[scoronado]

I posted this thread because I didnt feel I could find the answers to some of my questions. Sorry in advance for misspellings...I am typing one handed with baby in the other.

My family and I are going to be moving to the Soo probably by next fall/winter 2009. I am not concerned about employment since my husband works for the Fed Gov, and I am not concerned about finding a teaching job either...I'll wait ten years to get one or work internationally if I have to. I am also not concerned about the harsh winters. I lived in Michigan (outside Detroit) my whole life (until recently...in El Paso), and we lived in Port Huron Michigan for seven years...and yes I do know that Winter starts as early as Oct...and April is the icy rainy month etc...I do have other questions if someone would be willing to answer.

For example I am wondering about the kinds of stores that are available up there. Is there a Walmart, more than one grocerie store, or a mall within the area? Here in El Paso (population 500,000) there is like two walmarts for such a large group of people, not to mention border crossers. There is only a small chain of grocerie stores, and because of the border crossers bringing so much buisness (not to mention lack of grocery store competition (for the population size) you will pay an arm and a leg. You have to expect to be in check out line twenty minutes. There is no such thing as "a quick trip to the store." With three kids that can be a hassle.
How many hospitals are in the area, and are they decent hospitals? Is there a good amount of doctors up there?
As far as education goes, I have three small children and I am wondering if they will get a decent education up there? Is there a decent college up there?
As far as racism is concerned...I have read many posts about how people there are "small minded", but are they racist? I have dealt with small minded people before, and Im not looking to be voted favorite "outsider of the year", or be welcomed with open arms. I just dont put up with racism in any form. The nature of my husbands work tends to create enough social groups for us. We are private people anyways and enjoy solitude. Dont get me wrong, we are friendly and more than willing to invite ya over for a BBQ. We just wont go out of our way to try and impress anyone.

What about TAXES? Can someone give me an example of what they pay annually for taxes on a house/land up there? I have heard that utilities are high up there, but can someone give me an example of a monthly electric bill. Mine down here in the summer (106 degree heat) is around 250.00. How about traffic? Do you get stuck in like a rush hour? (lol..I know but I need to ask). Are there large dangerous wildlife up there? Do you find bears in your trash can or cougers running in the roads? If so, than some suggestions on how to deal with that.
I think that is about all I can think of so far...Im sure I will come up with some more. Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

[beadster]

I lived in Sault Ste Marie for 6 years, moved a little over a year ago. There is only one walmart there, they are in the early stages of planning for a super walmart.. There is one major Grocery Store there "Glens" and a couple other smaller ones. It is open 24 hours, so there is no issues with lines and so on. Shopping is pretty limited in the community. There is a JC Penny and Dunhams and Bath and Body Works. There is a couple malls on the Canadian side.. Taxes are not high in the Soo. Cost of living there is quite low. Its a pretty easy place to live. The local hospital WaR Memorial Hospital is pretty bad, services and customer service are not high on their list. Native Americans have a strong presence there, and a couple casinos in the area. Schools are so so, not very supportive of speical needs kids. The odds of getting a teaching job there are pretty low, you are more likely to get a support role like a Para Pro.

I am Mixed African/German. I did not have any serious problems with racism in the area in my time there. People are pretty open when it comes to that, shouldn't face any major problems or difficulties.

That's all I can think of at this point..

You are welcome to message me, if you have any other questions I can be of help with...

[beadster]

Sorry I missed a couple of your questions... My wife and I rented, a 2 bedroom apartment, and our electricity bill averaged 30 to 40 dollars a month, and often times it was below 30 dollars a month.

Animals are not a problem... They stay in the forests where they belong...
Deer sometimes, always gotta keep an eye out, especially during the evening hours.

Traffic is pretty lame, not really a problem. The way Passageway through town, the I-75 Business Spur/3 mile road and Ashmun downtown. Everything stays at a pretty steady clip. Can get anywhere in the townwithin 10 minutes, even in the so called "rush hour" times.

