[AnnieA]

I have not read all the posts but I did read the ones from Lakeland Yankee and he has a point about some areas.

The transient (?) come south in the winter to escape the cold and go back, a lot of them, when hot weather comes. That is a given and I have talked to some of them that do that. If you are speaking of the Memorial Blvd area, it has gone bad but, I think, is coming back with the Mall church, the government bldgs in the area. The north side of Lakeland, right at the city proper, is one of the oldest sections of Lakeland, and naturally has been in decline for many, many years. Slowly, it will improve.

I was born and raised in this area, more in the winter Haven area but, we did our major shopping in Lakeland back in the 40' and 50's. Lakeland is a nice town and very pretty in a lot of areas. I have seen more depressed and depressing areas here in Florida and in the north. I have traveled extensively the US of A and overseas. I think the observations of Lakeland Yankee are unfair and biased but he is entitled to opinions. May be he should consider moving to an area he would find more suited to his tastes ? May be he should try parts of Tampa or Fort Myers or Fort Pierce..... or the 3rd world country of Miami.

[Lakeland Yankee]

Originally Posted by AnnieA

I have not read all the posts but I did read the ones from Lakeland Yankee and he has a point about some areas.

The transient (?) come south in the winter to escape the cold and go back, a lot of them, when hot weather comes. That is a given and I have talked to some of them that do that. If you are speaking of the Memorial Blvd area, it has gone bad but, I think, is coming back with the Mall church, the government bldgs in the area. The north side of Lakeland, right at the city proper, is one of the oldest sections of Lakeland, and naturally has been in decline for many, many years. Slowly, it will improve.

I was born and raised in this area, more in the winter Haven area but, we did our major shopping in Lakeland back in the 40' and 50's. Lakeland is a nice town and very pretty in a lot of areas. I have seen more depressed and depressing areas here in Florida and in the north. I have traveled extensively the US of A and overseas. I think the observations of Lakeland Yankee are unfair and biased but he is entitled to opinions. May be he should consider moving to an area he would find more suited to his tastes ? May be he should try parts of Tampa or Fort Myers or Fort Pierce..... or the 3rd world country of Miami.

I don't consider snowbirds transients. They bring money to an otherwise economically depressed area. Unemployment Stays at 7.9% | theledger.com | The Ledger | Lakeland, FL . Sure I hate the added traffic but that's life . They are valuable unlike most real transients.

Yes I was talking about the Memorial Blvd (US-92) area. It is improving but still has a long way to go.

When I first moved to Polk County I lived in the north Auburndale area which I really liked. It was just too far to travel for everything. That area in my opinion is the most promising area of Polk County. The Lake Juliana and Lake Tennessee area has got to be one of the most beautiful areas of the county.

I'm just posting what I see on a regular basis. If I lived in South Lakeland I would probably have a more positive view. My whole purpose is to speak the truth and warn others. I'm not in a popularity contest here. Sometimes the truth hurts but it must be told.

I do at times inject some light-hearted humor in some of my posts and it should be clearly obvious where and how it is meant to be taken .......... .

I do plan on leaving the Lakeland area the first chance I get . I agree that it does have some beautiful areas but it's just not right for me. Confederate flags, negative southern pride, drugs, high unemployment, rude people, giant cockroaches, transients and trailer parks just don't do it for me . I like beaches, mountains, high paying jobs, low crime, and friendly people.

[AnnieA]

There is a large Toyota dealership here in LAL. Fantastic Sams has cheap haircuts if you dont mind having a student in training cut it.

[TNRyan23]

Lakeland is okay...

The best thing it has going for it though is its location. Being right between Tampa and Orlando gives its residents a better option of getting those $7-8 dollar an hour customer service jobs...

[AnnieA]

Lakeland Yankee, I do appreciate the humor you injected into your bashing of the area and the people. A well developed sense of humor has carried me through a long life.

I live in the Auburndale area, have all of my life. We live in north Auburndale, it is just in a lower rent district than where you mentioned.

My DH is from PA and he likes this area. It took some getting used to but, he is okay. Of course, he would like to live in one of the coastal cities, on beachfront property. We lived in Vero Beach for several years but our living expenses were double or triple what they are here.

What I meant by transients coming down for the winter was not the "snowbirds". I meant the homeless and the drug addicts. Lakeland and the Polk County area was a very rural area for many many years. It was cattle and citrus. There was a lot of old money involved in that. There was a lot of down on their luck yeoman farmers trying to survive the Great Depression that moved here from Alabama and Georgia because there was work here in the citrus houses and on the cattle ranches. They worked hard and made very good homes and lives for their families. They were midddle class, salt of the earth types. But as their lives improved and their childrens lives, other unskilled elements came into the area to fill those low paying jobs, only they were paid substandard wages and now that the citrus and cattle is pretty well gone, they are still here.

There are problems here but there are problems everywhere, I think. And, yes, Lakeland is still a small southern town, by anyones standards. But we have the Lal Center, the Tigers spring training, an art museum, a well respected private college, a new campus which is part of the University system, several technical schools, a wonderful library, a first class School of the Arts, a hospital with a trauma center and a very fine medical center in Watson Clinic, also I am a member of an active Audobon Club and Sierra Club, and I am friendly with several members of bike riding groups.

Stay here and work to make it better. And, yes, it is hotter than Hades here in the summer time. And, I almost never wear a coat in the winter time even though I have that ole thin, southern blood...

I may be off topic but, I hope I have given some background into Lakeland and the Polk County area.

