Oklahoma City Gets Ranked as 5th Worst Place to Live

[Bunty]

All the focus on why OKC is rated bad is mostly health related. So people, shape up or ship out: http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/0...ces-to-live%2F

[Spartan]

Sweet, another top ranking for OKC! If they saw how we do on walkability, incarceration, and educational attainment, we might have gotten to move up on the list even further.

[hipsterdoofus]

I'm not sure why this makes OKC a bad place to live...if you move here, in THEORY, you have the choice to not overeat...maybe the danger of living here is that the fatties are going to run out of food and try to eat you?

[proud2Bsooner]

Great point hipster. Seems they took one minute thing and ran with it...obesity. What about things people care about, like crime, traffic and cost of living?

Maybe this is why we need plazas...to make people walk farther to get from place to place.

[yessir69]

We're between Vegas and LA??? Neither of those places seem too bad to me.

[fuzzytoad]

Maybe this is why we need plazas...to make people walk farther to get from place to place.

or maybe we need a Mayor who doesn't try to pass off Taco Bell as health food...

[rcjunkie]

or maybe we need a Mayor who doesn't try to pass off Taco Bell as health food...

He didn't try to promote Taco Bell as healthy eating, just that if you eat there, the Fresco menu is a healthier option. You need to stop trying to create controversy when it's not there.

[hipsterdoofus]

or maybe we need a Mayor who doesn't try to pass off Taco Bell as health food...

Ooh wow I can AGREE with you on something fuzzy...but don't speak badly of Mick here...his cronies will come after you (or at least type mean things about on a message board :-) ) << double-chinned smiley?

[Spartan]

proud2besooner, I get what you're saying, and I know you're just making the comment in jest, but let me just mention that walkability will only improve if sidewalks are reinforced by an attractive built environment..the opposite of corporate plazas.

I'm not sure why this makes OKC a bad place to live...if you move here, in THEORY, you have the choice to not overeat...maybe the danger of living here is that the fatties are going to run out of food and try to eat you?

Actually, the theory is that there must be a reason why obesity is so bad in OKC. I think obesity SHOULD be considered along with crime, although it isn't because most people aren't that perceptive. We don't even care to realize how our environment affects our health. Here in OKC you drive EVERYWHERE and walk NOWHERE, there are limited healthy eating options, limited fresh food options, abundant fast food options, it cites the dearth of dog parks, walking trails, baseball diamonds, exercise centers, and if it bothered to come here, it would have gone on to reveal that the few parks we do have, most hardly qualify as parkland by most standards. We also have very low rates of primary care physicians..

These are all things that contribute to obesity. So no, the threat is not that fat people will eat you alive. The threat is that living in OKC will make it very difficult for you to live a healthy lifestyle, AND THERE IS NO WAY TO ARGUE OTHERWISE. I guess you could, but the FACTS do not support it. When we are assessing a place's healthiness, you're talking about the differences between one city and another. The difference between OKC and almost any other city usually means unhealthier lifestyles and people. I just don't see that there is anything at all, not even one thing, that is a positive point for OKC in terms of health...and "putting the city on a diet" hardly counts. Maybe half of a point for a healthy living PR campaign, but really it ended up being absolutely worthless because this mayor and city council did not do any follow-up by making exercise, outdoor living, and healthy lifestyles accessible to the majority of the city's residents. And then they got it sponsored by TACO BELL, a fast food chain with at least 100 metro locations probably. Big fat F on all counts on the report card.

I personally think I would definitely steer clear of somewhere, when choosing a place to raise a family, that will all but ensure that my kids grow up to be fatties. "Oh, but what about our family values? Here in Oklahoma we're so full of 'Faith, Family, and Freedom.' Surely this listing is a mistake, we're great for families." Well apparently where the rubber meets the road, facts and wishful thinking ideology don't jive.

[Architect2010]

I personally think I would definitely steer clear of somewhere, when choosing a place to raise a family, that will all but ensure that my kids grow up to be fatties. "Oh, but what about our family values? Here in Oklahoma we're so full of 'Faith, Family, and Freedom.' Surely this listing is a mistake, we're great for families." Well apparently where the rubber meets the road, facts and wishful thinking ideology don't jive.

