anyone switched sides, (East side, West side)? (Cleveland, Parma: home, best school districts)

[lisa12230]

Is there anyone out there who has gone from the west side to the east side or vice versa??? What is the difference as far as school, diversity, culture ect...

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by lisa12230

Is there anyone out there who has gone from the west side to the east side or vice versa??? What is the difference as far as school, diversity, culture ect...

Oh goodness, where to begin? The eastside is by far much more diverse (though most Hispanics live on the westside). Also, the best school districts on the eastside are far superior to the best on the westside, but the worst school districts on the eastside are also worse than anything on the westside. The eastern suburbs also tend to have higher taxes to fund their schools. The best private, independent schools are also on the eastside, and both sides have a number of good Catholic schools. Culturally speaking, the eastside has more of an east coast/New England feel, while the westside is more midwestern in character.

This is all very generally-speaking, of course, and just one man's opinion.

By the way, I've lived on the eastside (the Heights area) for the duration of my time in Cleveland, but I've been thinking about getting a place in Lakewood. Not sure if there is any other part of the westside in which I could see myself residing.

[Clevelander17]

Forgot to mention, the eastside also gets much more snow...

[marence]

East Side vs. West Side is a long-standing argument.
I personally don't agree with some of the statements made above, but I have been mostly a Westsider, so I'm biased.
I'm a Lakewood resident now, so I don't think I could live anywhere on the East side except for Cleveland Heights!

[1watertiger]

clevelander17, your statement that the eastside is more east coast and the westside is midwest is laughable. where is that line drawn?

[lisa12230]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

Forgot to mention, the eastside also gets much more snow...

, lol...I forgot about that one!!!!

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

Oh goodness, where to begin? The eastside is by far much more diverse (though most Hispanics live on the westside). Also, the best school districts on the eastside are far superior to the best on the westside, but the worst school districts on the eastside are also worse than anything on the westside. The eastern suburbs also tend to have higher taxes to fund their schools. The best private, independent schools are also on the eastside, and both sides have a number of good Catholic schools.

Very good assessment overall. I would also add that while there is both wealth and poverty on both sides of town, on the east side the contrast seems to be much more extreme. And severely impoverished and crime-ridden areas seem to be much more likely to butt up against wealthy enclaves on the east side than on the west.

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

Culturally speaking, the eastside has more of an east coast/New England feel, while the westside is more midwestern in character.

I've often heard that said, but I'm not really sure what it means. Can you give some specific examples of the cultural differences between east and west that would make this statement clearer?

[McPierogiPazza]

I've lived, worked and gone to school on both sides of town and feel at home East and West. I like both!

The East Side is more East Coast in that things move a little faster and people can be more direct/aggressive (depending on your point of view), and parts of the East Side have the mix of arts, culture and population density that I associate with the East Coast. Many areas are more racially integrated than across town, and certainly there is a much bigger Jewish community on the East Side, with only one synagogue on the West Side.

I find the West Side to generally be friendlier and even more polite, and I have noticed many times that people even drive a little more slowly and are less likely to lean on the horn if you don't go through a green light the instant it turns green. That may sound crazy, but I saw it consistently during several years of going back and forth between the two Sides on a daily basis.

I just moved back to CLE after 17 years on the East Coast, and I've been pleased with some of the changes on the West Side such as the growth of Tremont, Detroit Shoreway, etc., where there's some great art and music. Parma Heights now has a number of Indian shops and grocery stores, quite likely because of the Hindu temple in Parma, and Middleburg Hts has a mosque. There's an emphasis on highlighting Ukrainian culture in Parma, especially in the older, more walkable parts of town, which I like, but also I'm seeing quite a few more African Americans here. And it's true that more Latinos live West than East, and I'd add that the Arab community on the West Side seems to have grown a ton, which bakeries and restaurants along W 117, across Lorain to Kamm's Corners and through Lakewood.

I worked in bookstores in Beachwood, Shaker Square, Rocky River and Strongsville some years ago, which was an interesting way to compare and contrast local culture. Beachwood customers bought interesting books but could be demanding and obnoxious, where Strongsville customers were the nicest but sections like art and philosophy got pretty dusty. Rocky River customers were somewhere between the two. Shaker Square won my heart for the mix of people and cultures plus the lovely historical architecture. I have great memories of that store, even with the mix of crazy you find on the Square.

It does bug me that people often speak of the East Side as if it's all Shaker and Beachwood and Cleveland Heights, leaving out everything from Bedford to Euclid, and the West Side as if it's either all Lakewood (which I love) or Parma (where I grew up).

Either way, I wish more people would get to know whichever side of town is the "other" one for them.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by 1watertiger

clevelander17, your statement that the eastside is more east coast and the westside is midwest is laughable. where is that line drawn?

In your basement.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by andrew61

I've often heard that said, but I'm not really sure what it means. Can you give some specific examples of the cultural differences between east and west that would make this statement clearer?

Cultural differences? Maybe not cultural differences so much. But there are a number of eastern suburban communities that really have a New England feel to them.