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Welcome To
Fort Collins
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FORT COLLINS
Fort Collins is a community that has a strong working
relationship between the University and the City; a relationship that is crucial in order
for Fort Collins to maintain an environment necessary for good business and good living.
The people of Fort Collins are committed to preserving our city’s
beauty and economic stability for generations to come. It is a city-wide goal to keep Fort
Collins a prime living location.
A sense of involvement thrives throughout our city. Everyone, whether a
newcomer or not, has equal opportunity to participate in making Fort Collins all that it
can be. We invite you to come and experience our city, enjoy our state, meet the people,
and share in our wonderful natural resources.
Link to City of Fort Collins (bookmark this site
first!)
POPULATION - (includes college
population):
(Average growth has been at 3% per year.)
Median Age of Population:
| City of Fort Collins |
29.3 years |
| Larimer County |
32.3 years |
INDUSTRY
High-tech industry has replaced yesterday’s mining and agriculture
roots. Companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Kodak, Woodward Governor, Symbios Logic, ESAB
North America, Anheuser-Busch and other major employers are scattered throughout the area.
Colorado State University, the state’s land-grant educational institution, produces
graduates from eight colleges. Colorado State is renowned for its engineering, biology and
research programs.
RECREATION
Today, Fort Collins attracts many new residents with its numerous
outdoor recreational opportunities. Visitors find the 75 miles of bike trails, lanes and
routes an irresistible addition to the many golf courses, parks and open spaces of the
city. Only five miles west of Fort Collins is Horsetooth Reservoir which provides hiking,
swimming, boating and watersport opportunities. Also close by, Poudre Canyon is one of the
closest escapes to the mountains. Cross-country skiing, horseback riding, snowmobiling,
hiking, fishing and just plain enjoying the great outdoors are just some of the many
recreational opportunities you can enjoy.
Fort Collins is also endowed with indoor recreational facilities
including the city’s ice skating rink, several community pools -- both indoor and
out, many large and small health clubs and the Colorado State University recreational
center.
Although Fort Collins has dramatically changed from its historic roots
of the 19th century, one quality has stood the test of time; Fort Collins’ unusually
mild weather and sunny days. For avid recreators, Fort Collins’ weather is worth
watching for!
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HousingFort Collins is an especially attractive community with its parks and greenbelts,
large trees, well-kept lawns, unusually wide streets and community landscaping. It even
has landscaping requirements for parking lots!
For the newcomer relocating to Fort Collins, the city offers a wide
variety of housing from which to select.
The single-family home in Fort Collins ranges in style from the more
traditional ranch and two-story to multi-level and contemporary designs. Fort Collins
offers such a wide variety of styles and price ranges that almost every taste and
requirement is represented within the city and the surrounding areas.
The various subdivisions (new and old -- there are over 100) in Fort
Collins and the surrounding communities offer the buyer a wide variety of locations and
lot sizes to choose from. Lot sizes typically range from the smaller "Planned Unit
Development" (PUD) lots, to acreages of up to 40+ acres. Some subdivisions have their
own swimming pool and tennis courts in addition to those found through out the City.
Fort Collins’ housing styles also vary according to vintage. In the
"downtown" area (near CSU and the County Courthouse building), the homes are
typically older Victorians with some dating back to the late 1800’s and early
1900’s. By contrast, there is no shortage of new construction, which is most
predominantly found in the southeast and southwest areas of the City.
The following averages will generally reflect the Fort Collins housing
market, with mortgage rates closely following national averages:
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EDUCATIONPoudre School District came into existence July 1, 1960, after taxpaying
electors in Larimer County voted in favor of consolidating the county’s 30 school
districts into three. The school districts’ names included an "R", meaning
"reorganized," and a numerical designation: Poudre School District R-1 (Fort
Collins area); Thompson R-2 (Loveland area); and Park R-3 (Estes Park area).
Poudre R-1 is one of the largest school districts in Colorado, covering
an area of 1,856 square miles. The area of the school district is one and one-half times
the size of Rhode Island. The district boundaries extend to the Continental Divide on the
west, to the Weld County line on the east, to the Wyoming state border on the north, and
to five miles south of Fort Collins. In total, the district educates more than 21,000
students.
Schools in the district include 26 elementary schools (K-6), 7
junior high schools (7-9), 3 high schools (10-12), 4 small schools in mountain areas
(K-8), and Centennial Adult High School.
