses" is one of the things I like best about living in Camas. Even up on Prune Hill the people have all been very kind to us and snobby isn't a word I would use to describe them. I don't know if there are issues in the high school at all but the volunteer organizations I belong to are split between people who live in old and new Camas and if we didn't actually meet at people's houses, you would never know who belonged to which area.

I agree with you about Fisher's Landing, but as well as shopping downtown Camas we do drive to the Wal mart on 192nd and once in a while to the boutique area near 14 where QFC is. I do most of my shopping at the Safeway on 162nd.

On the schools. They are closing Zellerbach and opening a new school, Grass Valley in the fall, my kids will go to the new school, they were previously zoned for Helen Baller.

Hope that helps a little, it really is a wonderful town!

[thirtysomething]

We live in Camas, at the top of Prune Hill, but NOT in one of *those* houses with a view ;-). My boys have friends up one side of the hill, and down the other, and I've never felt like the friends (or parents) look down on us. Actually, now, heh, a lot of them probably wish they didn't go the McMansion route...have you seen the number of For Sale signs?! It wasn't all that long ago that most of Camas-On-The-Hill wasn't in existence.

As far as the schools go...and I haven't been here long enough to know if this is completely accurate...I think it goes something like this: Baller used to be THE elementary school, Zellerbach was the middle school, and Liberty was the high school. When CHS was built, Liberty became a middle school (there is another), and Zellerbach became an "overflow" elementary school, of sorts. They are rebuilding Baller, and building a new elementary school on the west side of the hill (and I believe one somewhere on the east side of the town?). At that point, Zellerbach will become a multi-purpose building. Whew- got it?!

[bigolwoody]

I would stay away from portland/Beaverton as the new gay mayor of portland likes to sleep with teenage boys and lie about it.There is alot of traffic in beaverton and aloha is a toilet with gang activity.There is no perfectly safe area in the Vancouver area as a 13 year old girl was murdered 3 days ago by a level III sex offender who should have been in prison but was out on the streets to do it again.There are huge amounts of sex offenders in vancouver and crime seems to be getting worse.3 weeks ago there was a double homocide in a nice neighborhood and I still have not heard of an arrest in that case.I have lived here in east vancouver for 10 years and I am growing tired of it and the miserable winters which are wet,dark and cold.Summers are very beautiful but you pay for it with at least 5 bad months of winter/spring.No matter where you move to keep your eyes open for the child molesters and sex offenders as they are plentiful.I am ready to move where the Sun shines more and people are more friendly.

[NovemberRain78]

Originally Posted by bigolwoody

I would stay away from portland/Beaverton as the new gay mayor of portland likes to sleep with teenage boys and lie about it.There is alot of traffic in beaverton and aloha is a toilet with gang activity.There is no perfectly safe area in the Vancouver area as a 13 year old girl was murdered 3 days ago by a level III sex offender who should have been in prison but was out on the streets to do it again.There are huge amounts of sex offenders in vancouver and crime seems to be getting worse.3 weeks ago there was a double homocide in a nice neighborhood and I still have not heard of an arrest in that case.I have lived here in east vancouver for 10 years and I am growing tired of it and the miserable winters which are wet,dark and cold.Summers are very beautiful but you pay for it with at least 5 bad months of winter/spring.No matter where you move to keep your eyes open for the child molesters and sex offenders as they are plentiful.I am ready to move where the Sun shines more and people are more friendly.

Well you must be living in a pipe dream. There is no such thing as a place with more sunshine and nice people. I currently live in Phoenix AZ and it is truly hell on earth. There are sex offenders EVERYWHERE. EVERY CITY. You can not escape this fact. Go to www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/cac/registry.htm or www.nsopr.gov and search for your self. It is not a pretty sight. Remember, not all sex offenders even have to register depending on there level. How sad is that. There is so much crime here and so much violence it is scary. There is over a million people that live in Phoenix alone. I want to live in a smaller community. We are planning on moving to Vancouver in June or July this year. My husband works from home and can move to most any State with his job. I was born and raised in WA and it is a beautiful State. My sister lives in Lynnwood, my Mom and Dad live in Kennewick and my brother lives in Spokance where I was born. Lived in Bellingham. I think the closest place that you can get to with more sun and nicer people is Salt Lake City. I am not sure what religon you are but believe me when I say that Salt Lake City itself is not prodominitly Mormon. Other little cities like Provo and such are. But even if it were, there are really nice people that live there.
Anyway, that is that.