Living in Bryant has
turned out to be one of those “gems” in life that
seem to happen just by accident. I relocated to Bryant in 1994
from the greater Little Rock Area. My family decided to make the
move after struggling to educate two small children in private
schools. We really wanted to own a home, but we could not afford
to purchase a home and continue paying for private school in Little
Rock.
At that time, Bryant was a small “bedroom
community” with a little less than 5,000 people inside the
city limits. It was known for safe neighborhoods and a good school
district, as well as being one of those small towns that hands
out a speeding ticket to every visitor that drives 2 miles over
the speed limit! Bryant was close enough to Little Rock that I
could keep my job and best of all, we could purchase a home.
In 1994, downtown Bryant consisted of a privately
owned “Price Cutter” grocery store and several fast
food locals along the freeway. We had two sit down restaurants,
the local diner and the Pizza Hut. Since that time Bryant has
grown in ways that I couldn't have foreseen. We now have many
popular restaurant chains in the area and several large grocery/super
center stores here as well. All the major banks have branches
right here in town and most medical facilities have satellite
offices here too. I rarely ever have to leave Bryant for anything
at all.
The most wonderful thing about living
in Bryant is the community itself. Bryant is centered
around family and that has turned out to be the greatest gift
of our move 14 years ago. My children are growing up in a safe
area when they are free to walk to school and play outdoors. The
city has wonderful park areas and a Chamber of Commerce that supports
several annual Family Festivals each year. We moved here for the
schools alone and if that was all we took from Bryant, the school
system alone would have been enough.
Bryant schools are the true core of
our city. Our school system continues to provide a progressive,
quality education that continues to perform well above the norm.
My children have been challenged and exposed to culture and art
through this school system. This past year, Bryant constructed
a "green" middle school and this fall a "green"
elementary school will be opening. My children are already learning
the importance of conservation and alternative energy along with
their current curriculum in school. The schools are very approachable
and community involvement is a essential part of their success.
Bryant has grown to just over 15,000
people and 20,000 are forecast to be here by 2010. Living here
is just as wonderful as it has ever been. I am eager to see how
the next 15 years will look for this community. I don’t
think people come here by accident anymore. People arrive expecting
to find a diamond. I believe they will get much more than they
expect.
Michelle Finney
Resident of Bryant, Arkanses
since 1994