Kindergarten classes are held at most elementary schools during
the school year. To be eligible to enter kindergarten, a child must be five years old on
or before September 15.
Accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and
Secondary Schools has been granted to all the high schools, junior high schools, and
elementary schools. The district also is accredited by the Colorado Department of
Education.
Special Needs of students are met through the Special Education
Services Department which provides the services of psychologists, social workers, nurses,
speech correctionists, and occupational therapists. Instruction is available for students
with visual, hearing, emotional and perceptual handicaps. The program for educable
mentally retarded students extends through high school and includes vocational training
and a training home. Instruction also is available for homebound students. All schools
provide counseling services.
Programs available include classes for the academically talented
and gifted students, alternative junior and senior high school programs, vocational
education for high school and post high school students at the Front Range Community
College, cooperative work-study programs (high school), English Language Proficiency
Program, Head Start Preschool, adult education and adult high school completion and a
summer school for children of migrant farm workers.
Transportation by school bus is provided for elementary school
children who live more than a mile from school; for junior high students living more than
a mile and one-half from a school; and for high school students living in excess of two
miles from school. Transportation in mountain area schools is provided by contracted
vehicles.
Parents are an important part of the school system and their
involvement is welcome and solicited. Each school has an elected Parent Advisory Board in
addition to a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).
Board of Education meetings are held regularly on the second and
fourth Mondays of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Administration Center. The meetings are
open to the public. The seven Board members are elected at non-partisan elections in May
of odd-numbered years. Their terms overlap. Board members serve without pay.
Financing of the school district comes primarily through state
funds and local property taxes. The school district’s budgets are discussed and
approved the board of education in public sessions. The operating budget for 1996-97 (or
general fund budget): $97,471,397
Link to Poudre R-1 School District (bookmark this site first!)
There are several things to keep in mind when enrolling a child
who is new to Poudre R-1 school district:
- Parents are advised to call their local schools to schedule an
appointment to register. New students to the district should bring a record of
immunization, a copy of a birth certificate, a telephone number of someone to contact in
an emergency, and the address of the child’s previous school if it is outside the
PR-1 school district.
- Physicals are recommended, but not required, at the kindergarten, 4th,
7th and 10th grade levels. A physical is required for students
planning to participate in a sport in secondary schools.
- Supplies needed for school vary by school and grade level. Parents
should contact their school for the recommended supply list.
- Students do not have to attend the school in their own neighborhood.
Students can enroll in schools outside their attendance area if there is room at the
school and parents agree to provide transportation. If interested, contact your schools
for a "schools of choice" form.
If parents are uncertain about which school their children should
attend, they are advised to call the Poudre R-1 Transportation office at (970) 490-3577.
ENROLLMENT STATISTICS
FRONT RANGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE/LARIMER COUNTY CENTER
The community college is a two-year school offering associate degree
programs, guaranteed transfer courses, vocational certificate programs, vocational
programs for high school students, continuing education for adults and customized training
for business and industry. As a part of the largest community college in Colorado, Front
Range has about 3,500 students enrolled each semester. Front Range is fully accredited by
the North Central Association of Colleges & Secondary schools.
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Colorado State University, the land-grant educational institution of
Colorado, was established in 1870, six years before Colorado became a state. The
University enrolls approximately 21,000 students, and there are over 100 buildings on the
main campus of 833 acres.
The University’s instructional and research program is divided into
eight colleges: agricultural sciences, arts, humanities and social sciences, business,
engineering, forestry and natural resources, applied human sciences, natural sciences, and
veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences. The college of Veterinary Medicine and
Bio-Medical Sciences is rated one of the top three in the nation. Programs range from a
bachelor’s degree in all areas to the doctoral degree in many subjects.
The Foothills campus occupies 2,200 acres of land two miles west of the
city. It is the focus primarily for graduate education and research of various types,
particularly in the biological and engineering sciences. The facilities accommodate the
University, federal and private industrial research laboratories, and the Colorado State
Forest Service Nursery.
The Division of Continuing Education at Colorado State University offers
over 600 credit and noncredit courses each semester. Semester bulletins are available by
calling 970-491-2176. If you need to talk to someone, call (970) 491-5288 or (970)
491-5288.
Link to CSU Home Page (bookmark this site first!)
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