[Lakeland Yankee]

Originally Posted by AnnieA

Lakeland Yankee, I do appreciate the humor you injected into your bashing of the area and the people. A well developed sense of humor has carried me through a long life. .

I only "bashed" the racist backwards thinking people and the run down white trash and ghetto areas (of which there are plenty).
I'm sorry but I believe God created all people equal and nothing or no one will ever change my view on that.

Originally Posted by AnnieA

What I meant by transients coming down for the winter was not the "snowbirds". I meant the homeless and the drug addicts.

my bad; but there are plenty of homeless here year round.

Originally Posted by AnnieA

Stay here and work to make it better.

Thanks but there's no way that will happen. I like earning a livable wage which won't happen here. If I had to stay though, I would get involved in community programs to help bring change.

Don't you as a native ever get tired of transplants pretending everything is perfect? They want to just sweep problems under the rug and stay in their "McMansions" instead of helping to make an area better. Change will never occur if you ignore the problems at its root . "Let someone else do it" is their motto but who steps up to the plate????I know the locals are working hard to clean up the area but shouldn't the new transplants help also? Positive change is brought on by the negative truth.

Originally Posted by AnnieA

I may be off topic but, I hope I have given some background into Lakeland and the Polk County area.

You have given some great background info on the area and I thank you for it.

[JeepGirl118]

Originally Posted by Lakeland Yankee

I would personally look for a place closer to Tampa as the commute can be pretty bad depending on what time your husband has to be at work.

Lakeland is very "Jerry Springer show" like and the natives aren't very welcoming to people from the north even though there are tons of us here. Most of the natives are still "fighting the civil war" so if you are from the north get used to derogatory comments toward "yankees". I always loved the South until I moved here. The Southerners here are NOT like they are anywhere else in the South (friendly,kind,morals,values,etc). It is also Meth capital of America so property thefts are high all over the city.

South Lakeland and very North Lakeland are the places you want to live if you move here. The downtown area is beautiful and clean and very safe to be in. Overall Lakeland is a beautiful city filled with tons of lakes and wildlife. It seems to be a place people either love or hate.

Just have your husband grow a mullet and change his name to Bubba and you'll be alright. Good Luck.

I feel the very same about Lakeland, as do quite a few of my friends when Lakeland has been brought up in conversation. At first, when we (my ex hubby and I) contemplated a place to settle, it was Lakeland. We bolted out of South Lakeland in 3 hours after looking around and after having dinner. It really is a place you either love or hate. I don't even like having to drive through Lakeland when I must - Polk County, in my opinion, is just a huge thumbs down all around. No park or bike path can give it class and make up for what it lacks.

[markhunt]

Originally Posted by Lakeland Yankee

When I first moved to Polk County I lived in the north Auburndale area which I really liked. It was just too far to travel for everything. That area in my opinion is the most promising area of Polk County. The Lake Juliana and Lake Tennessee area has got to be one of the most beautiful areas of the county.

Originally Posted by AnnieA

I live in the Auburndale area, have all of my life. We live in north Auburndale, it is just in a lower rent district than where you mentioned.

My DH is from PA and he likes this area. It took some getting used to but, he is okay. Of course, he would like to live in one of the coastal cities, on beachfront property. We lived in Vero Beach for several years but our living expenses were double or triple what they are here.

I live in this area, where about did you live? I agree it is a very pretty area with some fantastic homes and communities on Old Berkley Road. However as a parent, the only decent schools right now in the whole town are Berkley Elementary and Berkley Accelerated Middle School. These are charter schools with a huge waiting list. The other schools in comparison are garbage.

Crime has been creeping up this year. In and around HWY 92 as well as South Berkley road. Pretty much most housing south of Denton Rd. on Berkley is a dump in my opinion, and the people for the most part leave a lot to be desired in that particular area. Most of the locals I have encountered that have lived in Auburndale for many years are very friendy and down to earth people.

It's a shame really, like most areas I have found here in Florida that have a lower cost of living; it only takes a matter of time before the undesirables start creeping in.

I myself am going to most likely either move to Seminole County or if I'm lucky enough to land a job in Connecticut, head back home.

I have come to the conclusion that I would rather pay $1600.00\month in rent for an old smaller home in a more desirable area, than pay a $1200.00\month mortgage for a big new home in a "not so desirable", area.

Live and learn in my case.

[Lakeland Yankee]

Originally Posted by markhunt

I live in this area, where about did you live?

I lived off of Old Berkley Road right on Lake Juliana close to Lake Tennessee. I could see the gators in the lake from my kitchen window .

Originally Posted by markhunt

Crime has been creeping up this year. In and around HWY 92 as well as South Berkley road. Pretty much most housing south of Denton Rd. on Berkley is a dump in my opinion, and the people for the most part leave a lot to be desired in that particular area.

I agree the back roads around the Super Walmart area are very run down. North of Denton is where you want to live. I love the Auburndale downtown now that they have the new parking area. The best small town downtown I have ever seen .

Originally Posted by markhunt

I myself am going to most likely either move to Seminole County or if I'm lucky enough to land a job in Connecticut, head back home.

Yeah I'm still kind of debating whether or not to stay in Florida (somewhere else of course) or head back up to PA. I gave up so much in order to move here that it's hard admitting defeat but I think it's time to throw in the towel.

Originally Posted by markhunt

Live and learn in my case.

Me too ............ .

[TNRyan23]

Originally Posted by markhunt

I myself am going to most likely either move to Seminole County or if I'm lucky enough to land a job in Connecticut, head back home.

Seminole County is an armpit, Most people seem happier when they move back up north.

I lived in Seminole County for a year and it's horrible.