RSS
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
This week’s podcast focuses on the topic of “Kids in the City”. We sat down with Joe Peffer, Anne Holman, and Jessica Carle to discuss neighborhoods, schools, entertainment, and all other topics related to raising children in the urban core of Columbus.
You can use the player below to listen to the podcast, click here to download an mp3, click here to subscribe via iTunes, or click here to subscribe to the rss feed.
[audio:http://blip.tv/file/get/ColumbusUnderground-ColumbusUndergroundcomPodcastEpisode04834.mp3]
Great topic. I’m single, no kids, but as a urban planning/policy geek, I’m interested.
We all know that schools is the #1 issue at the intersection of families and city living. But I wonder for how many families schools is the SOLE issue keeping them from living in the Columbus school district. If we at CRP wind up doing some follow-up work on the downtown demographics databyte, that would be the survey question on top of my list.
I agree with everyone’s take on the lottery system. Other cities – NYC, Chicago, etc. – have used magnet schools as a way to keep middle-class families in the city. The fact that admissions to Columbus Alternative and the like is not competitive but rather totally up to chance is mind-boggling.
I’ll start by saying I am really enjoying the CU podcasts, I talked to Jim E at the J88 night and thought how great to have this local message. I also wanted to share, that although I am not a mom, I thought this p-cast was great, my favorite part was learning about that hunter pool, I had no idea. My suggestion for improvement is to do something about sound quality. I am not sure if you have individual mikes for each guest, but I would recommend it. To me, they sound “far away” and the sound cuts out on people with softer voices. As for a suggestion for a future topic…around Earth Day: highlight different parks, paths and nature spots in Central Ohio. Talk about Metro parks, nature programs at rec centers, “secret parks”, etc. Also, maybe have consider biking talk about biking for both fun and transportation.
And lastly, Happy Birthday, I am pretty sure your b-day is end of January (mine too) according to your video blog on last year’s Social Media meeting. Keep up the great work. I love the new site format, but the podcast is what I look forward to every week!
Thanks for the feedback, guys.
Jung, I’d love to see some CRP information on the topic of schools. I’d like to think that it would hopefully inspire people at the school board to reassess the situation.
Jody, we’re using a multi-directional mic, which seems to work fine, but when some naturally talk more loudly than others we end up with that near/far effect. I didn’t have time on this one to play with the levels as much as I like, but I actually just got a new audio application from Zach at the Columbus Foodcast that should help fix this issue. ;)
jungaroo — I’d be interested in seeing that too.
I think what people won’t say out loud is that all too often people mistake neighborhoods with lower income families in them to be violent, unsafe places to raise children.
We love that our kids are growing up surrounded by so many different kinds of people from so many different kinds of backgrounds. The kids see poverty and all varieties of middle class and they learn that it’s a big world and that not everyone is like them.
Like someone mentioned in the podcast, the proximity to so many cultural opportunities is hard to beat and one the top reasons to be in a downtown neighborhood.
as someone who grew up in the city [vic ville short north OTE neighborhoods] i think my sister and i had a great childhood and upbringing. my folks were a bit more on the go do whatever side so there were countless summers and afterschool time wondering around the core of the city. but in those days there were alot more kids around in the shrt north and vic ville and harrison west. in the late 80s and early 90s alot of younger single folks were moving in by the thousands over the next 10 years and alot of the original neighborhood folk were gone. by the time i was in high school i was hanging out in the burbs at the dublin AMC…. always lived in a construction zone and moved around the area alot as my father was always flipping houses. he moved to OTE in 90 and has lived in the same house since. i was 12 by then and really didnt make it out too much over there except to my buddy nikos over on monroe. now from what i understand and almost 20 years later there are tons of families in the area and lots more options for kids. 20 years ago i was not going to venture down to saywer towers to make friends…..
Some more discussion about this topic:
http://www.kidsohio.org/2009/04/06/downtown-families-deterred-by-schools/
http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2009/03/in-search-of-a-city-city-kids/