Bloomington Vs Chicagoland (Geneva area) (Aurora, Naperville: school districts, universities, casino)

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by llama214

I didn't mean to make you feel like I singled you out in anyway, but I have seen some of the remarks you have made to others, and I think they are very crude and not helpful. You didn't bash B-N at all. You described Chicago, and then described Bloomington. I'm not only posting here to say that nather wouldn't like Chicago, I'm just saying they hate traffic, want a small town feel, without giving up the things they are used to, and a great town to live in. That pretty much decribes B-N perfectly. And as for not having anything to do, again I'm going to have to disagree. You said it could take you more then 1.5 hours to get into the city. It takes min. to get the all the great stuff in this city, and hour at the most to get ot everything in Peoria and Decatur, and 1.5 hours at the most to get to Champaign or Springfield. Not to mention everything that all the small towns have. I'm sure that Chicago offers even more then all these cities combined, but it takes no time to get to Chicago, Indy, or SL, so I really don't see your point at all. Naperville does have the fifth most innovative library in the country(again my nerdy demographics are shining through) but the Allinace Library System in East Peoria has numerous awards that far out way what a single library can do. if I had to choose between the library, or the support system behind it, I would be choosing the latter. I'm only posting because what nather is looking for is what B-N is. Nather, when you come into Illinois turn to 720 am and listen to the traffic reports. Then tune it into a B-N station for the traffic, oh wait, in order to have a traffic report you need traffic, which would single us out. Whenever I have a rough day or something, I can always tune into a Chicago station and feel entirely better knowing that I don't have that headache, but the same lifestyle.

Good info, thanks for sharing! As for me being rude in the past, yeah I guess you could say that. But ONLY when someone calls me out just because they didnt like Naperville, or Chicago, or yada, yada, yada. I dont think there is a single person on earth that would stand aside while their town is assaulted by naysayers, right? I was just defending my area.

B-N isnt all that small, its alot bigger than most of the towns I mentioned, so Im not sure what the big deal is. Elburn, Winfield, Wasco, Wayne are ALOT smaller, yet still here in the midst of it all.

And no, B-N cant touch the burbs for MANY reasons, but thats ok. Its smaller and we all understand that. But the traffic attacks are pointless. Maybe the reason you guys dont have traffic is because noone wants to live there? But if youre growing as much as you say, just be prepared, thats all I gotta say. Pretty soon youll be sitting in traffic, wondering what in the heck just happened to your little cow town. I often think that when I drive through Naperville, whos population went from 40K to 150K seemingly overnight.

[Paxtonian]

Cow town? Have you slipped a cog?

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Paxtonian

Cow town? Have you slipped a cog?

Hey, Im from Chicagoland dont forget. We call Elburn "cow-town", its a figure of speech, meaning "out there in the boonies", regardless how big the town is. Guess I should have picked another term, eh? LOL Um, out there in BFE. Does that work better?

[llama214]

Yeah, but why attack someone?! I love B-N and Fishers, but if somone is going to show their ignorance and fight about it, I could just really carealess. And maybe you didn't comprehend my last post, because I state that while those towns you mentioned were small, they are surrounded on all sides. Maybe that is what a small town is to suburban person, but would be mocked to no end by people in central Illnois. Go into a Dunlap or Morton and say that, and you might get shot.lol! You sound rediculous when you say that the Twin Cities 'can't touch the suburbs.' You have no argument at all! We have everything you have, so why are you fighting that fact. I'm not lieing when say that we do. I go to the 'burbs' frequently and see little difference besides the lack of community and a suburban concrete mess that you have up on us. You have clearly never been anywhere else downstate besides southern Illinois and Peoria. And again, you didn't read my last statement because the fastest growing metro area in Illinois is McClean county. Another concrete fact. If so many people hate it, then why is it so popular? Don't worry, we aren't worried about traffc for along time. My grandkids will probably be gone before it becomes anywhere near the mess you guys have. Peoria and it's metro area are far bigger then us and traffic is a breeze there too. Plus the western suburbs were built cheap and fast, and I don't think IDOT had any communication with the builders up there. We learned alot from you guys, and our roads will never be that bad. The whole eastern edge was built to have easy access to everything. I don't envy what you have at all.

[Paxtonian]

Well, I'm from Chicago too and I wouldn't call B-N a cow town. The area has about as many people as Aurora, with far fewer problems.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Paxtonian

Well, I'm from Chicago too and I wouldn't call B-N a cow town. The area has about as many people as Aurora, with far fewer problems.

I wont touch Aurora with a 10' pole, youre correct.