Wtf? I'm tired of this crap honestly. The only thing that will ensure anyone grows up to be overweight is yourself. That's just bull**** that if you move here you'll be unhealthy. I don't eat fast food. I run on our trails: South Grand, Earlywine, and the River. I walk around my neighborhood. I am a fit 18 year old. It all comes back to the citizens and their willingness to get off their unhealthy track of life and to motivate others and the city to do so also. If you don't want your kids to be fatties, then live a healthy lifestyle, put them in sports, and don't feed them McDonalds for dinner. It isn't the city's fault. It's the citizens of this city that have shaped and manipulated it to their unfit lifestyles and now the city is paying for allowing it to happen.

[Spartan]

Wtf? I'm tired of this crap honestly. The only thing that will ensure anyone grows up to be overweight is yourself. That's just bull**** that if you move here you'll be unhealthy. I don't eat fast food. I run on our trails: South Grand, Earlywine, and the River. I walk around my neighborhood. I am a fit 18 year old. It all comes back to the citizens and their willingness to get off their unhealthy track of life and to motivate others and the city to do so also. If you don't want your kids to be fatties, then live a healthy lifestyle, put them in sports, and don't feed them McDonalds for dinner. It isn't the city's fault. It's the citizens of this city that have shaped and manipulated it to their unfit lifestyles and now the city is paying for allowing it to happen.

Pat on the back for you, managing to live a healthy lifestyle in a city that encourages death by eating and sitting.

Speaking of putting your kids in sports, one of the things that was running through my mind during the earlier rant in this thread that I forgot to type down was putting your kids in sports. We've taken sports out of the elementary schools in Oklahoma, making it very expensive to put their kids into a sports league at an early age, and we've eliminated a lot of funding for junior high sports, and funding for high schools sports is constantly on the chopping block. There seems to be this idea that sports and access to a healthy lifestyle is not a public right, and should not be offered as a service to school kids.

You could say this for any other piece of the puzzle a city can be judged on. Worried about Cali's unemployment stats? Get a college degree. Worried about Dallas' crime issues? Don't live in Oak Cliff. Worried about OKC's health problem? Don't eat McD's.

It only goes so far when you're discounting criticism. At some point you need to take criticism, OWN IT, and do something about it. People in OKC seem to be incapable of admitting their pitfalls. I think it is in part because of the delusions of grandeur that we're constantly being sold at the voting booth, although affirming MAPS 3 was definitely a step in the right direction--or at least it should be. It also really bothers me that I get such a bad rep for being overly negative all the time, when in my mind, I'm just someone who spends a LOT of time in other cities and can easily see where OKC is lacking AND how to get it where it needs to be.

You don't make OKC a shining beacon for sustainability, urbanism, strong economy, quality of life, and healthy living by pretending our problems don't exist. Period.

[Larry OKC]

... but really it ended up being absolutely worthless because this mayor and city council did not do any follow-up by making exercise, outdoor living, and healthy lifestyles accessible to the majority of the city's residents. ...

Are you new here...did you sleep thru MAPS 3?

From the City's site:

A new, approximately 70-acre central park linking the core of downtown with the Oklahoma River

Health benefits weren't specifically touted, but the lower Park is supposed to have athletic fields. The Upper Park is to be fully programmed with activities

A new rail-based streetcar system, plus potential funding for other rail transit initiatives, such as commuter lines and a transit hub
* A better transit system will lead to a healthier, more sustainable community.

Personally think this one is a little weak. What difference does it make if you are going by car or bus or streetcar, you are still riding..unless count the extra walking it might take to get to a bus or streetcar (as opposed to the short walk to your car).

Sidewalks to be placed on major streets and near facilities used by the public throughout the City
* The 2007 bond issue included $68 million for sidewalks next to all resurfacing projects (there were probably several other items in the Bond issue that promote a healthier lifestyle)
* Sidewalks help to build a healthier community.

57 miles of new public bicycling and walking trails throughout the City
* Trails help to build a healthier community.

Improvements to the Oklahoma River, including a public whitewater kayaking facility and upgrades intended to achieve the finest rowing racecourse in the world
* Rowing and kayaking promote a healthier community.

State-of-the-art health and wellness aquatic centers throughout the City designed for senior citizens
* These centers will promote a healthier community.

It might be a stretch, but might even include the walking around in the new buildings at the Fairgrounds (offset by everything that is deep fried on a stick...LOL)

[Spartan]

Are you new here...did you sleep thru MAPS 3?

From the City's site:

A new, approximately 70-acre central park linking the core of downtown with the Oklahoma River

Health benefits weren't specifically touted, but the lower Park is supposed to have athletic fields. The Upper Park is to be fully programmed with activities

A new rail-based streetcar system, plus potential funding for other rail transit initiatives, such as commuter lines and a transit hub
* A better transit system will lead to a healthier, more sustainable community.

