Ohio City Safety

[BelieveInCleve]

Originally Posted by olecramm

Hello! I'm from Brazil and I'm going to spend 3 months in U.S (December to March) and I wanted so bad to go to Cleveland. I was checking the city on Google Earth and I didn't see anything wrong with the city (poor houses...), the city seems fine to me.
I recommend you chek out Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo or any big cities in Brazil, and you will see what real poverty is.
So I totally changed my mind about going to Cleveland, I'd like to know why these crimes happen? How often people can die during a rob or assault?
thanks
Sorry my english.

Well yeah, but you cant compare cities in poor countries to cities in the United States. When you compare Cleveland to cities in the United States its in very bad shape. Its the #1 poorest city, The poverty rate is like 33% in Cleveland and there are many abandoned and falling down houses around Cleveland that are not livable at all.

Cleveland is a great city though even with all of those problems that it has. As long as you mind your own business and you are street smart nothing bad should happen to you, but I must warn you that Cleveland is a very violent city and its one of the most dangerous cities in the country, last year it was the 7th most dangerous city and thats out of every city in the US that has over 75,000 people, which is around 400 cities and Cleveland was the 7th worst...that is saying a lot. Enjoy your time here but just be smart and nothing should happen to you.

[saraperez]

Originally Posted by Cle440

You also have to understand that a lot of the people on this board are from the suburbs and are suburban minded (no offense), and they want the complete best for them and their kids. Most wouldnt even consider moving to any areas in the city.

This makes it sound like the "complete best" for a child is to be segregated from any urban aspects or populations in society. That being raised in suburbia is the ideal situation or something that parents should aspire toward.

I guess being from the NW, I have a different social norm. Out here, suburbia is not a desirable attribute--in fact it's funny when people complain about the price of gas and an hour long commute--when it's their choice to live and work so far apart.

If everyone keeps moving further into suburbia eventually we'll have no parks or forests left [an example out here is the ever decreasing Gifford Pinchot]. Eventually it becomes too much and people have to begin to rebuild the inner city areas.

I guess I'm just anti-suburbs. Probably don't fit too well in this forum.
On a side note; I just read an article in the Plain Dealer referencing 13 great schools in Cleveland. Here's the link; http://www.urbancommunityschool.org/...%204-25-08.pdf

[BelieveInCleve]

Yeah, exactly. I think the views must be different here than in the NW though. To me it seems like around here we have a shortage of nice urban areas though. However we do have nice urban areas and then we have places like Ohio City that have improved a lot and turned into very nice urban neighborhoods which is good. I just wish we could do that to all the neighborhoods in Cleveland, but its a challenge.

I dont like the suburbs much either. I grew up in urban areas and I liked it a lot more than the suburbs. For me its nice to go to the suburbs or more rural areas every once in a while just for like a vacation and a change from the noise and urban lifestyle, but I definitely prefer living in urban areas. I would rather live in an urban neighborhood in Cleveland or Lorain than a suburban neighborhood in Westlake of North Ridgeville or someplace any day.

[Clevelandgal]

Welcome Sara- I hear so many great things about Urban Community School. I think I would walk with your a son a few times and see how HE feels. So much of safety is about the signals we send out ourselves regarding fear and confidence. I think once he is comfortable he will be just fine. Of course it is does not hurt to not send signs of great wealth out (but that is more a suburban aspiration, so probably you are fine there ) Maybe he can ride a bike too. Also you can network with other parents so they can keep an eye out too. You can go to ocnw.org and join your block club to get all the news. They can give you some good ideas on which streets are the best for his route and neighbors may even look out for him. I know kids about your sons age walk all over OC from St Ignacious (sp?) and are doing fine. I think you are in for a great expereince. Feel free to PM with any questions I can help with. Now here is the coolest thing ever-free bike camp-maybe you can get in still:

Bi-lingual Youth Bike Adventures at Merrick House


Posted July 2nd, 2008 by merrickhouse in

• 2008 Events

V Campamento de Viajeros Ciclistas C C
Bi-lingual Youth Bike Adventures on the Near West Side
Merrick House has partnered with Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital’s Inury Prevention Center and Safe Kids Greater Cleveland to offer a unique summer camp experience for youth ages 10-13 of the Near West Side of Cleveland.
The CVC summer bike camp is not just about traveling by bike, it’s a way to explore the many educational, recreational and future career opportunities on the Near West Side and beyond in a supportive atmosphere of friends, neighbors and community. Each day of camp will have a theme around which activities, experiences and travel routes will be organized. For example, on Food & Nutrition Day stops will include the West Side Market, community gardens and local restaurants. Other stops will include a recording studio, sports venues, artists’ studios, Steelyard Commons, the Towpath Trail, Edgewater Beach and more! Campers will also participate in a service learning project and have numerous fun group activities at Merrick House, Lincoln Park and Clark Fields. For one day of the camp, participants will use rapid transit to visit University Hospitals of Cleveland to learn about the many careers available in healthcare, science and medicine. Any Tremont business owners, artists or organizations
that would like to get involved and be part of the weekly tour of the neighborhood and share what you do should contact Thomas Cook of Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital at 216-983-1105.

Camp Sessions
1: July 14 - July 18
2: July 21 - July 24
3: July 28 - Aug 01
4: Aug 04 - Aug 11
5: Aug 12 - Aug 15
All CVC bike camps will run for one week, Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM -
4:00PM beginning and ending at Merrick House - Tremont. Departure from
Merrick House will begin promptly at 9:30 AM daily, returning by 3:00 PM. Lunch and snacks will be provided and will be taken off-site on most camp days. All bikes, helmets and locks will be provided as part of an Ohio City Bike Co-op Earn-A-Bike program and partcipants will keep their bike, helmet and lock after the camp at no cost. Helmets are mandatory.
Each camp will be limited to 12 campers ages 10-13.A parent/guardian info meeting will be held on Wednesday,
July 2nd at Merrick House at 7PM - 1050 Starkweather Ave. Parent meetings will
also be held on Wednesdays at 7PM on July 16, July 23 and August 6 for those
registered in weeks 2-5.
To register contact Merrick House at 216-771-5077.
NEW SUMMER CAMP
at Merrick House for
YOUTH AGES 10-13!
Discover your city on
bike this summer!
If you have any questions please contact Thomas Cook, CVC Camp Coordinator at 216-983-1105.