[gimme it]

or is it just retirees?

[bungalowbob]

I've been doing research, and it seems best place to be in Arkansas with Kids and for Recreation is in Fayetteville or possibly Bentonville. Fayetteville seems to be one of the best overlooked communities in America. I am considering a move from LA.

[gimme it]

Thanks. Fayetteville is on our short list, and we plan to visit it along with some other midwestern cities. But I kept on hearing about Hot Springs so I was curious. We love college towns.

[nmnita]

If you love college towns then Fayetteville seems like the most likely place for you. I am just responding from research and visiting a few times, but remember Hot Springs is pretty much a tourist town. Hot Springs village does have kids. Like bella Vista they have more families moving in all the time even though originally they were both pretty much retirement communities or areas for second homes.

Nita

[JeffAtkins]

Hot Springs Village is covered by two school districts, Fountain Lake and Jessieville. From the 2000 census data for zipcode 71909 (which includes some areas just outside the Village):

Total population 12,800, approximately 9.4% is under 20.

Under 5 years 258 2.0%
5 to 9 years 277 2.2%
10 to 14 years 345 2.7%
15 to 19 years 319 2.5%
20 to 24 years 179 1.4%
25 to 34 years 525 4.1%
45 to 44 years 736 5.8%
45 to 54 years 1,101 8.6%
55 to 59 years 1,023 8.0%
60 to 64 years 1,759 13.7%
65 to 74 years 3,813 29.8%
75 to 84 years 2,102 16.4%
85 years and over 363 2.8%

[charlescamden]

Yes there are families with kids in the village, But if you move there with your kids you will find a lot of little rules made up by the Property Owners Association that are not kid friendly and these are enforced by the village" Gestapo" Police. noise ordinances, where to play.... And then you get the retirees who complain about anything the kids do. ( they seem to resent anyone not retired living there) My wife worked at a golf course restaurant there and was always besieged by complaints about non- retirees and non- natives working and living in the village. Yes we lived there for a while until the neighbors started complaining and saying the kids 12 and 15 should be in inside and in bed by 5:00 pm because that was when they went to bed. And outside the gates Jessieville is for the most part con-artists,liars, scammers, schemers and meth cooks,There are some good people in the area but one must really be selective about choosing their friends in that area. You can drive through Jessieville on weekends and play cool games like "spot the tweaker" and the old classic "where's the dopehouse" It is amazing what you can see. When we moved away from the area the village was almost that bad.Which is really a shame because it is one of the most beautiful areas in Arkansas. Hope this helps, The school district is good,Classes small enough that the students all get the extra attention they need in problem areas and Jessievilles athletic program is excellant with winning teams in every sport.

[cygnet]

Contrary to the charlescamden post, there are many young people in HSV and they are welcome. My next-door neighbor has a teenager and I've loved watching her grow up. Our church has a thriving youth group (which often meets at the house next door). There's a daycare center and a great playground for smaller kids, as well as all the tennis courts, golf courses, etc. In the summer, kids swim in Lake Balboa -- everyone from teenagers to babies.

We have the same problems with kids that all communities do -- there are always some who want to push the envelope. Noise and misbehavior are not common but they are occasionally here -- just like in the subdivision I raised my kids in, in Louisiana. Some of the problems come from renters, whose kids are here briefly, try to see how far they can go -- and that's usually all that happens. It's not a chronic situation by any means.

Families with children, no matter what age, are welcome here. Come see.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by charlescamden

Yes there are families with kids in the village, But if you move there with your kids you will find a lot of little rules made up by the Property Owners Association that are not kid friendly and these are enforced by the village" Gestapo" Police. noise ordinances, where to play.... And then you get the retirees who complain about anything the kids do. ( they seem to resent anyone not retired living there) My wife worked at a golf course restaurant there and was always besieged by complaints about non- retirees and non- natives working and living in the village. Yes we lived there for a while until the neighbors started complaining and saying the kids 12 and 15 should be in inside and in bed by 5:00 pm because that was when they went to bed. And outside the gates Jessieville is for the most part con-artists,liars, scammers, schemers and meth cooks,There are some good people in the area but one must really be selective about choosing their friends in that area. You can drive through Jessieville on weekends and play cool games like "spot the tweaker" and the old classic "where's the dopehouse" It is amazing what you can see. When we moved away from the area the village was almost that bad.Which is really a shame because it is one of the most beautiful areas in Arkansas. Hope this helps, The school district is good,Classes small enough that the students all get the extra attention they need in problem areas and Jessievilles athletic program is excellant with winning teams in every sport.

Don't you think you are over-reacting some and being a little overboard; kids in bed at 5pm, get real. Maybe your kids did make too much noise, maybe you had a bad neighbor. I don't know, but I think what you are saying is very unfair.

the area was originally, like, Bella Vista designed for seniors and weekend resort escapes, but the years have changed all this.

Nita

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by charlescamden

Yes there are families with kids in the village, But if you move there with your kids you will find a lot of little rules made up by the Property Owners Association that are not kid friendly and these are enforced by the village" Gestapo" Police. noise ordinances, where to play.... And then you get the retirees who complain about anything the kids do. ( they seem to resent anyone not retired living there) My wife worked at a golf course restaurant there and was always besieged by complaints about non- retirees and non- natives working and living in the village. Yes we lived there for a while until the neighbors started complaining and saying the kids 12 and 15 should be in inside and in bed by 5:00 pm because that was when they went to bed. And outside the gates Jessieville is for the most part con-artists,liars, scammers, schemers and meth cooks,There are some good people in the area but one must really be selective about choosing their friends in that area. You can drive through Jessieville on weekends and play cool games like "spot the tweaker" and the old classic "where's the dopehouse" It is amazing what you can see. When we moved away from the area the village was almost that bad.Which is really a shame because it is one of the most beautiful areas in Arkansas. Hope this helps, The school district is good,Classes small enough that the students all get the extra attention they need in problem areas and Jessievilles athletic program is excellant with winning teams in every sport.

Are these not utterly contradicting??? Good schools and excellent athletics with winning teams but they're also a lot of meth and dope fiends??? If the town is full of low life scum and meth heads I doubt their winning many ball games.

[Lookthroughthecracks]

I have a toddler and live in the village. There are many more kids here then there were even 8 years ago when I moved here. They are having a survey on the Poa website this month to decide what can be done to be more accommodating to the influx of family's with young kids. The discussion taking place right now is whether they should start gymnastics, swim classes, dance classes, sports, or build bigger and better playgrounds. They are trying. We just need to keep pushing the issue and putting our in put in to inspire the change we want to see. It's a beautiful, safe, quite place to live... But it can be a little boring and finding work here is REALLY HARD. most people have to drive into Hot Springs or Benton for work... But it's just the price you have to pay to live a quite life out in the boons. Lol