Junior and senior high school kids cross the bridge to Rockaway schools. While most residents savor the Mayberry R.F.D. spirit of their town, the climate can also breed conformity and insularity. In this neighborhood, gossip is a serious pastime. Not surprisingly, given their experience, residents are occasionally suspicious of outsiders. There are few rental apartments, and homes are rarely advertised outside the community.
Most sales are through word of mouth.
Even with the Manhattan skyline in the distance and the wildlife refuge down the road, many residents prefer staying home, especially these days, when Broad Channel is finally getting the amenities many communities take for granted. In 1990, the town got its own satellite library and a much-needed building extension for PS 47 that includes the island's first elevator. In 1993, after twenty years of waiting, Broad Channel Community Park was built. While many island homes are small, weathered bungalows left over from the days of the Broad Channel Corporation, property ownership has given the community a new lease on life. Many residents have recently secured home improvement loans for the first time.