bangor vs portland (Brewer: high crime, home, middle school)

[overleaf]

Hey All,
I was wondering what the main differences are between the two cities are besides the size and weather. I.e. over all culture, political climate, arts, resturants. We are not city people but are trying to decide if Bangor area would have enough for us. My husband can work anywhere and housing cost isnt an issue. Right now we are living in Boston are thinking that Portland, ME may be too much like MA. We love Mount Desert Island but there seems to be not too many young families. Any thoughts? Thanks!

[Maine Writer]

This conversation will you remind you about Bangor.

[Maineah]

Portland is like an outer hub for the Boston area while Bangor is like the hub for North Central Maine and the upper coast. The people and setup of the cities are very different.
Portland has a large homeless population and there are a fairly large number of street people living in the parks and pushing their carts and such around town. Portland seems to be the defacto dumping ground for the non institutionalized mentally ill. Most of these people should be taken better care of though the State in it's wisdom just sees fit to subsidize their street habits and allow them a minimum of care and supervision. Why there are so many living on the streets is anyones guess.
Bangor is far more spread out in area then Portland and has a less congested feel. I'll have to concede to another authority from the Bangor area as my visits to Bangor are quite few and far between.

[Labamba]

Bangor is the ancient center, and modern apotheosis, of the essence of Maine. It is now the remnant of a once almost-major city, replete with the cultural institutions of an almost-city. It has 3 colleges, 2 quite good hospitals and the country's oldest (continuously operating) community symphony. It no longer seriously entertains the notion of becoming a world class city, but serves as a regional service center for northern and eastern Maine. I like it - it's manageable. Oh, and I almost forgot, BANGOR IS THE HOME OF STEPHEN KING!!!!!!!!

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Portland has a large homeless population and there are a fairly large number of street people living in the parks and pushing their carts and such around town. Portland seems to be the defacto dumping ground for the non institutionalized mentally ill. Most of these people should be taken better care of though the State in it's wisdom just sees fit to subsidize their street habits and allow them a minimum of care and supervision. Why there are so many living on the streets is anyones guess.

Why? We all know why. Amy Winehouse knows why.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Fort Lauderdale mermaid

Why? We all know why. Amy Winehouse knows why.

The singer?

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by Maineah

The singer?

Ya, from Britain. The famous song she did last year called "Rehab". She has been in and out of rehab ever since her song became a #1 hit over there and here in the states too.
I was referring to the drug problem in Maine that nobody evers wants to acknowledge. The one that leads to mental illness, homelessness (is that even a word?) as well as increased crime. Not just in Portland, it's everywhere in Maine. Oxy abuse originated in northern Maine. It's now a national problem, it's in every city and town all over America.
Look around people, chances are pretty good that you know someone or have heard of someone with this addiction. It's an horrific illness. The hardest to overcome. People you wouldn't even expect are suffering from it everyday. The horror stories will make you cry. I know that nobody wants a methadone clinic in their town, I understand that too. The truth is we need more than 2 in the state.

I could go on and one about this problem and back it up with facts, but I also know I've hi-jacked this thread and I apologize.

[dmyankee]

I heard Bangor wants a moratorium on MM Clinics and Brewer doesn't want them.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by overleaf

Hey All,
I was wondering what the main differences are between the two cities are besides the size and weather. I.e. over all culture, political climate, arts, resturants. We are not city people but are trying to decide if Bangor area would have enough for us. My husband can work anywhere and housing cost isnt an issue. Right now we are living in Boston are thinking that Portland, ME may be too much like MA. We love Mount Desert Island but there seems to be not too many young families. Any thoughts? Thanks!

What is it about Ma you are trying to avoid?

Portland to me has a lot of the aspects about a big city that I like.......where as bangor does not (I will admitt that I have limited exposure to bangor). But Portland also does not have the draw backs of living in Boston. So....at least for me.....it might help to know what your trying to get away from.

[Submariner]

The past few weekends I have been spending in Portland [Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday], while attending a seminary course. Most of the folks that I have been in this class with are residents of Portland. Previous to this course I truly had no exposure to Portland, besides driving by it on the freeway.

Socializing with these folks between class sessions, I am hearing about an entirely different 'Maine'.

The facilitator's home shares a fence with a middle school, where some of their children attend. They have a child who attends an elementary school which is a block away, a child who attends the high school which is also a block away. So all of their children are able to walk to school [K-12].

There are restaurants within walking distance and they seem to really enjoy being in a community where they can walk to all of these things.

On the other hand, the crime seems high. Our vehicles have been broken into. There seems to be a constant flow of passersby, walking by and looking at our vehicles.

They all complain about the high taxes, the high cost-of-living, high crime and the low household incomes.



You would be hard pressed to draw any comparisons between their 'Maine', and mine.