Personally think this one is a little weak. What difference does it make if you are going by car or bus or streetcar, you are still riding..unless count the extra walking it might take to get to a bus or streetcar (as opposed to the short walk to your car).

Sidewalks to be placed on major streets and near facilities used by the public throughout the City
* The 2007 bond issue included $68 million for sidewalks next to all resurfacing projects (there were probably several other items in the Bond issue that promote a healthier lifestyle)
* Sidewalks help to build a healthier community.

57 miles of new public bicycling and walking trails throughout the City
* Trails help to build a healthier community.

Improvements to the Oklahoma River, including a public whitewater kayaking facility and upgrades intended to achieve the finest rowing racecourse in the world
* Rowing and kayaking promote a healthier community.

State-of-the-art health and wellness aquatic centers throughout the City designed for senior citizens
* These centers will promote a healthier community.

It might be a stretch, but might even include the walking around in the new buildings at the Fairgrounds (offset by everything that is deep fried on a stick...LOL)

What I am talking about is the fact that anyone that wants to walk alongside one of our roads will likely get mauled by a crazy truck driver. The city needs to re-examine every urbanized portion of the city limits and determine how to make it people-friendly. There need to be walking/running trails around the NW Expressway and Quail Springs--areas that could be pseudo-pedestrian friendly given the overlay between commercial density and residential density, if it weren't for automobile traffic density that makes it unsafe.

We need more dog parks, walking trails, and exercise centers in every square mile of this city. That would be the real solution. In my rant I was very careful to say making a healthy lifestyle accessible to the majority of people in this city, because MAPS 3 definitely goes a long ways toward creating an all-new part of town for healthy lifestyles. But I am saying it is something that should be universal and not relegated to a specific part of town. I am talking about sustainability for the entire city, not just one area of town where we give it lip service, and then our actions in the other 98% of the city limits cancel out everything we do to make downtown "sustainable." Honestly, what really goes on downtown cancels it out by itself...as we all know by now.

I think that there must be some kind of state issue as well that is leading doctors to move to other states. I have heard Senator Coburn speaking about an extreme lack of doctors in SE Oklahoma, and I've heard a lot about OKC's relative shortage of primary care physicians. Someone at the state capitol needs to look into that, as well.

The city also needs to put a lot of attention into making the city more physically attractive. If there was more landscaping that was attractive, creating some modicum of natural beauty in this city that severely lacks ANY natural beauty, then perhaps that would also draw people outdoors. It could be how ugly this city really is that has turned residents against being outdoors..just a thought.

[Monkeypony]

i hope this all happens before i die!!
i have lived in Oklahoma since 69 and truly, it hasnt changed that much overall!
things happen very slowly in oklahoma. getting the public ( okies) to catch up with the rest of the world is a job in itself.
you have to disguise any hope for progress as a ' church'.. the only thing okies like and support..

[Larry OKC]

Realize you are joking... Think plazas would have little effect or actually make it worse. Point A and point B are still the same distance apart no matter what is in between them (buildings, parking lots or plazas). And if a plaza, instead of walking down the length of buildings and around corners, a plaza can be a shortcut.

[betts]

Lack of dog parks I can agree with. I don't know how you get more, however.

[FritterGirl]

Lack of dog parks I can agree with. I don't know how you get more, however.

Hi Betts,

Just now seeing this quote.

First question. One of the things we've been working on with the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) is why, exactly, dog parks are even included in their research criteria when other major fitness-related amenities, such as trails and greenways, basketball courts, spraygrounds, etc. are not. The amount of exercise a PERSON gets at a dog park is minimus compared to what they could get walking a trail, or playing a pick-up game of hoops. To us, the criteria is ALMOST as flimsy as the Men's Health fitness criteria of "proximity to snowboarding." In Oklahoma? Are you kidding me?

As for "how can you get more dog parks?" the answer is pretty simple. Public-private cooperation. The OKC Parks Department would love to have another partner that could facilitate the development, maintenance and operation of another dog park. The PAW Park at Lake Hefner was largely funded by and is operated by OK PAW (People for Animal Welfare), a non-profit funding group.

While the Parks Department owns the land, OK Paw maintains the bulk of the park. Volunteers take care of discarding dog droppings and keeping the park clean and maintained. They also raised the funds to enhance the beach area next to the pond so humans can have a better place to sit and observe their canine friends while in the water.