[llama214]

Wow, we can tell someone used to live in Naperville. If I never had to set foot in that commercial city again, fine by mean. Fishers, Indiana has it all over you guys.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by llama214

Yeah, but why attack someone?! I love B-N and Fishers, but if somone is going to show their ignorance and fight about it, I could just really carealess. And maybe you didn't comprehend my last post, because I state that while those towns you mentioned were small, they are surrounded on all sides. Maybe that is what a small town is to suburban person, but would be mocked to no end by people in central Illnois. Go into a Dunlap or Morton and say that, and you might get shot.lol! You sound rediculous when you say that the Twin Cities 'can't touch the suburbs.' You have no argument at all! We have everything you have, so why are you fighting that fact. I'm not lieing when say that we do. I go to the 'burbs' frequently and see little difference besides the lack of community and a suburban concrete mess that you have up on us. You have clearly never been anywhere else downstate besides southern Illinois and Peoria. And again, you didn't read my last statement because the fastest growing metro area in Illinois is McClean county. Another concrete fact. If so many people hate it, then why is it so popular? Don't worry, we aren't worried about traffc for along time. My grandkids will probably be gone before it becomes anywhere near the mess you guys have. Peoria and it's metro area are far bigger then us and traffic is a breeze there too. Plus the western suburbs were built cheap and fast, and I don't think IDOT had any communication with the builders up there. We learned alot from you guys, and our roads will never be that bad. The whole eastern edge was built to have easy access to everything. I don't envy what you have at all.

Ok, you have everything we have eh? You have Portillos? Lou Malnatis? Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, Flyers, Cougars, Fire, Cubs, Sox, Bulls? How about AMC 30 (you just MIGHT have those by now), Wolfgang Pucks, Rosebuds, Gander Mountain (maybe), riverwalks, Rialto theatre, Michigan Avenue, Burberry, Ermenegildo Zegna, Rolex, Ralph Lauren (which none of these I care about, but some people do)? Riverboat cruises, lakefront cruises, architectural tours, Frank Lloyd Wright homes, Sears Catalog homes, Lincoln Park and Brookfield Zoo, Adler Planetarium, worlds renowned museums and art institutes, symphony halls, Cantigny, Rt. 66 Dragway, Chicagoland Speedway, horse racetracks, antique towns like St. Charles, Long Grove, Geneva, Hard Rock HOtel, House of Blues, Navy Pier, Morton Arboretum, Great America theme park, waterparks, Gurnee Mills, Woodfield Mall.

Please, DONT insult my intelligence by saying that you guys have what we have, thats just nonsense. You might have some of the same stores, but who doesnt? B-N is made up of chain stores/restaurants. Veterans Parkway is probably the most active street in those towns which is also congested I might add and its made up of Applebees and Chilis, etc... There is more to do in 3 sq blocks in Chicago then there is in all of B-N, no denying that.

Please, lets not argue, but please dont tell others that B-N offers just as much as Chicagoland.

[llama214]

Ok, you keep putting claim that you live Chicago. Whenever I listen to your radio stations this seems to be hot button issue up there. Perhaps you should flip the station tomorrow on your way to work. People from Chicago don't put claim to towns like Aurora and Naperville, but the opposite seems to be recipricated constantly. And to tell the truth, if I lived in some nice Chicago highrise, I would laugh if someone from Geneva that said that they lived in Chicago. Unless you are visiting Florida and someone asks you where you live, maybe it works then, but even then, I don't think I would won't to put claim to the city. I've known people that lived in the 'burbs' their whole lives, but never once stepped foot in the city. They are not the same. All of those pics you put up are nice, but are not where you live. If that is the case then I'll go back to Indy and take some pics and post them as if I am part of the city. That would be like someone from Champaign saying, yeah we live in Bloomington. It just doesn't work that way. Everything you described, that wasn't in Chicago proper, we have. So please, don't insult my intelligence when my argument was that we have the easier way of life then lets say a Naperville, but have the same stuff. Of course we don't have Chicago, but that wasn't the argument. I would stop while you are ahead with putting claim to the city. Unless you live there, then you honestly can't say that.

[jenrik2714]

llama214
Yes certain parts of Aurora are bad, just like Chicago and Champaign-Urbana,and other big cities, but don't bash the whole town. I live in a good section of Aurora, IL--the DuPage County portion which is served by the Naperville Schools.

I get the best of both worlds--I am close to Naperville and Aurora.
Yes I have walked in Downtown Aurora and GUESS WHAT---I WASN'T EVEN HARRASSED. They are going to keep in safe because of the Casino. I patronize some of the stores in the area, the bridal stores on Broadway, Galena and Downer street, yes they are hispanic owned, but they treat you well and they give you good deals. I also go to the ethnic grocery stores down there and the flea market----it is not scary as people think. Ask me, I will tell you