Why does everyone dislike Greeley (Fort Collins, Loveland: lower-class, real estate market, foreclosure)

[volleyballer]

Hello all. I'm from out of state, and I've traveled through a large part of Colorado. I have to say, I love the state. It is truly beautiful. I especially adore the Ft. Collins/Loveland area. However, I often see posts warning people about Greeley. Why is this? I've seen posts about the high foreclosure rate as well as a large immigrant population.

The last time I was there, there was a certain cow manure smell that lingered through the town, as well as Windsor. Just fertilizing time, or is there a large cow farm nearby? With all of that said, it seems like a nice place. Anyone interested in responding?

Thank you, and have a wonderful day.

[Nadine]

Originally Posted by volleyballer

Hello all. I'm from out of state, and I've traveled through a large part of Colorado. I have to say, I love the state. It is truly beautiful. I especially adore the Ft. Collins/Loveland area. However, I often see posts warning people about Greeley. Why is this? I've seen posts about the high foreclosure rate as well as a large immigrant population.

The last time I was there, there was a certain cow manure smell that lingered through the town, as well as Windsor. Just fertilizing time, or is there a large cow farm nearby? With all of that said, it seems like a nice place. Anyone interested in responding?

Thank you, and have a wonderful day.

Yes some large stockyards. But my grand daughter went to college for 2 yrs there. When we visited I did not smell it in town. Asked her and she said no but of coarse that was not summer and also during the drought when it was dry. The smell of animals to me is not as bad as the smell of smog. But stockyards and dairies can get alittle rank when wet. It really is a cute little town altho more on the plains and I am not a fan of the plains. I am a lover of the mts. Just feel out of place and not happy if too far away.

[jazzlover]

Greeley started out as an agricultural community. It was at the heart of Colorado's sugar beet industry, and sugar beet plants were sprinkled all over that area of northeastern Colorado. A lot of immigrant workers (legal or otherwise) have always been used in that industry--so, from early on, Greeley has always had a substantial Hispanic population. The Greeley area has also been a feedlot and packing plant location for many years. Some of those same immigrant folks work in those industries. Of course, the beet plants are all mostly gone from that area now. I guess we can import our sugar from now on.

In other words, Greeley has always been an agrarian and working class kind of town. As areas in and around Greeley have attracted hi-tech industries, and the area has suburbanized, a lot of those new residents--much as they tout the "rural" lifestyle--don't like the smell of agriculture and rubbing shoulders with those "lower-class" workers. So, they bash the place. As much as anything, it's the clash between the "old" Colorado and the "new" Colorado. Personally, I have always admired Greeley because it was a place that actually produced things like food and fiber, and a place that agriculture was appreciated. By attitude and deed, it seems more and more of today's Coloradans are determined to chase that kind of economic activity and lifestyle out of the state. They want the illusion of open space and agriculture, not the real thing.

And, about the foreclosure rate in Greeley and Weld County--I think it has a lot to do with overbuilding, ridiculous lending practices, and a real estate market that has lost all touch with reality. I think Greeley is just "the canary in the coal mine"--I think there is big trouble ahead in a lot of places.

[patrickmich]

I live in Fort Collins (four years now), and have been to Greeley to shop for cars, etc. From my impressions of Greeley, it is unappealing. It does not
have much charm. There are some nice neighborhoods, yes. But the downtown is plain and unspectacular. The shopping areas are unenticing.
The large Mexican population is probably the single biggest turn off factor
for most people. When people make an ugly face about Greeley, you can
be sure it is the Hispanic population in Greeley which is the reason for it.
The smell of the town comes in a distance second as the reason people
cringe about Greeley. (cow smell). I can often smell it while visiting
Loveland, it lingers over. It is also quite a distance from the
Front range cities. I notice that in the winter the temperatures can
be remarkably colder in the mornings in Greeley than it is in Fort Collins.

[tfox]

The smell largely comes from the huge Monfort meat packing plant, owned by Swift. If the wind blows from the east, the smell can be detected all the way to Fort Collins. Luckily, winds usually blow the smell out to the east, towards Nebraska, but on a bad day the smell can be powerful.

There are also a number of ranches, stockyards, and feedlots around Greeley which you may be smelling, but I think the primary contributor to the smell is Monfort.

[jazzlover]

Next time you eat a steak or a hamburger, remember that it came from one of those "stinky" packing plants, and the steer or heifer spent some time in one of those "stinky" feedlots.

People accuse me of being negative, but I really do get sick of the "holier than thou" stuff posted on these boards by people who probably have never had to get their hands dirty in their life. As to the "large Mexican population" being a big turn off--well, they are here because good ol' Americans won't "lower" themselves to do the kind of work that they will. I am strongly in favor of stopping illegal immigration into this country, but most of the Hispanics I know, legal or not, are hard-working people who work harder than most Americans would dream of. I used to be in the livestock business and I know what hard work it is. I also had to put up with the smell, "up close and personal." We thought it was the smell of money.

By the way, the packing plants and feedlots in Greeley were there long before the "Johnny and Jane come-lately's" showed up and started complaining about it. Personally, I wish there were a lot more feedlots and a lot less subdivision lots in Colorado.

[randalmartin]

Too bad there isn't fewer feed lots and simply grass fed cattle raised on the range. Far more healthy for us and the cattle.

[patrickmich]

"People accuse me of being negative,"

People have also probably accused you of being condescending because
they are looked down on by your for not sharing your view.

If you can't accept my viewpoint, that's your problem.

I don't want to live in Greeley, I think it has too many Hispanics.

I am not alone in my preference and bias. If you don't like it, tough.

[jazzlover]

[quote=patrickmich;746620

I don't want to live in Greeley, I think it has too many Hispanics.

I am not alone in my preference and bias. If you don't like it, tough.[/QUOTE]

You certainly are entitled to your opinion. But you might consider the fact that Colorado has always had a strong Hispanic heritage, the fact that half of the state was part of Mexico until 1848, and that the name of the state itself is Spanish. I am 100% Anglo, but I respect the Hispanic heritage of Colorado. I would suspect that a lot of those Hispanics in Greeley (and in the rest of Colorado) can trace their heritage in Colorado back several generations. Maybe some of the Hispanics in Greeley think that there are too many "condescending" Anglo newbies in Fort Collins, or wherever?

[volleyballer]

Thanks for all of the replies. I knew this would probably be a hot topic. I just wanted to hear opinions about why they thought so many people have a negative view of Greeley. I'm a teacher, and over half of my students are Hispanic, and several of their parents are illegal immigrants. My students are great, and their parents (for the most part) value the American education system. I don't have a problem sharing a neighborhood with any certain heritage, just as long as they are trying to make good choices and trying to make their neighborhood great.

One thing about this area that appeals so much to me is the blue collar workforce. I personally don't care what my car looks like, or what kind of system and rims are on my vehicle. I don't care about designer clothes, purses or anything. I see a lot of this in CA, and I don't want to raise my children in a superficial area like where I currently live. I want my kids to see packing plants, farms, factory buildings and everything that helps them learn that money and commodities do not just appear. Just a dream.