Moving to Longmont...

[Carysmama]

Hi!

My family will be moving to Longmont, CO in August so I can attend nursing school.  What can you tell me about the area?  Preschools, neighborhoods, family oriented activities, pediatricians, etc.  Any info would really help. Thank you.

[PTmorgan]

Hi!  Welcome to Longmont.  I live about 12 miles east of Longmont, and go into Longmont for many of our needs.  I don't have a lot of specific recommendations because my boys are 2 & 4 - not in preschool.  There is a pediatrician at Carbon Valley Medical Center called Dr. Heinrichs that most of us go to - even my crunchy friends in Longmont.  He's a mainstream pediatrician, but he's very open to different views (natural, delayed/no vaccinations, etc).

For older kids, there is a pottery painting place called Crackpots on Main St in Longmont that is worth checking out.  I hear they do story time with preschoolers with a painting project - keep meaning to check it out.  My husband and I go there for date night.

Most of my recommendations would be natural practicioners.  Also, I work at the hospital in Longmont - if you have any questions about it.

Good luck with the move!

[Carysmama]

Thank you for the info.  I have never been to Longmont so I am trying to find information ahead of time to ease our transition.  I would love info on the natural practitioners as well as on the hospital as I may try to find employment there. 

Also,  do you have any information you could share on parenting groups in the area?

Thanks again!

[sparkly]

We just moved to Longmont too...though from not far away, so I'm already familiar with the oddities and benefits of the Boulder area. 

Does anyone have preschool recommendations? I'm not dead set on sending our 3 yo there (or to school ever, for that matter), but something very part time would be nice. Something compatible with our values (democratic education, home/un/freeschooling, largely vegan/raw diet...we're *that* sort of family).

To the original poster: I don't know what sort of lifestyle you have, but things you may be interested in:

Grocery store: Vitamin Cottage. I get what's on sale there and it's decently priced. All produce is organic. I find the farmers' markets expensive, though I haven't been to the Longmont one yet. I order most of my food (nonperishables--beans, nuts, dried fruit, etc) through a food buying group--I can give you info on that.  I went to the King Soopers on Hover and it was large and was pretty good for a mainstream supermarket. 

You may be interested in the bus system, depending on your commute...my husband travels on 2 regional buses to get to work, which is quite a commute, but free (thanks to an eco-pass, which you can get through work or a neighborhood willing to pitch in together). You can get to Denver and beyond on the bus!

We live in old town, and there are neat things like a weekly evening bike ride, though we have yet to participate. The parks in our neighborhood are fabulous. People are genuinely nice and not as busy and fast-paced as we've experienced in other towns in the area.