Paula Fluit loves the Tri-Cities for its parks, schools and safe environment so much she said wouldn't dream of living anywhere else.
The Tri-Cities is perfect for raising a family, said Fluit, a stay-at-home mom.
That's why the Kennewick and the Tri-City region are among the top 10 places nationwide to raise a family, according to Kiplinger.com, part of Washington, D.C.-based publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice.
Kiplinger.com singled out the area for its low cost of living, affordable housing, a strong science-and-tech-based economy, plenty of outdoor attractions and a falling crime rate.
It's no surprise to Fluit, an Othello native, who came to like the Tri-Cities ever since moving to the community about 10 years ago to be with her then-fianc, who now is her husband.
"We like to bike ride, go to parks and boating on the river," said Fluit on Wednesday while enjoying a day out with her three young children at the Playground of Dreams in Columbia Park in Kennewick. "There's always something going on."
The inclusion on the national list means more visibility and awareness for the Tri-Cities, said Carl Adrian, president and CEO of the Tri-City Development Council. It also recognizes the area's knowledge-based economy, which has diversified and created new types of jobs for the growing population, he said.
Adrian said he hopes the mention on Kiplinger.com will help attract new businesses and more investment to the community.
The high quality of life and area's affordability continue to serve as a magnet to lure people to the Tri-Cities, he said.
"Things are pretty cheap here," said Mark Tyler, who moved to the Tri-Cities from St. George, Utah, about three months ago with his wife, Melanie, and 2-year-old son Titus.
He wants to study accounting at Washington State University Tri-Cities next year when he becomes eligible for the in-state tuition rate.
St. George, a community of about 60,000 people, offers nothing like the Playground of Dreams, Tyler said. He and his family visit the parks at least three times a week. "It's free entertainment and my son gets to meet other kids," he said.
The Tri-Cities also seems like a nice community where people care, Tyler said.
That's true, agreed Mike Schwenk, chairman of Three Rivers Community Round Table, which was created in 2001 to develop a common vision for the future of the community. Over the years, the community has worked together to promote education with high-caliber schools and innovative teaching approaches, he said.
WSU Tri-Cities, which offers four-year degrees, and Delta High School, the new school focused on science, technology, engineering and math, are great examples of success the community has had that will help sustain the area's technological edge and promote innovation in the Tri-Cities, said Schwenk, who has lived in the area for 30 years.
United Way's Community Solutions initiative -- a regional health and human services plan intended to address the Tri-Cities' most pressing needs -- is another example of collaboration to achieve the desired goals in the community, Schwenk said. The communitywide effort began in 2006 with four program priorities: education, health, safety and self-sufficiency.
Three Rivers Community Round Table also is committed to promoting water-nurtured quality of life and improving connectivity through a transportation network, he said. It's all part of promoting economic development, he said.
The perception of the Tri-Cities as a Hanford-based economy is changing, especially in the Northwest, said Kris Watkins, president and CEO of the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau.
The growth of wine industry in the area, outdoor attractions, particularly the local trail systems, and nice weather continue to draw visitors, she said. The Tri-Cities also is a hub for shopping for people in Southeastern Washington.
People like to come here because it's safe and clean and about three hours away from major metro areas, she said.
Some of those visitors end up settling down here, she said. The local arts scene has expanded and become diverse, and a variety of restaurants have opened in the past few years. That has meant more options for resi-dents and continuing economic growth for the community, Watkins said.
Walla Walla's Traci Jao came to study at WSU about 10 years ago and ended up making the Tri-Cities her home. It has good schools, family-friendly businesses, a lot of parks, safe environment and friendly people, said Jao, who is co-chairwoman of Young Professionals of Tri-Cities, which started in 2007.
-- On the net: To view the Kiplinger.com report,
click here. Then click on the "next" button under the picture to see the Kennewick/Tri-Cities listing.
-- Pratik Joshi: 582-1541; pjoshi@tricityherald.com
