Why would anyone live in Colorado Springs? (Denver, Parker: transplants, insurance)

[mabel16]

This is the worst place I've ever lived in. The weather sucks: snow, rain, wind, 2 hours of sun, then rain, wind, snow, blizzard!

Most people are followers: Focus on the Family, Non-denominational churches.

Strip-mall heaven: every corner has a money loan store, cigarrette store, some fast-food joint, cash your paycheck, pawn shop, insurance.

Too conservative...most people who aren't conservative stay hidden in there homes.

Stay away.

[Jonna]

Awww an unhappy Californian transplant. Most people who move from Cali to Colorado have posted on the board and love it there.

You moved to Colorado, guess what it snows there! This came as a surprise to you?

I only have driven through the springs, never lived there. Parts of it are beautiful, but I wouldnt choose to live there.

[jerrygoldsmith]

I'm sorry that you don't like it, how long have you lived here?

Originally Posted by mabel16

This is the worst place I've ever lived in. The weather sucks: snow, rain, wind, 2 hours of sun, then rain, wind, snow, blizzard!

The past month has been a bit rainy, but I've lived here almost 8 months and I've seen more sunshine than I usually see in 2 years compared to where I lived before (Illinois and Kentucky)

Most people are followers: Focus on the Family, Non-denominational churches.

Church going people are everywhere, but I've not found it to be much of a problem. Maybe its the neighborhood you are in? Some tend to be more clique-ish than others. I've not found many churches I like, but nor have I found many of the "beat-you-over-the-head" bible-bangers.

Strip-mall heaven: every corner has a money loan store, cigarrette store, some fast-food joint, cash your paycheck, pawn shop, insurance.

Yeah...... I can't disagree there. Whats up with all the stripmalls and pawnshops? I used to raid pawnshops and thriftstores for stuff and resell it online, but here I've found very little worth buying.

Too conservative...most people who aren't conservative stay hidden in there homes.

Once again I wonder how long you've lived here. I've met so many non-conservatives, liberals, libertarians, etc etc its hilarious to me when compared to the reputation of CS I usually hear about.

The conservatives I've met don't bother me. Why should they? They aren't the FOX-news cliche's that if you don't agree with them you will surely burn in hell. In fact, most people I've met here are pretty easy-going (aside from a couple of the Texas and Los Angeles transplants)

I encourage you to search around more, you'll find this town is NOT overwhelmed with just a few types of people. Some areas tend to clique together but thats not unusual in a city of this size and expanse.

Best of luck to you, hope you start to enjoy yourself more. Otherwise, I wish you the best wherever you go.

[CosmicWizard]

Why would anyone live in Colorado Springs

Because it's there!

[CTownNative]

Originally Posted by mabel16

This is the worst place I've ever lived in. The weather sucks: snow, rain, wind, 2 hours of sun, then rain, wind, snow, blizzard!

Most people are followers: Focus on the Family, Non-denominational churches.

Strip-mall heaven: every corner has a money loan store, cigarrette store, some fast-food joint, cash your paycheck, pawn shop, insurance.

Too conservative...most people who aren't conservative stay hidden in there homes.

Stay away.

I agree with you this is the worst place I've lived too.And it always rains here too,and I know what your saying about the 2 hours of sun.

[Jonna]

Just from what I read here, doesn't seem like one of the most popular areas in Colorado. At any rate, like I said it's pretty when you drive through it.

[Newintha719]

Originally Posted by mabel16

This is the worst place I've ever lived in. The weather sucks: snow, rain, wind, 2 hours of sun, then rain, wind, snow, blizzard!

Most people are followers: Focus on the Family, Non-denominational churches.

Strip-mall heaven: every corner has a money loan store, cigarrette store, some fast-food joint, cash your paycheck, pawn shop, insurance.

Too conservative...most people who aren't conservative stay hidden in there homes.

Stay away.

