Atomic City Talk

After renting in Oak Ridge for a year, I am still having a hard time deciding whether or not to make Oak Ridge "home". As my neighbors out there in the Atomic City, I would love to hear some of the reasons my husband and I should buy a home in Oak Ridge and plant some roots. Because we have lived here for awhile, we are aware of many of the issues (both positive and negative) facing Oak Ridge at this time. Despite certain amenities in neighboring areas, we still find Oak Ridge to be a charming town with its own sense of place. Please help make the case regarding why we should stay. Thanks for your input.

Quark:

When I moved to Oak Ridge as a single person 22 years ago to take a job at ORNL, people thought I was nuts for wanting to live in Oak Ridge, first as a renter and then as a single home owner. (I should clarify… my co-workers who didn’t live in Oak Ridge thought I was nuts; those who lived in Oak Ridge were happy to see me do likewise). My main reason for living in OR was the (relatively) short commute to work. I don’t enjoy driving in Knoxville rush hour traffic (esp. thru Solway), I hate traffic jams on the interstate and/or Pellissippi, and quite frankly I like to sleep as late as possible in the morning.

Some of the reasons I’ve stayed in OR are because I like (a) the people, (b) the neighborhoods, © the relatively small town feel of it, (d) the city services (ok, I would like more than one household/trash and leaf/lawn clipping pickup per year), (e) the fact that I don’t have to contract with fire/ambulance/garbage providers like those outside the Knoxville city limits do, (f) the parks and the library, and (g) the church I’ve been a member of for almost 10 years (Megachurches?... been there, done that, felt lost in the crowd, and I prefer a minister who actually knows my name).

I would be lying if I said that being a single person in Oak Ridge is easy. It ain’t. But since you mentioned that you are married, I won’t go down that road. I will admit that most of my “cultural” outings are to Knoxville (the KSO, the KCO, the Knoxville Opera, etc.) but I have also immensely enjoyed the OR Playhouse, the OR Symphony, and the OR Community Band concerts at Bissell Park. Although I wasn't able to attend the recent Secret City Festival, I’m looking forward to the 4th of July fireworks out at the marina.

Finally, I’ll leave you with some other reasons I like living in Oak Ridge: Big Ed’s Pizza, New China Palace, Billy’s Time Out Deli, Razzleberry Ice Cream Lab, Hot Bagel Company, The Jefferson Diner, The Village Restaurant, Kim Son (sp?), Nature’s Marketplace, and Homeland Foods Café (or whatever it’ll be called when she reopens).

~Opus

P.S. My one real complaint about Oak Ridge? I can’t find any clothes to fit me. Wonder why?

Opus:

Please don't forget the Flatwater, a great addition to our town.

Although our property taxes may be a little higher, we do have higher quality ameantities than surrounding areas:

- We don't "subscribe" to emergency services (such as Rural Metro for Knox County)
- We don't pay a "wheel tax"
- We have higher quality school system
- "Back Door" trash service (instead of dragging your garbage to the curb). It's one of the simple things that I'm grateful for. I quite like the idea of having my empty bin at the back side of my house instead of at the street for all to see that I haven't made it home from work yet!
- Because we're a "little town", having four Fire Department stations means better response time. Our fine firefighters are trained every day they are on duty (except Sundays - they scrub the house and engines). They aren't volunteers and our equipment is up to date. They even act as "First Responders"
- Although many are disgusted with the ORPD Chief, he's not the only one employed by the department. Retirement seems just around the corner
- A "traffic jam" consists of all of about ten vehicles and there's so many side streets and twisting, turning roads, you're still bound to get to your destination with just a couple of minutes delay time
- Although we don't have the "big box" stores, it doesn't mean that is not wanted!
- The mountains are just over "thar" and the river is right "hare". There's so much to do outdoors all year round!

Although we tend to be very vocal, opinionated people, believe it or not - we get along for the most part!

I LOVE this little city. I have lived here for a number of years and rented a house before buying one. Yeah, we have great food, cool little shops and a swift football team. But, we're unique. That's what makes US different.

You're right! Darn, there goes my waistline again...

Opus and Smoke covered a lot off the assets that are easily articulated, but one of your statements -- Oak Ridge has "its own sense of place" -- is the one that really rings true with me. It's partly the connectedness of a variety of organizations and interests: the arts, community service, technical interest groups, environmental, recreational, religious, etc. People are often members of multiple, unrelated groups, so it really forms a unique tapestry... the old guy across the street may enjoy reading to your children, but he may also be a world-renowned physicist and an impressive tennis player.

Partly because this is a highly-educated community of people who come from all over, we're also a fairly opinionated bunch. Most of the time, we're able to debate and disagree with a measure of courtesy and respect. I've seen the courtesy and respect part erode a little bit in the last decade, but am hopeful that we can put that bad habit aside and work together. We have done so; the referendum and fundraising for the new high school is a prime example.

From a practical standpoint, our cost of living is quite reasonable, and the value of real estate is very stable. No, we don't see the meteoric increases that some places do, but neither do we see the precipitous drops. Real estate here is what one would call "a stable investment."

Among my favorite attributes is simply that the town was designed with generous greenbelts intertwined with the neighborhoods, so it's easy to find a house adjacent to woods in the backyard, offering shade, privacy, recreation, fresh air, and all that.

And, of course, all the things that Opus and Smoke listed.

The party life at NM's house.

CELEBRATION DINNER TONIGHT OUT AT SOME EATERY AT TURKEY CREEK!!! WE SOLD OUR HOUSE IN OAK RIDGE AND ARE MOVING OUT! GOODBYE HIGH TAXES FOR A 40 YEAR OLD HOME ON A POSTAGE STAMP SIZE LOT! GOODBYE TO THE 90 YEAR OLD BUICK DRIVERS WHO SHOULD BE HOME NAPPING NOT DRIVING! GOODBYE TO THE NON-EXISTANT RETAIL CHOICES! GOODBYE TO ALL OF THE "FAIRLY OPINIONATED BUNCH" (NETMOM).........I'M TAKING MY TAX DOLLARS SOME WHERE ELSE.

I moved here about 18 years ago, from Chattanooga and my husband (a native Oak Ridger) thought we would last here about 6 months. What I found, that has not been mentioned, is that we are a town of transplants. We are not a traditional southern town, that is suspicious of new comers and I was embraced by many, young and old, and included and welcomed in any organization that I chose to visit. I love the unusual aspects of Oak Ridge that other small towns do not offer, cultural and athletic. I love the fact that my kindergartner was in a classroom of 19 and 5 of these children were from other countries. That in his classroom there was a teacher with her master's degree, working on her Ed.d. and that her assistant was a completely qualified teacher. There is no Utopia, but Oak Ridge has been a great place for me to raise my family.

Oak Ridge isn't for everyone. While we do try to be welcoming, if it's not a good fit, we'd rather you be happy somewhere else than spreading your unhappiness here.