Racism/Canton (Atlanta, Roswell, Marietta: transplants, condo, crime)

[janese]

I'm moving to Canton and I'm concered about racism in the area. I was advised not to move further north than Kennesaw. Will some one give me some input please.

[jennydowd]

I moved to Canton 18 months ago and I have noted an extremely diverse population and have not personally encountered any racism.

Can you elaborate? Why were you advised not to move further north than Kennesaw?

Racism can rear its ugly head anywhere and I guess how people will be received depends on the population within each individual neighborhood/subdivision. I live in River Green (a very social community) and have never even caught a whiff of racism or prejudice.

Maybe when Canton was more rural this might have been the case, but I think now that the sprawl has caused a lot of growth in the Canton area, the population is changing. I work in Dunwoody and I have friends all over the Metro area. The people in Canton are no different than in Marietta, Roswell, etc....we just still get to enjoy the slower, friendlier pace of life....for now.

[mom23]

Hi,
My family and I just visited the River Green last week from New Jersey. My husband has been offered a job in Alpharetta and we are in the process of selling our home. Most realtors are pushing us to the Cumming area but I fell in LOVE with "The River Green"!!!!!! I would move in tomorrow if my house was sold! However, the school system doesn't seem to be very good. I know they are planning on putting up a new school to open in 2008, but what to do for the next two years? I was wondering if you have children and if they go to public school. Also, are there any good pre-schools in the area. I have a daughter who is 6, a son who is 4 and another son who is 1. Please help with any info you have...I really want to buy there!!!!!!!! Also, what section do you live in, we looked everywhere, I just figure whatever is available is what I will but since I loved every home I was in! Maybe we'll be neighbors ;-)

[jennydowd]

Hi Lori!

We're from NJ too! I got your PM, so I will answer you in more detail there, but here's some quick stuff for the benefit of anyone else who might be curious about your questions.

My husband commutes to Alpharetta from River Green and he travels all back country roads to get there so his commute is not bad at all compared to the length of most NJ commutes!

The school situation is tough. I don't have kids yet, but I am well aware of the situation. I think your kids will be fine.

They just broke ground on our on-site pre-school / daycare. Discovery Point.

More via PM.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by mom23

Hi,
My family and I just visited the River Green last week from New Jersey. My husband has been offered a job in Alpharetta and we are in the process of selling our home. Most realtors are pushing us to the Cumming area but I fell in LOVE with "The River Green"!!!!!! I would move in tomorrow if my house was sold! However, the school system doesn't seem to be very good. I know they are planning on putting up a new school to open in 2008, but what to do for the next two years? I was wondering if you have children and if they go to public school. Also, are there any good pre-schools in the area. I have a daughter who is 6, a son who is 4 and another son who is 1. Please help with any info you have...I really want to buy there!!!!!!!! Also, what section do you live in, we looked everywhere, I just figure whatever is available is what I will but since I loved every home I was in! Maybe we'll be neighbors ;-)

Stay out of Cumming!!!
Not that it isn't nice, just think of Rt 46 at Rush Hour if your from North Jersey or the Surekill in Philly if your from S Jersey.

Cumming is suffering from out of control growth with absolutely no road system outside of Rt20 and constant construction GA 400. Thank God I live North of Dacula and away from it.

We have a saying here about Cumming.
Welcome to Cumming, enjoy! You finally made it, now your not going anywhere

Originally Posted by mom23

Hi,
My family and I just visited the River Green last week from New Jersey. My husband has been offered a job in Alpharetta and we are in the process of selling our home. Most realtors are pushing us to the Cumming area but I fell in LOVE with "The River Green"!!!!!! I would move in tomorrow if my house was sold! However, the school system doesn't seem to be very good. I know they are planning on putting up a new school to open in 2008, but what to do for the next two years? I was wondering if you have children and if they go to public school. Also, are there any good pre-schools in the area. I have a daughter who is 6, a son who is 4 and another son who is 1. Please help with any info you have...I really want to buy there!!!!!!!! Also, what section do you live in, we looked everywhere, I just figure whatever is available is what I will but since I loved every home I was in! Maybe we'll be neighbors ;-)

As for schools, Dacula and Mill Creek are good also. They are located in NE Gwinnett County off I-85. Hamilton Mill is a great community.
I work in Duluth, bordering Alpharetta. Average commute time is 35 minutes in the AM due to I-85 and many other side roads.
Another plus for the area is the Mall of Georgia being very close by.

OK Ladies. What part of Jersey???
I lived in Mount Laurel / Marlton for 10 years. My wife is from N. Caldwell and Hillsborough.

I truly miss the Garden State!! If it wasn't for the darn taxes I would have never left.

One thing you will never find in the south is good Pizza, good Cheesesteaks, and Italian food!!! Good Italian food in Georgia??? Fuuurgetaboutit!!