Lake SUperior State University is there.. I went there for some time. Its a solid college especialliy for nursing and crimminal justice. Has a lot of local events for school age children especially during the summer. There is a community college out in Brimley, that is about 15 to 20 minutes from the soo, maybe a little bit less. There is also a couple colleges on the Canadian side.

Canadians are over the us side pretty often, they come and shop a little bit, and go the university...

There is a pretty decent variety of doctors and specialists, and Marquette the , major city in the up, is only 2 and a half 3 hours away. Usually where you are sent when you have a more specialized doctor issue. The local doctors are better than the local hospital, that's for sure

[suydam]

Originally Posted by scoronado

I posted this thread because I didnt feel I could find the answers to some of my questions. Sorry in advance for misspellings...I am typing one handed with baby in the other.

My family and I are going to be moving to the Soo probably by next fall/winter 2009. I am not concerned about employment since my husband works for the Fed Gov, and I am not concerned about finding a teaching job either...I'll wait ten years to get one or work internationally if I have to. I am also not concerned about the harsh winters. I lived in Michigan (outside Detroit) my whole life (until recently...in El Paso), and we lived in Port Huron Michigan for seven years...and yes I do know that Winter starts as early as Oct...and April is the icy rainy month etc...I do have other questions if someone would be willing to answer.

For example I am wondering about the kinds of stores that are available up there. Is there a Walmart, more than one grocerie store, or a mall within the area? Here in El Paso (population 500,000) there is like two walmarts for such a large group of people, not to mention border crossers. There is only a small chain of grocerie stores, and because of the border crossers bringing so much buisness (not to mention lack of grocery store competition (for the population size) you will pay an arm and a leg. You have to expect to be in check out line twenty minutes. There is no such thing as "a quick trip to the store." With three kids that can be a hassle.
How many hospitals are in the area, and are they decent hospitals? Is there a good amount of doctors up there?
As far as education goes, I have three small children and I am wondering if they will get a decent education up there? Is there a decent college up there?
As far as racism is concerned...I have read many posts about how people there are "small minded", but are they racist? I have dealt with small minded people before, and Im not looking to be voted favorite "outsider of the year", or be welcomed with open arms. I just dont put up with racism in any form. The nature of my husbands work tends to create enough social groups for us. We are private people anyways and enjoy solitude. Dont get me wrong, we are friendly and more than willing to invite ya over for a BBQ. We just wont go out of our way to try and impress anyone.

What about TAXES? Can someone give me an example of what they pay annually for taxes on a house/land up there? I have heard that utilities are high up there, but can someone give me an example of a monthly electric bill. Mine down here in the summer (106 degree heat) is around 250.00. How about traffic? Do you get stuck in like a rush hour? (lol..I know but I need to ask). Are there large dangerous wildlife up there? Do you find bears in your trash can or cougers running in the roads? If so, than some suggestions on how to deal with that.
I think that is about all I can think of so far...Im sure I will come up with some more. Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

There's a single Wal-Mart in The Soo. I don't believe there's a Meijer, which is a shame... Meijer is nicer than Wal-Mart. I'm sure there are local grocery stores that'll work fine.

I'd expect the size of the metro-area will be a shock if you've been living outside of Detroit and El Paso. The entire metro-area of Sault Ste Marie, Michigan is 38,000 give or take a few hundred. It's pretty small, I have to say.

If you enjoy the outdoors (in summer and winter) then you'll like living in the UP. If you don't, you should consider learning to enjoy it. :-)

[MICoastieMom]

Scoronado-

Port Huron? Sault Ste. Marie? Fed gov? Are you a Coastie family? Can I adopt you? My son and DDIL just left for Alaska.

[Bydand]

I graduated from the Soo (let's not discuss how long ago Big hair was in style and all us guys wanted to be stranded with Brook Shields on that island though.) The education I got in that school was on par with anybody else I have met no matter where they were from. Lake State is a good University.