This is bs, it kills me how cali people come out here and complain even though half the people in the new ereas are from cali so your complainin about your own people! Also all thease thing you complain about are worse in cali (except the weather) Cali does have more liberal people, you know what else they have more consevative people too! they have more white people, black people, hispanic people, gay people, straight people want to know why? Get ready here it comes... cus they have more PEOPLE! Im sure you live on the north side of town, which is alot less diverse, and more conservative then south side of town so how about you move to another nieborhood, or leave the state, see that promblem solved

[proudmommy]

Originally Posted by mabel16

This is the worst place I've ever lived in. The weather sucks: snow, rain, wind, 2 hours of sun, then rain, wind, snow, blizzard!

Most people are followers: Focus on the Family, Non-denominational churches.

Strip-mall heaven: every corner has a money loan store, cigarrette store, some fast-food joint, cash your paycheck, pawn shop, insurance.

Too conservative...most people who aren't conservative stay hidden in there homes.

Stay away.

I agree with you, and I am guessing you live somewhere in the mid or south part of the Springs. I really do not see why so many people think CS is such a haven. However, if you stay north of Woodman, the city actually gets much nicer. But certainly, CS is due for some major renovation. It seems to have gotten really run down and gritty in a lot of areas. The malls are very mediocre, especially when compared to the Park Meadows mall up in Denver. I think the suburbs up and around Denver (not so much in the city of Denver) are much nicer and have a lot more amenities, especially if you have children. Much nicer parks, playgrounds, restaurants, rec. centers etc. I live up in Monument and find that I would much rather travel up to Parker or Castle Rock for a lot of these things than go down into the Springs.

[jwo311]

Originally Posted by proudmommy

...However, if you stay north of Woodman, the city actually gets much nicer. But certainly, CS is due for some major renovation. It seems to have gotten really run down and gritty in a lot of areas. The malls are very mediocre, especially when compared to the Park Meadows mall up in Denver. I think the suburbs up and around Denver (not so much in the city of Denver) are much nicer and have a lot more amenities, especially if you have children. Much nicer parks, playgrounds, restaurants, rec. centers etc.

The problem with the city is that it is in that transition phase right now. It doesn't know if it wants to be a big city or a small city. This creates the sprawling mess that it is. This city blew up in the 70's and created a lot of single use/ short lifed strip malls and Wal-Marts all over the place. To say that North of Woodmen is where you need to go is ludacris. I don't go up there unless it is necessary for a work meeting. The traffic with all of the cookie cutter neighborhoods with their back fences along the roads is enough to make me sick. How can you stand to drive down these depressing roads? No one would dare actually walk along Woodmen, Academy, etc. It makes me laugh when I see the sidewalks they add thinking a suburbanite might actually use it. I give the "nicer" areas up north of Woodmen fifteen years before they become the exurbs that you currently see along Academy.
The city needs to start building up instead of out.
The "nicer" areas in my opinion are those just north of downtown, Old Colorado City and Manitou. These are the places where people should want to live. A sense of place is what we all need. Colorado Springs has a tremendous amount of potential. Enjoy the mountains, sit back and watch and soon people will start to smarten up and redevelop the areas in the city.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by proudmommy

I agree with you, and I am guessing you live somewhere in the mid or south part of the Springs. I really do not see why so many people think CS is such a haven. However, if you stay north of Woodman, the city actually gets much nicer. But certainly, CS is due for some major renovation. It seems to have gotten really run down and gritty in a lot of areas. The malls are very mediocre, especially when compared to the Park Meadows mall up in Denver. I think the suburbs up and around Denver (not so much in the city of Denver) are much nicer and have a lot more amenities, especially if you have children. Much nicer parks, playgrounds, restaurants, rec. centers etc. I live up in Monument and find that I would much rather travel up to Parker or Castle Rock for a lot of these things than go down into the Springs.

Gee Whiz. Of course there will always be a better comparison. Yes there are newer and more planned out infrastructures north of Woodmen. That's the way towns and cities are normally laid out. I agree with your assertions that COS need work in some areas. I think there is pressure on inner city communities of COS to work this. Powers and (the future) Marksheffel retail corridors will provide stiff competition.

Personally I think urban areas are moving to a more pedestrian friendly, no long range driving culture. We may see flats and gentrification in central Springs. That will help with the retail in central Springs.

But your post does send a message to COS: Pick it up or people will move (their dollars) out.