Concord, CA: Community Map and Analysis

94520 Community Map Link Below:

Our community map includes Schools, Medical facilities, and the following Points of Interest:

Q-Zar (Laser Tag)

Waterworld

Mt. Diablo State Park

Todos Santos Plaza

Skipolinis (where we ate lunch)

Pixieland (aka Pixie Playland - fun for kids)

Diablo Valley Bowl (aka Diablo Lanes)

Schools within the area code include public, private, and special education institutions.

Preschools: Sun Terrace Preschool
Elementary: Meadow Holmes Elementary, Sun Terrace Elementary, Cambridge Elementary
Middle School: (located outside the area code) Oak Grove Middle School, Pine Hollow Middle School
High School: Mt. Diablo High School
Christian Schools: Cavalry Center Christian School, Concord Christian Schools
Catholic Schools: Queen of All Saints
Special Educational School: Contra Costa Special Education, Floyd I. Marchus School, Seneca Center

There are numerous medical facilities in the area code, especially John Muir Hospital directly across the street from Mt. Diablo High School.

The Willow Pass Recreation Center: What it has to Offer

Concord residents can take advantage of the Willow Pass Recreation center. There are areas to play sports and buildings to host events. Also, the rec center buildings offer space for seasonal classes that appeal to all ages. Examples of classes include Video Game Design, Digital Art, Creative Writing, Dog Training, Small Business Development, East Coast Swing Dance, Guitar, and various sports classes. Through the rec center, Concord offers a summertime "Camp Concord" for the city's youth. During the school year, a Concord Youth Government meets at the rec center, and for adults, tours and trips can be planned through the center. (check out the website: http://www.ci.concord.ca.us/recreation)

Todos Santos Plaza:

The Plaza offers numerous shops, stores, restaurants, and relaxation space. During the summer, the Music and Market happens every Thursday, with live performances and a farmers market. This tradition has continued for twenty-five years, thanks to the spirit of the community.

The Arts:

The Art Cottage in Concord is within walking distance of Todos Santos Plaza, and features work by local artists. Review by Mark P. from Martinez in 2012:

"The Art Cottage opened a few months ago in Concord. It is the coolest, funkiest little art gallery around. FROgard Butler is a local artist, owner and a delightful person. The Cottage exhibits works by local artists in rotating one month shows. If you are looking for something to do during the week or on a weekend afternoon, stop by and say hi to FRO and see some great art."

Restaurants and Dining:

Searching for restaurants in the area code 94520 offers a wide variety of eating styles and types of food. In the Todos Santos Plaza, restaurants ranged from a sit down pizza place (Skipolini's, pictured below!) to a grab and go breakfast place called House of Bagels. A taqueria with signs and menus in Spanish and a hot dog restaurant can be found next to each other. The variety is exciting, and appeals to anyone with an empty stomach! Following the main streets to other areas beyond the Plaza, we saw more chain restaurants like Dominos, Little Cesars, Dairy Queen, and Cinnabon. However, there were still many authentic restaurants, operating outside of the chain eatery system, such as La Taqueria Soledad and Le Cafe.

The Community's Strengths: Commercial nature, Proximity, and Religious Institutions

The areas we explored were very commercial. Housing communities were organized around commercial centers. This impacts the community in the way it facilitates travel by bike, skateboard, or foot in order to go shopping or find a place to eat. We also saw a high number and variety of Churches, including non-denominational Christian Churches (Vineyard Church pictured below), Catholic Churches, and a Jewish Temple. Again, the closeness of these familiar and frequented religious institutions facilitates short commutes.

The Economy: (find out more: http://www.ci.concord.ca.us/business/facts/office.asp)

Like Concord's infrastructure, diversity, and family-focused events, the economy is also expanding. Like other cities around the Bay Area, the recession caused a rise in the unemployment rate (most recently, at 13.8% for people over the age of 25). However, there has been economic growth. Concord now has thirteen industrial parks, and the following major employers: Bank of America Technology Center, Chevron Credit Center , Conco Cement, Contra Costa Water District, Costco, Fry's Electronics, Harris & Associates, JC Penney, John Muir Medical Center , Macy's West, Sears, Shaw Environmental Infrastructure, T-Mobile, and Wells Fargo Credit Center. Concord boasts 4 million square feet of office space, 5.8 million square feet of industrial space, and 1,200 hotel or motel rooms for visitors. Land and street space exist for further business growth. Concord's location also contributes to a growing economy; it is a short drive to urban centers in the Bay Area where businesses can find resources and connections, as well as employees.

Bonus Map! From the City of Concord Website, the many Parks Concord has to offer the community:

To See More information about the places listed above, check out our group's Prezi link:
Concord Prezi, by Kelly, Sarah, and Ashley

Concord, CA