Let's face it no matter where you go there are two things everybody gripes and bashes in their town: The schools and the hospital. It is no different in the Soo, but from my experiences and that of my friends who still live there,. both are very good yet in the Soo.

There is a Wal-Mart, but no real Malls. There is a strip mall type shopping center on the South end of town that is newer. If there is something you cannot find or get in town, a short drive over the bridge will land you in Soo, Canada which is 10 times as big as the American Soo and you should be able to get it over there. There are a couple of grocery stores.

The electric rates are LOW there and always have been. As for winters, the Soo's winters are much harsher than you would have had in Port Huron, or the Detroit area. Still not too awful, but longer and colder with more snow than downstate.

I have lived all over, and the Soo is one of only two towns that I would love to live in again. My wife has a circulation issues in her hands and feet and the long winters are very painful for her and that is the main reason we live down in the Ludington area instead of the Soo right now. She loves the Soo, but just can't live there year-round. The temp difference between there and here is just enough she can make it through a winter without hurting. No big scary animals in the streets (unless you count closing time at the bars ) and I still miss being lulled to sleep with the passing ships horns all night. It was one of the things that took a long time to get used to when I moved away, the nights were just too quiet and I missed the "one long, two short" greetings of the ships as they passed each other. (I still beep that way with my car as I pass friends houses, they know who it is.) The Soo is not fancy, it is not showy, it is not glimmer and glitz in any way shape or form, but the Soo is real people who are real neighbors and a GREAT place to raise a family.

[scoronado]

Thank you guys so much for your replies! All very helpful. And yes we were prior Coasties in the Port Huron area now working for CBP in dusty, dry El Paso. It is pretty here with the mountain, but not somewhere I want to raise my family. I miss the color green, rain and the water up there in general. My husband misses working on the boats too. You are more than welcome to adopt us Coastie mom. Where in Alaska did they get stationed? We had a friend who was stationed there. I have heard the Ludington area is beautiful as well.
Have any of you been across the bridge to Canada? What cities are there besides the Canadian Soo.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by scoronado

Have any of you been across the bridge to Canada? What cities are there besides the Canadian Soo.

Thousands of times. Soo Canada is by far the largest city over across. There are numerous smaller towns, but nothing of size until you reach Sudbury which is about 185 miles east on Highway 17. To the north about 135 miles is Wawa (population about 3700), but it is fairly small and nothing really there except a beautiful drive to get there. Closer to the east is Thessalon also on 17 and it is about 55 miles but that is smaller than Wawa even. Another very nice drive as well.

[Bydand]

Double posting of message.

[suydam]

Originally Posted by scoronado

Thank you guys so much for your replies! All very helpful. And yes we were prior Coasties in the Port Huron area now working for CBP in dusty, dry El Paso. It is pretty here with the mountain, but not somewhere I want to raise my family. I miss the color green, rain and the water up there in general. My husband misses working on the boats too. You are more than welcome to adopt us Coastie mom. Where in Alaska did they get stationed? We had a friend who was stationed there. I have heard the Ludington area is beautiful as well.
Have any of you been across the bridge to Canada? What cities are there besides the Canadian Soo.

Sudbury is worth a trip. Interesting rocky landscape there (they sent moon-walking astronauts there for training).

Since you're coming up from down south, I'd suggest a Lake Superior circle tour. There's breath-taking landscape (Lake Superior Provincial Park and Pukaskwa National Park in Ontario are awesome, along with Tettagouche State Park in Minnesota, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan, and the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Marquette, Michigan), interesting towns (Wawa is cute, Thunder Bay Ontario is pretty big (pop. 109,000 in the northwestern corner of Lake Superior), Duluth is fun (pop 87,000) and there are also smaller towns like Grand Marais (Minnesota), Bayfield (Wisc) and Marquette (MI) that are well worth a stop too. In all, Superior is by far the most impressive of the Great Lakes.