Is The Time Nearing for a South Central Pennsylvania Sub-Forum? (Lancaster: relocating to, area)

[butterlily1218]

I have just recently started browsing these boards, as I'm planning a move in the next few months, and the first thing I noticed was that there was no sub-forum for South Central PA (I currently live in Hbg). Even though I am planning on leaving the area, I think it would make a great addition here.

[supersoulty]

Originally Posted by CHIP72

Erie/northwest PA is nowhere near as large as the Lehigh Valley, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, or south central PA (Harrisburg/Lancaster/York), so if there were to be only one more subforum, it should be south central PA.

P.S. FWIW, though the CITY of Erie has a much higher population than Harrisburg, Lancaster, or York, the URBANIZED AREAS for Harrisburg and Lancaster have a much higher population than Erie, and York has a somewhat larger population.

I am aware of that. But Erie... regardless of its oddities and drawbacks... is a vastly under-appreciated and under-represented place in general (as my one professor once put it "We'd be better off in Canada". It would be nice to give it at least a little attention. Plus the whole I-79 Corridor is decently well populated.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by vwscottie

So are you the end all/say all of this entire discussion forum? I think NorthWest PA needs to be represented.

No. I never proclaimed that I was any more credible than anyone else for any reason whatsoever. I saw a need in the past for an NEPA sub-forum. Since nobody else petitioned for it, I took it upon myself to do so, and it was granted. I also fought tooth-and-nail for the Lehigh Valley sub-forum, which I'm admittedly disappointed in for how slow it's been to "take off." If someone else wants to make the case for an Erie/Northwestern Pennsylvania sub-forum as well, then they should feel more than welcome to do so. I won't petition for one myself because there are already several people who feel the state forum is too fragmented now the way it is in terms of sub-forums, and it would probably irk them less to have just one more as opposed to two.

Besides, as I said in the past sub-forums are created based upon levels of forum activity. The Northeastern PA sub-forum is by far the busiest sub-forum we have, yet it has perhaps 1/5 the population of the Philadelphia sub-forum's coverage area. The difference is that there is a very high concentration of members in the northeastern part of the state coupled with a very high level of interest from NY/NJ ex-patriates. I can probably count the number of "hot" threads about Erie County on one hand since I joined this forum back in mid-2006. If you think it is worthy of a sub-forum, then try to lure more interest there to justify its creation. Don't you think I have an ulterior motive behind promoting Scranton all the time? Of course I do! I'm hoping that "hyping" it enough will encourage more people to become interested in it, check it out, and potentially invest and/or relocate there to curb its population decline. We don't have many, if any, "Erie Boosters" on our forum, hence the lack of interest.

South Central PA has traditionally been a heavily sought-after area for relocation; I probably should have petitioned for that region before I had petitioned for a Lehigh Valley sub-forum last year. If this sub-forum is created, it should probably be the last one we'll ever need on this state forum until Erie/Northwestern PA picks up in activity (if it ever does).

[Marodi]

Originally Posted by SWB

Yes, Hanover is in York County. I apologize; that was an oversight on my part, but it was certainly an understandable one considering I live roughly 3 hours away.

Meh.. it's litterally right on the county border with McSherrystown portion of it sitting in adams county.

You get one free pass

I agree that franklin and perry should be included. They might not have the highest volume, but for completeness and accuracy they should be included in the sub-forum. A few people in south central also would know a few things about that area (I know coming from gettysburg I have some knowledge of chambersburg/shippensburg area).

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Marodi

Meh.. it's litterally right on the county border with McSherrystown portion of it sitting in adams county.

You get one free pass

I agree that franklin and perry should be included. They might not have the highest volume, but for completeness and accuracy they should be included in the sub-forum. A few people in south central also would know a few things about that area (I know coming from gettysburg I have some knowledge of chambersburg/shippensburg area).

So this is how it stands now with the two counties added in for clarity:

2006 Population Estimates

Adams County: Pop. 101,105
Cumberland County: Pop. 226,117
Dauphin County: Pop. 254,176
Franklin County: Pop. 139,991
Lancaster County: Pop. 494,486
Lebanon County: Pop. 126,883
Perry County: Pop. 45,087
York County: Pop. 416,322
South Central PA: Pop. 1,804,167 (About 14.5% of PA Population)

Population Growth (2000-2006)

Adams County: +9,813 (+10.7%)
Cumberland County: +12,443 (+5.8%)
Dauphin County: +2,378 (+0.9%)
Franklin County: +10,678 (+8.3%)
Lancaster County: +23,828 (+5.1%)
Lebanon County: +6,556 (+5.4%)
Perry County: +1,485 (+3.4%)
York County: +34,571 (+9.1%)
South Central PA: +101,752 (+6.0%)

This is obviously a rapidly-growing area that could use its own sub-forum before long.

[Foodmuse]

Seeing how the capital city is within the confines, I think it is well past time for this.

[rubydi]

yes, i think this new sub-forum would be a great idea. pa forum is massive and if i had this sub-forum a few weeks ago, i'd have been days ahead! thank you

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by rubydi

yes, i think this new sub-forum would be a great idea. pa forum is massive and if i had this sub-forum a few weeks ago, i'd have been days ahead! thank you

Ironically I learned on the forum for your own home state (Washington) that the Administrator generally frowns upon "regional" sub-forums (I suppose this is CITY-Data, after all). With this in mind I don't believe we'll be seeing this sub-forum coming to fruition anytime soon. It would have been a great idea though, seeing as how popular this particular area is.

[nocturnal rooster]

What's the point in having all these subforums? I thought it was time to draw the line after the NEPA forum was added.

Soon there will be nothing left to post in the regular PA forum.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by nocturnal rooster

What's the point in having all these subforums? I thought it was time to draw the line after the NEPA forum was added.

Soon there will be nothing left to post in the regular PA forum.

The general state forums are generally designed for general STATE issues. New York, North Carolina, California, South Carolina, Florida, and a few other states have as many, if not even more, sub-forums as we do, and trust me when I tell you that their regular statewide forums haven't dried up in activity levels. The "point" of having all of these sub-forums is to organize region- and/or city-specific threads into one separate area so those pondering relocating to that particular area don't have to waft through DOZENS OF PAGES on the main state forum. I'm seeing a lot of repetitive types of questions being asked that wouldn't have had to have been if people had the threads laid out in a more user-friendly manner that a sub-forum can provide. You're forgetting that there are PLENTY of areas left in PA that won't be covered in any sub-forums (Williamsport, Erie, State College, Altoona, Johnstown, New Castle, Reading, etc) Not only that, but general questions about the state are still reasonable to be posted here.