[Spartan]

Hi Betts,

Just now seeing this quote.

First question. One of the things we've been working on with the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) is why, exactly, dog parks are even included in their research criteria when other major fitness-related amenities, such as trails and greenways, basketball courts, spraygrounds, etc. are not. The amount of exercise a PERSON gets at a dog park is minimus compared to what they could get walking a trail, or playing a pick-up game of hoops. To us, the criteria is ALMOST as flimsy as the Men's Health fitness criteria of "proximity to snowboarding." In Oklahoma? Are you kidding me?

At first blush, some great points here. After thinking about it some more, I can see where that criteria is relevant, and not just because some places such as OKC just are at a natural disadvantage due to the hand dealt by God in terms of geography. There's a reason places such as Denver or Salt Lake are said to be "blessed by God" in terms of geography. So I'm not saying I agree with you or the criteria, but there's more to it than I think you're considering..

1. Proximity to snowboarding is fine as a criteria as long as other criteria includes sports that happen in another topography settings.
2. Walking a dog is very much a healthy lifestyle thing to do, because it does get you outside doing something with the outdoors. It's about as athletic as fishing or walking down the street, but I would contend that it's a little thing that may lead to someone doing more things outdoors.

I do think it's relevant, in terms of a city's health, how close it is to a beach or a mountain. So perhaps some cities, especially OKC, is at a natural disadvantage when competing head-to-head on health rankings, but I would contend that doesn't make up for OKC sucking at everything that is still within its control. There are a lot of places we could improve by providing more infrastructure for healthy living. Lake Hefner and the Oklahoma River could use some improvement, and the river will be getting it soon. The trails system is a good start, but that was what OKC needed in 1990 and it still won't even be close to being finished after the MAPS 3 funding comes in for that. There should be major pedestrian improvements around Memorial Rd and the NW Expressway. There should at least be sidewalks along all major arteries, particularly in the inner city. The main drags through the inner city, such as NW 23rd, Western, Classen, SW 44th, etc--all need to become more walkable. The city needs to disallow development in these areas that include any deep setbacks, and discourage walking. They may even consider narrowing these streets and widening the sidewalks and introducing a dedicated bike lane in a lot of the inner city. As it is, bicycles need a place on our roads, which they currently do not have.

Wherever these MAPS senior centers go as well, they need to be very well-connected to neighborhoods so that seniors can safely walk there if they live close enough. There is no point in driving 5 blocks to go to the gym, it's just stupid. There also need to be shading elements and lighting elements placed along sidewalks so that they are lit at night (reduce crime) and shaded during the hot summer days (reduce people collapsing)--that will also go a long ways toward reclaiming the outdoors of OKC for people.

[theparkman81]

In my opinion, these people that do the ranking for these website probably have nothing else to do in their spare time, this just as bad as the guy that tried to ban oreos in california, get me a break, and I betcha none of these people have never been to Oklahoma. look Oklahoma city is not a worst place to live, and on top of that, I have never heard of walletpop.com, I wonder who came up with that name lol.

[Larry OKC]

In my opinion, these people that do the ranking for these website probably have nothing else to do in their spare time, this just as bad as the guy that tried to ban oreos in california, get me a break, and I betcha none of these people have never been to Oklahoma. look Oklahoma city is not a worst place to live, and on top of that, I have never heard of walletpop.com, I wonder who came up with that name lol.

If not mistaken it is somehow affiliated with AOL...think it is the Money/Consumer section of the site. At least AOL has several stories linked to it that I see on a regular basis.

[Jesseda]

i hate negative talk and making fun of overweight people you call fatties, dont worry when 2012 end of days come and after 2 weeks of no food it will be your skinny, yoga gym training butts dead on the ground and us fatties walking over your dead bodies, marching northward to canada in search of more food...

[CO-To-OKC]

First, I've never heard of this "walletpop" site. Its probably just one of those sites that pays freelance writers $50 for every article they write.

Second, every other city on the list is in the midst of an economic and/or housing crisis. From what I gather, OKC's economy is consistently ranked as one of the strongest in the country.

Third, I usually take "lists" like this with a grain of salt.

[Matt]

He didn't try to promote Taco Bell as healthy eating, just that if you eat there, the Fresco menu is a healthier option. You need to stop trying to create controversity when it's not there.

Yeah, stop creating controversity, Fuzzytoad!

[Jesseda]

thanks for posting this larry okc

[Bunty]

Is there a concrete sidewalk that goes around Hefner Lake? If not, there ought to be.