Fort Wayne vs. South Bend? (Elkhart, Mishawaka: middle-class, school, gated)

[HoosierRN]

Komet games are fun to watch, and they have some very loyal fans. Our family goes once or twice a year to the games. The coliseum security and the Allen county sheriff's department has really cracked down on the rude drunks during the games. That has been a major improvement.

As several people have mentioned too, the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo just can't be beat. The new lift just opened this spring, that gives you an overhead look at the zoo.

Jefferson Pointe is a nice area to shop too, along with the Glenbrook Mall. The Dupont area is exploding too, and I expect when Parkview moves their main campus out there in a couple of years, it will continue to do so.

My main complaint with this area, and I would think it would be the same in the SB area is that the wind seems to blow all the time up here!

Best wishes in whatever path you and your family choose.

[ShadowCaver]

lol,, yea, the wind. That incessant wind... blessing in the summer [when it happens], yet seems that no matter how many layers of good stuff, how much hot cocoa or moonshine ya have in ya, during the winter it cuts to the bone.

We attend ~8 games a year - and the boys and I love 'em. Granted, not NHL caliber, but they skate/pass very well, along w/ putting on an exciting game [unless they are in one of their funks]. Going to be interesting this coming year, what w/ new coach, goalie, etc.

The biggest negative to me in this area is the semi-uncontrolled sprawl and the impact thereof upon the local highways and roads. Coliseum is a freaking mess, and just gets much worse between Thanksgiving and Christmas times. Lima [Route 3] heading north out of town is getting likewise terrible, w/ all the businesses and subdivisions out that way. Seems that they open new places of housing/employment, and then afterwards worry and start working on infrastructure improvements.

Yet, overall, good town. [besides the unknown/BS of the new development downtown - jury and total truth is still out somewhat, but,,, based in what I've read/seen/heard, this may be a boondoggle ].

BTW, FtW has the distinction of being first community in the state to have a 311 system, where can call that one number to be connected to any/all gov't agencies - so no potential troubles of digging in phone book for such numbers.

[diggitydot]

Actually, that's very cool to hear about the winds. I grew up in an area with HEAVY winds for a huge part of the year and miss it. A lot. It'll be just like home in the NW! Woo hoo!!!

[domergurl]

That wind is Ronzou!

[Ronzou]

Originally Posted by domergurl

That wind is Ronzou!

*takes a big breath*

*gags*

Yeah sorry about that one... I tried to hold it in.. Just had to let it fly!

[FutureDomer]

Originally Posted by diggitydot

My husband is a 4th year medical student looking into residency programs in both Fort Wayne and South Bend.

I thought your husband was starting residency this year.

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by FutureDomer

I thought your husband was starting residency this year.

Nope. I've never posted that he was beginning his residency this year.

[sritenou]

I am originally from Fort Wayne. Saying FW is conservative is putting it mildly. The Parkview area is in Fort Wayne Community Schools. It is not an acceptable school system overall. Northwest and Southwest Allen County School systems are far superior. There are 3 main private schools that are highly rated as well. If you have an questions, feel free to email me.

[FutureDomer]

Originally Posted by diggitydot

Nope. I've never posted that he was beginning his residency this year.

Really?? I must have mis-interpreted this post from 9/4/06.


http://www.city-data.com/forum/india...outh-bend.html

"My family and I will be relocating to from AZ to South Bend, IN for my husband's residency."

[ldscs]

I don't know anout Ft Wayne at all, but with ND here in South Bend, you are more likely to find some like-minded liberals (though not as many as on either coast. . . ). Public schools vary wildly in SB, though alot of faculty send their children to the academic magnet schools -- Kennedy (k-4), LaSalle (5-8) and all 4 high schools are now specific magnets, Adams (International Baccalaurat (sp?), Riley (technology), Clay (arts) and Washington (medical and health services). Catholic schools siphon alot of middle class kids from public schools, plus there is a Montessori school at Edison Lakes and a private school (Stanley Clark, tuition adds up for 3 kids).

For kids, sports are huge, perhaps because of the influence of ND, but there is also an excellent ballet school (Southhold Dance), a youth symphony, and a number of choices for art classes, including the SB Regional Museum of Art and Studio Arts Center.

It took us a while to adjust to living here, but I've come to appreciate being 15 minutes from anywhere I need to go, with no traffic to speak of. We do live in one of the older neighborhoods in South Bend, so are quite central. Some folks in developments in Granger wind up travelling much further to get their kids to activities etc.