Possibly moving to Boulder area from MA with young kids (Denver: to rent, houses)

[MA_resident]

Hi. I may have the opportunity to transfer to another one of my company's sites in Louisville. I've lived in MA most of my life, but did spend a few years in CA and one year in CO after college - so I do know there is a world beyond MA. I'm married and have 3 young kids (6, 4, and newborn). I'd love to hear what people with young kids think of Louisville and its surrounding towns like Lafayette, Broomfield, Erie, etc. In particular if you have any thoughts/experience with the following points I'd really appreciate hearing from you:

1. Neighborhoods/Schools. Our current town is big and has a school choice program (8 elementary schools). I could write several paragraphs about it, but I'll try to stick to the bottom line: we feel that it fragments neighborhoods and makes it difficult to find a sense of community. For example, of 4 families within a stone's throw of us, the kids go to 4 different schools. I would prefer that, for the most part, my kids live in a neighborhood where most of the kids go to the same school. Are there any towns where anyone knows of kids in a single neighborhood going to several different schools? I'd try to avoid that area. On the flip side, does anyone know of towns/neighborhoods where most of the kids do go to the nearest/local school?

2. Hockey. Proximity to a rink is important - preferably no more than a 15-20 minute drive. Both my son and I play. I see the YMCA rink in Lafeyette, but it doesn't look like it has travel teams. It looks like the rink in Superior is the home to some teams, but I can't really tell. Does anyone know what rinks have Mites and Squirts travel teams? Is youth hockey popular out there? I'm not expecting it to be quite the same as it is in MA, but wondering if many kids play.

3. Kid/Family Activities: When I look online, it seems that most of towns have a recreation complex with a pool(s), sports fields, kid classes, etc. Are these facilities (or events) used by the residents? Do any stand out from the rest in good or bad ways?

4. Shopping/Eating. At this point in life (with 3 young kids), I don't really care if my town has great restaurants or cute shops. Its more important to me to have access to Target (or something like that), pizza shops, ice cream, and that kind of stuff.

Thanks a lot in advance to anyone that responds.

[davebarnes]

1.
a. School systems here are huge compared with MA. None are at the town (there are no towns) nor the city level. They are at the county level or slice of county. For example, the largest is Jefferson County with 75K students. I was stunned by this when I moved here from Sudbury, MA in 1980.
b. Colorado has open enrollment. Statewide. However, priority goes first to kids within the school's boundary area (so, really high-ranked schools fill up with those kids), then second to kids within the district and then to everyone else. What is means is that you should be looking at houses within the elementary/middle school area. GreatSchools.org Find the 9-10s and go from there.

2. Hockey. No idea. Football (boys), soccer and volleyball (girls) are big here. Hockey and lacrosse no so much.

3. Lots of places for kids' activities.

4. We have a bazillion Targets, Walmarts, Costscos, etc. Outside the City & County of Denver and outside of the City of Boulder it is chains and more chains. Everyone agrees that pizza is better on the East Coast, but you find good places here.

[reed303]

Re Hockey, there is also a rink in Westminster, at US 36 & Church Ranch Rd (about 8 miles from Louisville) that appears to host a youth program by the local park district with a Squirts program

Ice Centre at the Promenade » Youth Hockey

Hyland Hills Hockey Association

[Bradburn1]

My neighborhood in Westminster (Bradburn Village) has a super strong sense of community, and while most of the kids here attend our home elementary, lots of them also go to different charter schools in the area. In my experience the sense of community here is neighborhood, not school related primarily, but I understand your concern. I think that so many other factors here promote a sense of community (walkable neighborhood, porches, many neighborhood events), that the school factor is diluted somewhat. Can't speak for other neighborhoods though.

Are you looking to rent/buy and in what price range? That will help narrow things down.

[MA_resident]

Thanks for the responses. Bradburn1, I'd like to buy (I currently own a house), but would consider renting for a bit if I still want to get a feel for the different areas before buying. I'm looking at about a $350K limit on house price. I'd like 3-4 bedrooms. When I look at houses in Erie, my jaw drops at how far $350K goes there as opposed to here in the Boston area. The housing prices in Louisville, though, seem similar to here. For the money, Erie looks to good to be true. Is it?

[Bradburn1]

The closer to Boulder you get, the higher the prices get, so yes you are correct Louisville is higher than Erie. Erie is a great little town, if you see houses you like there, I'd take a look. It's a bit far from an ice rink though (25 min to the one in Westminster).

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by MA_resident

Erie looks to good to be true.

It depends. It is bleak with very few trees of any decent size. But, the drilling towers are quite tall.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

1.
a. School systems here are huge compared with MA. None are at the town (there are no towns) nor the city level. They are at the county level or slice of county. For example, the largest is Jefferson County with 75K students. I was stunned by this when I moved here from Sudbury, MA in 1980.
b. Colorado has open enrollment. Statewide. However, priority goes first to kids within the school's boundary area (so, really high-ranked schools fill up with those kids), then second to kids within the district and then to everyone else. What is means is that you should be looking at houses within the elementary/middle school area. GreatSchools.org Find the 9-10s and go from there.

2. Hockey. No idea. Football (boys), soccer and volleyball (girls) are big here. Hockey and lacrosse no so much.

3. Lots of places for kids' activities.

4. We have a bazillion Targets, Walmarts, Costscos, etc. Outside the City & County of Denver and outside of the City of Boulder it is chains and more chains. Everyone agrees that pizza is better on the East Coast, but you find good places here.

Actually, every school district in CO gets to set its own OE policies. ALL neighborhood schools have an attendance area, to which a student is assigned. If a student wants to OE somewhere else, the parents have to put in an application. If there are more applicants than slots, a lottery is held. Charter schools have no att. area, and are filled by lottery.

For hockey, there is also Superior Ice.
Boulder Valley Ice at Superior

Originally Posted by davebarnes

It depends. It is bleak with very few trees of any decent size. But, the drilling towers are quite tall.

Oh, get off it!

[mic111]

Erie has better home values because the town approve fracking near the elementary schools.
Fracking operation in Erie begins near two elementary schools, wakes up neighborhood | The Colorado Independent

[brown_dog_us]

Louisville is the place for you. Here is why:

1. Close to work. You want the Colorado lifestyle? It's not in your car.
2. Young kids. You are about to have 3 kids in elementary school. You want to get in a good school and system and put down roots. Louisville is a great place for that. Boulder Valley School District is excellent.
3. Louisville caters to young families, so you will find the sports, shopping, and restaurants you want.