General Information Wanted about Beaverdale from real residents.

[PAWannabe]

Hi, I'm relocating to the Beaverdale area. Pictures of the area look beautiful. I really know nothing about it, and after hours of searching the internet, I couldn't really find out any good information about it.

Is there High Speed Internet/Cable there?

Are there any community colleges nearby?

Are the taxes low? Are utilities outrageous?

What do you guys do for work and for fun, besides shooting?

Any flooding? Any real danger of flooding? Environmental problems?

Is this a dying community? Is drug use, particularly meth, a big problem?

I don't mean to deluge you all with questions, I'm just very ignorant about the area.

Anything you could tell me would be much appreciated. THANKS!

--PAwannabe

[PAWannabe]

Bump..

any info would be appreciated

Thanks in advance

[Emptymag]

I assume you mean Beaverdale, in Cambria county?

I grew up near there, but have been away for too many years to give any real input as to what it's like now.

If you like city life, it's not for you.
I live in Pittsburgh now, and would just about give my left nut to move back "home". I liked having cows for neighbors.

There are a few members on the forum from that area... I'll PM one of them and point out this thread to him.

[Mtbkski]

Hi, I'm relocating to the Beaverdale area. Pictures of the area look beautiful. I really know nothing about it, and after hours of searching the internet, I couldn't really find out any good information about it.

Welcome to laid back captial of the world. How in the world did you ever stumble onto Beaverdale as a place to move is beyond me. Not that it is a bad choice. But it is so small. I live on the outskirts. Top of the hill. I'll try and answer your questions.

Is there High Speed Internet/Cable there?

Yep, they have cable internet and Verizon DSL. DSL is limited, but my dad is on the local cable hook up and happy with it.

Are there any community colleges nearby?

There is the University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown about 20 minutes away. There is a Vo-tech across from that has numerous classes. There is a small community college in Ebensburg. And about 45 minutes away in Altoona is Penn State of Altoona.

Are the taxes low? Are utilities outrageous?

Taxes aren't bad. Utilities are normal. Big heating sources around here are oil, and coal. And yes, both are jumping in price rapidly as they are all over the place.

What do you guys do for work and for fun, besides shooting?

Work isn't the biggest commodity around here. Especially big money jobs. In my opinion, the State Prisons are the best jobs around. Other than that.... I don't know what to tell you. Good thing is, cost of living is so low, you don't need to make a bundle to live comfortably.

If you are a outdoors person, you will love this area. Blue Knob state park is about 15 minutes away. Prince Gallitzin is 45 minutes away, one of the bigger camping parks in PA. One huge lake for water sports. Yellow Creek State Park is about 30 minutes away. Another big lake for paddling and hiking. Canoe Creek is about 45 minutes away. Raystown Lake (Largest lake in a couple states.) Is about an hour away. Major water sports go on there

If you have a quad. You can ride for days and days without riding the same trail twice. Hiking is big. Hunting is even bigger. Lots of bars, as in most small towns. Local malls are about 20 minutes away. School District is the best in the area. People move here for the school district.

Exciting. NO! Let me repeat that. NO! Most of us like it that way. Lazy is good. Boring is good. If you want excitement, you will have to go find it.

There are Rails to trails to ride, lots things to visit historical like. Kayaking is big on local rivers and lakes. Beaverdale Dam in only 5 minutes away. Big mother that is great for fishing and kayaking. If you mountain bike, you will be in heaven. Trails go on and on and on..... Skiing is availble at Blue Knbb which is about 25 minutes away. Seven Springs Ski Resort is about 45 minutes away.

Any flooding? Any real danger of flooding? Environmental problems?

Flooding. Didn't you ever hear about the Johnstown Flood? But really. Beaverdale has only had flooding problems once. That was during the last big flood in this area. There are two Dams above Beaverdale. But the oldest one has just been redone about 2 years ago. The other one (I mentioned it above) is really a new dam. So, it should be fine too.

Enviormental problems would be local mines turn waters into sulphur creeks. There is a huge Rock Dump in the middle of Beaverdale. But it doesn't stink. Kids ride quads on it. It is an old mining town, so, you have the remnants all around. But most of it is gone or leaving.

They are installing Windmills just up over the hill. From the top of the hill you can see them really well. Don't know if we will benefit from them or not.

Is this a dying community? Is drug use, particularly meth, a big problem?

Good question. The whole area seems like a dying community from time to time. It doesn't seem to move forward at all. Just hangs in time. But, alas, that is what most everyone around here likes about it. Heck, we don't even have a Mac Machine in town. I take that back, the local gas station does, but not the bank. And it is one of them that charges you an arm and a leg to use it.

Drug use is normal. But since it is small town. You notice it more. METH, doesn't seem to be a problem at all around here. Big drugs around here are Weed, Coke, and Booze.

I don't mean to deluge you all with questions, I'm just very ignorant about the area.

Anything you could tell me would be much appreciated. THANKS!

--PAwannabe

As noted in the beginning. It is a SMALL town. And we like it that way. No excitement. In fact we have a LEO on duty Mon - Fri from 9 - 5 and that is it. We have a volunteer Fire Company that just built a new firehouse and do a pretty good job most of the time. We do have an amublance service in town. There is two small stores that you can get necessities at. Most everyone shops at Stagers, a medium sized grocery store in Portage about 10 minutes away. Lots of churches to match the bars. No place to eat in town. But you got places just about 10 minutes away, and Fox's Pizza does deliver to Beaverdale. Beaverdale is a bit of a Racial Town. So it is predominately white. This stems back to its old times. And as I mentioned earlier. It is a town stuck in time. One heck of a car dealership in town. People come from all over to buy cars off of them. Buds Auto Sales. Check them out on the web. www.budautosales.com.

There is a rifle range just 5 minutes away. It has a 500 yard range. Southfork Rifle Range http://southforkrifleclub.homestead.com/home.html

Well, that is my report on Beaverdale. EXCITING??? NO!!! But a nice lazy place to live in my opinion. Course I live in the HEIGHTS.

mtbkski
Randy

[PAWannabe]

Thanks so much! I read both posts very carefully and will read them back aloud to my family. Your description has helped me out very much.