Since Oakwood has a limited amount of land available for parks, suggestions were made that the City should explore additional opportunities for acquiring or leasing park land and recreational facilities outside the City. Sugar Camp was also mentioned as a potential site for a new recreational facility, as described in a following section of this report.

While the Community Center is considered an asset, there was some concern the facility is oriented to adults, and that it should be more “friendly” to children.

A concern was also expressed about the amount of money being spent on parks, including the improvement of older existing parks and the maintenance of community gardens.

Schools:

Virtually all interviewees expressed that schools are one of the greatest assets of Oakwood and that schools are one of the main reasons that families choose Oakwood a place to live. Interviewees were particularly pleased with the size of local schools and the fact that most students from Oakwood attend college.

However, several concerns were mentioned, including recent curriculum changes and concerns about the math program. There were also suggestions that the school system should have more dialogue with parents and be more open to suggestions from the community. Since Oakwood schools are very competitive, there was also a concern that some students tend to “fall through the cracks.”

Other Community Facilities:

Virtually all interviewees agreed that City services are among the most important assets of Oakwood. Police and fire protection were considered very good, as were the Library, and the Public Services Department. Response time from the police, fire and emergency medical services is considered excellent. Residents support the cross-training among the police and fire departments. Garbage collection, snow removal and mail services are also considered very good.

However, several concerns were mentioned. Some interviewees thought that there is too much police presence within the community, and that police officers can sometimes be a little “heavy-handed.” While some felt that the fire, police and public service departments were too big, others believed that more police officers should be added.

Public Utilities and Infrastructure:

In general, utilities and infrastructure within Oakwood are considered very good. Most interviewees recognize that the infrastructure is aging, and that the City does an excellent job in maintaining and replacing the facilities as required.

Concerns mentioned by a few interviewees were water quality and water pressure; frequent power outages; some basement flooding in certain locations; and that cable TV is not very good and very expensive.

Community Appearance:

All interviewees agreed that the overall appearance of Oakwood is one of the community’s most important assets.

Among the visual elements mentioned were the historic homes and other historic properties; the variety of architecture; the open spaces, trees and other vegetation; the landscaped boulevards; and the presence of flowers in certain locations. Credit was given to both the City and private property owners.

The only concern regarding community appearance was the need to improve the image and appearance of the commercial areas, including facades and updated streetscapes.