The Kern Community College District’s plan to build a new campus center at Bear Mountain Boulevard and Highway 99 won’t be taking place any time soon because of budget constraints.
In the past seven months, the district considered building a site in Arvin but decided against it after a consultant’s recommendation in January 2012 favored the Bear Mountain/99 plan.
But according to Amber Chiang, director of marketing and public relations for Bakersfield College, the construction is on hold.
“So at this point there are no plans for the center to be built on Bear Mountain and Highway 99,” said Chiang. “In the near future, we will still offer classes at Arvin High School. However, with California’s budget being the way it is, enrollments are declining because they had to cut classes, and in order to build there must be a lot of things in place before you start building. So I have no idea when a center will be built. It’s all in a crystal ball right now.”
KCCD, through a donation and purchase agreement back in 2007, got 126 acres of land in the corner of Bear Mountain and Highway 99 in south Bakersfield. The city of Arvin said it would donate 25 acres to build there instead.
The Bear Mountain site was chosen because, according to Chiang, two highways converged on the area, making it easier for residents of Lamont, Arvin, Gorman and Frazier Park to attend classes at that site.
Also, population growth figures suggested more people would be served from the Bear Mountain site. Chiang said Arvin’s proximity would make it harder for people from other areas to get there.
Last semester, BC arranged with Kern Regional Transit, which is a regional bus system that goes to Frazier Park and Tehachapi, to change their route to go to and from BC to Lamont and Arvin. The last bus leaving to Lamont and Arvin from BC is at 10 p.m.
KCCD also purchased land in northwest Bakersfield five years ago, and the land is in the same predicament as the Bear Mountain land. KCCD planned, when the money comes, they will be ready to build. But as of right now nothing will be happening in the northwest anytime soon.
“We are creating a triangle of service so people in the middle can get to any campus that they choose,” said Chiang.