In the November 10, 2008 issue Business Week recognized Gilbert as one of the top places in Arizona to raise children. Obviously, they have their rating system which produced Gilbert as their top pick and makes parents in other towns & cities cry foul.  Knowing the valley pretty well I reflected on the different qualities of each town and instead of questioning their choice, I tried to build a list in my mind of why I would support Gilbert a top choice, even if it was not number 1.

What makes Gilbert a top choice

• Schools – School performance was one of the factors weighted heavily in the evaluation of towns of at least 50,000 and a median family income of $40,000 – $100,000.  The Gilbert school  district is consistently a top performing district in the valley.  Living in Arizona, you also have the opportunity to choose a charter school if you wish, which are privately run and publically fund so there is no additional tuition cost.
• Safety – The other factor that was weighted heavily in the analysis.  Gilbert so far has been able to achieve low crime rates in many categories and hopefully that trend continues.

Now here are the unique parts of Gilbert that I believe need to be highlighted.

• Parks – Obviously, Freestone Park comes to mind when you talk about Gilbert parks.  Gilbert also has a canine friendly park, called Cosmo Dog Park located at the 202 and Ray Road.  In west Gilbert, McQueen District Park is home to  the 27,000 sq.ft. McQueen Activity Center that includes indoor basketball, air hockey, ping pong tables, billiard tables, multi-purpose and classrooms.  For a more detailed list , click on Gilbert Town Parks.   The Riparian Preserve is a one of a kind 110 acre wildlife environment that is unique to Gilbert and home to over 200 bird species.
• Transportation – As you can see on the Gilbert town outline, the addition of the new 202 freeway makes Gilbert much more accessible and reduces the commute time for those working in Chandler or Phoenix. 
• Shopping - Not high on my list, but my wife has repeatedly stressed to me how important this is.  Because it is not a priority I have not taken any pictures since I only frequent malls on mothers day, Christmas and my wife’s birthday.  With the opening of the 202 freeway, shopping/retail development has increased dramatically. This is especially true of the area at Williams Field and the 202.
• Variety of Property.  Gilbert has more waterfront communities than any other city in Phoenix. It also has waterski lake home communities including Playa del Rey Estates, Santan Lakeside Estates, and Crystal Point.  Lakefront communities include Val Vista Lakes, The Islands, Lago Estancia, Stonebridge, and Windrift.  Gilbert also has a good variety of horse property with irrigation for those with an equestrian interest.  If you’re looking for a luxury custom home in a peaceful setting, Gilbert will not disappoint you.
• Planning – It is frequently mentioned how Gilbert has been one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.  One document that assists them in controlling this growth is the Gilbert land use map.  Land use maps are common to many valley cities, but Gilbert has had the advantage of being such a relatively new city and being able to follow this as a guideline in its development.
• Entertainment – In this respect, it’s good we have access to other parts of the valley.  However, it you’ve never been to the Hale Centre Theatre, you really need to put it on your list.

There are a lot of great places to raise children in Arizona, including Gilbert.

Satellite view of Gilbert

Something for Everyone at Freestone Park

Val Vista Lake, Stonebridge Lakes and Wind Drift, three waterfront communities in the heart of Gilbert are conveniently located within minutes of the flagship of all Gilbert Parks, Freestone Park. This facility packed, 65 acre park has something for everyone as shown in the park layout. It also features Gilbert’s only skate park.

A Favorite Gilbert Location for Families

As you enter Freestone Park, the first thing you notice are the huge soccer fields to the south where players and families congregate daily for games.  Then you come upon two lakes located at the center of the park where you can take a model railroad train ride around the lakes. The athletically inclined will find a choice of 4 softball fields, batting cages, 2 lighted sand volleyball courts, 4 basketball courts, 4 tennis courts, and a 22,000 square foot skate park.  The water fall in between the lakes is a favorite location for family pictures.  Play areas, an amphitheatre, BBQ grills and ramadas put the finishing touches on this family friendly park.

Freestone Recreation Center

The recent addition of the $6.75 million Freestone Recreation Center provides 51,000 sq.ft. of family focused fun and recreation.  Within the award winning architecture building is a rock climbing wall, racquetball courts, a running track, dance & aerobics room, childcare center and weight room.

Val Vista Lakes, Wind Drift and Stonebridge Lakes communities and homes are within 2 miles of Freestone Park, but every east valley resident needs to put this on their list of places to visit often.

If you are interested in receiving more information regarding waterfront homes close to Freestone Park, please call or e-mail me.

Gilbert Parks and Recreation Facilities Guide

Gilbert Area Map

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Amenities in Val Vista Lakes : A+

Val Vista Lakes, a 900 acre master planned lake community is one of the most amenity rich waterfront communities in Phoenix. Residents enjoy the multi-million dollar clubhouse that features a sand beach community pool, racquetball courts, weight and aerobic facilities, and eight tennis courts. Driving by the clubhouse you may notice the Val Vista Lakes Women’s Club banner notifying this cohesive community of their next event.  Residents also enjoy regularly scheduled classes such as yoga, martial arts, body sculpting and personal training at the clubhouse.  Baseball enthusiasts will definitely feel at home at the baseball field located within this Gilbert master planned lake community. The base monthly HOA fee is $81plus an additional charge for gated subdivisions.

Close to Everything

The proximity to the Superstition freeway facilitates a smooth commute and further enhances the desireability of Val Vista Lakes. Shopping at Dana Park Village Square is less than a mile away and home to such favorites as Pei Wei Asian Restaurant, A.J. Fine Foods, Rolf’s hair salon, Barnes & Noble, Paradise Bakery and more.   Freestone Park, a 65 acre Town of Gilbert Park is less than 2 miles away and home to a skate park, recreation center, 2 lakes, basketball courts and sand volleyball.  Val Vista Lakes features a top notch elementary school that belongs to the Gilbert Unified School District and is located within the community.

What kind of homes will you find in Val Vista Lakes?

There are 24 subdivisions within this Gilbert lake community with over 300 waterfront properties.  Phoenix home buying options are nearly limitless with the variety of Val Vista Lakes homes ranging from condominiums in Beach Club Village to multi-million dollar custom luxury waterfront homes in the gated communities of The Regatta and West Lake Estates.  Since Val Vista Lakes was one of the earlier planned communities, a distinguishing factor is the mature landscaping which provides a lush and inviting feeling.  The use of pine trees is a atypical, but a nice change from the common mesquite and palo verde trees found in many master planned communities.

For your convenience, I have added a link to the blogroll on the right hand side to waterfront homes in Val Vista Lakes.  If you would like a more complete list of all homes , please e-mail or call me.

To view all valley waterfront homes visit, Phoenix Waterfront Home Search

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