THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 3, 1995 TAG: 9509020181
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
This letter, postmarked from Berwyn, Pa., arrived in the mail last week:
Dear Editor:
I am hoping that you can assist us in determining some important information.
We are considering moving in the hope that we can find a place to live where we can find old-fashioned values (which seem to be rare today). I was told that Chesapeake is a wonderful place to live and raise a family.
I would appreciate any information that you can send me specifically relating to the quality of life in Chesapeake.
Sincerely,
Dave Wien
What you have heard is true, Mr. Wien.
Chesapeake is a good place to live and raise a family. It's a city of quiet, pleasant neighborhoods with comfortable, affordable homes. There's a genuine feeling of community that draws people together. It's a city of churches and parks. The streets are safe. There are decent schools, where kids are learning. There's a strong business community, fine shops, good restaurants. Most people who want jobs can find them. There's a sense of optimism about the future.
We're not surprised to learn that word-of-mouth about the city's qualities has reached Berwyn. Chesapeake's reputation has been spreading far and wide. It has caught the attention of lots of families like yours.
As a result, Chesapeake is growing fast - a little too fast maybe. Thousands of new families from other parts of the country move here every year. They buy houses, drive their cars on the roads, enroll their kids in school, drink the water, hook up to the sewer lines, get library cards, spend time in the parks and recreation centers.
Maintaining our quality of life in the face of this growth isn't easy. Traveling on our roads takes more time and patience than it used to. Our schools are filling up faster than we can put up new ones. We're feeling the strain on our public utilities and emergency services.
This doesn't mean that there isn't still room in Chesapeake for families like the Wiens. We hope Chesapeake will always be a place that will be attractive to good folks. But newcomers should know that if Chesapeake is to continue to live up to its reputation as a good place to live it's going to require energy, time, money, forbearance and wisdom. Bring plenty with you if you come.
by CNB