[ready2move]

That's basically what our realtor told us.... not to stay away, but that the city makes no sense Looks like there are some very nice homes there though.....

[mcsmond]

Hey Janese, hope I can answer a few questions for you - I've been a resident of River Green for over 2 years, and I will say it's a fantastic place to raise children.

First and foremost, like some of the others who have posted, the racial stigma of the area is certainly not what it used to be, and the area is extremely diverse, and I have never witnessed a single act of racism in the area, not to say it doesn't exist, because frankly it probably exists everwhere in the country in some form or fashion. Most of my neighbors are transplants, folks from Michigan, NJ, FL, WA, all over the country, and the majority of River Green homeowners have children, it's a very child centric environment.

There is a full time activity director here, a lot of stuff for the kids, the pool is a lot of fun in the summer, a great park in the middle of the neighborhood (where a lot of the 'old' guys get together to play organized leagues of football, softball, you name it - so your husband would probably love it as well.

The school situation right now is a bit of a challenge, but the new school has broken ground and will be open for the 2008 school season. Just as a side note, it is literally connected to the neighborhood - it resides in a piece of property at the 2nd entrance to the neighborhood (if you go out that entrance you'll see the structure in process). Given that River Green will be the primary feeder for students (and actually many of the parents are shcool teachers that will teach there) it should be a very strong school. It's a very active parent community and many of us fought a lot of hard/long hours to make this school happen. If you have questions about the school, you can contact Russ Sims who is our primary contact with the Cherokee County School District.

I have my 5 year old in private school right now - there are some very very good private schools in the area, and when the new school is built, we'll have them attend that.

Traffic can be a bit of a challenge, but it is everywhere in Atlanta, they haven't quite grasped the concept of urban planning in the area yet - but they'll get it.

I would urge you to visit River Green, go hang out in Central Park, walk the streets, and you will be blown away by how friendly everyone is - it's hands down the best family environment you can find.

Hope this helps!

[GPfromMIA]

Hi! My hubby & I are from FL and will be moving to Canton in March. We purshased a home in Forest Creek. Everyone we have met there have been very nice. We are Cuban so we had some concerns. But so far everyone has been great. Good luck!

[atlantagreg30127]

Racial relations are blown out of perspective based on news reports. Canton is a typical Atlanta suburb now - it's not the cowtown it was years ago. Lots of traffic, lots of shopping center construction, and lots of different people and relocated folks moving into the area, just like many if not most of the Atlanta area. You have to move much further out than that before you commonly see racist type things, or hear about them at all.

Yes, there are exceptions. I live in the Powder Springs area, and on the news this week was a story about a black woman who got a nasty letter from apparently one (or more) of her neighbors telling her to "get out", and it used a few choice words not repeatable in here. However, shown in one report, she's a single mother of NINE kids, living in a small house, and a couple of the kids have already got police records. So, while no one had any business sending her that kind of a letter with those names being called in it, it wasn't like she is a typcial middle class black couple who's being a victim of a racially motivated assault, either. Sounds like her kids are causing trouble, and in a somewhat redneck manner (and language), some locals are letting her know they don't like that. There are plenty of black couples living in the area who experience no problems.

Same in Canton. I have a coworker who lives in the area, and I know they don't hesitate to call cops on trashy people who disrupt the neighborhood where he lives. But that would be black, white, or whoever - disrespectful people are treated as such. If you're just regular folks who move in, keep your yard up, don't party loud at night, and don't have kids who cause trouble, I don't think you have any problems in that area regardless of your color, age, religion, etc.

[staylor21]

Atlantagregg

Is the race relations blown out of porportions on the news like crime is in Atlanta?

Well, according to what you say if a single mother of nine get threatening racists letters I would think that racism is not blown out of porportions. Just because the locals don't send racists letters to middle class black families whose children don't commit crime doesn't mean the locals don't think any better of them. Here's a hint Greg. They're just bitting their tongues.

And let me be very clear here, I am NOT classifying white people as racists. Only replying to the facts you presented in your post. There are any number of sensible ways people could have communicated to the woman their displeasure with her kids. There are even more ways to have worked with authorities and the community if her children were causing problems. Although you say that "while no one had any business sending her that kind of a letter" BUT "it wasn't like she is a typcial middle class black couple who's being a victim of a racially motivated assault...Sounds like her kids are causing trouble, and...some locals are letting her know they don't like that." you all but condone this behavior. As a matter of fact your tone insinuate that it's OK to racially harrass anyone who is not a "middle class black couple".

Well, Greg, those folks have a right to their opinions but the way they have expressed it makes them a... guess what? Terrorist. Yes, that defines the fine folks who sent that woman those letters.

GO BEARS!!!