Quality of Life in Allentown
Quality of Life is the economic well being, life style, and environment that an area offers. Improving the quality of life in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley is one of AEDC's goals. We seek to strike a balance between encouraging the growth of our economy and strengthening quality of life in our region. We believe that directing development to existing, urban communities helps to preserve the qualities that we enjoy in the Lehigh Valley. Some of those qualities include:
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Quality, affordable housing, found in architecturally rich neighborhoods such as Old Allentown and Old Faigrounds.
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World-class medical facilities, right in our downtowns, including Lehigh Valley Health Network, St. Luke's Hospital, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, and Sacred Heart Hospital as well as excellent senior care facitlies like Phoebe Home.
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Life-long learning opportunities and excellent higher education with Muhlenberg College, Cedar Crest College and Lehigh Carbon Community College in the City and Lehigh University, DeSales University, Lafayette College, Kutztown University, Moravian College and others in the Lehigh Valley.
- A beautiful City parks system, featuring over 2,000 acres of green space and 25 miles of trails, linking recreational activities to pass ive enjoyment of nature. Enjoy disc golf, fishing, swimming pools, basketball, handball, splash parks and more. Allentown parks host dozens of events each year as well, including Mayfair, Lehigh Valley Sports Fest and concerts.
- Outside of the City, there are ample outdoor recreational opportunities, including mountain biking in Jim Thorpe, skiing at Blue Mountain, fishing in the Delaware River, birding at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, rafting in the Poconos, or hiking on the Appalachian Trail.
- cultural institutions like baum, aam, symphony
- sports: iron pigs, velodrome
