Oak Park - Safe

[bungalowdweller]

Originally Posted by via chicago

Its not worth arguing with the guy. Let him go through life with whatever warped world view he wants. I just pray that he never takes a wrong turn and winds up in a real ghetto. You know, the kinds without Starbucks and Bed Bath and Beyond

I think you're being too hard on NY. As we can see, his name reveals his hometurf. I think that the problem is how one interprets the word ghetto. NYrules understanding of ghetto is different from most people on this board. Remember, folks, NYC is a universe unto itself.

I agree with NY when he defines ghetto as a place which is inhabited by ethnics (immigrants) and appears run-down.

Cicero is a Mexican ghetto. Before the Mexicans were here it was privately referred to as an "ethnic" ghetto by the various immigrant groups here, predominantly Czechs, Slovaks, Lithuanians and Italians.

I do agree with Bru,however. Excepting for the Grant Works section of town, I not afraid to go about my business during the day. I don't feel that I'm going to be shot down while taking out my garbage, but I no longer go out at night as I used to and can no longer walk my dog in town because of the pit bulls and other dogs that often roam the streets unattended.

That being said, I wouldn't walk past my grandmother's old home on Lombard & Madison at night either. I'm sorry to say it, but I agree that O.P. isn't as safe as it's made out to be. If one is retired or young and single or older with college age kids or otherwise retired and childless O.P. is wonderful.

People with children cannot compare the "safety" of urban areas with that of suburbia. They are two different animals. It's a difficult call to make. Safety means different things for children than adults. A member of my homeschool group had her young daughter stolen out of her side yard in the middle of the day in a "good" section of O.P. The child was miraculously recovered without harm but the sense of safety in that neighborhood has been altered forever. People somehow think that if they live in an expensive area, crime doesn't exist for them. As we all know, that's not the case.

[bungalowdweller]

Oh, and for those who want to know about where the gangs are in the burbs, consult this web-site. http://chicagogangs.org/index.php?pr=BURBS_SECTION

As you can see, gangs are EVERYWHERE.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by bungalowdweller

A member of my homeschool group had her young daughter stolen out of her side yard in the middle of the day in a "good" section of O.P. The child was miraculously recovered without harm but the sense of safety in that neighborhood has been altered forever. People somehow think that if they live in an expensive area, crime doesn't exist for them. As we all know, that's not the case.

Are you trying to imply that child abduction rates are higher in Oak Park than in other suburbs? If so, you are incorrect. This could have happened just as easily in Naperville or Downers Grove! What a ridiculous post. I know dozens of people who have kids in Oak Park, and they all talk about how wonderful it is for kids all of the time. Oak Park is a bit of a kid's paradise as far as I'm concerned! And it's a much healthier environment to grow up in intellectually. People who grow up too isolated from society just don't have a good understanding of people different from themselves. Kids who grow up in lilly white suburbs are more screwed up than anyone I've ever met from Oak Park!

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by bungalowdweller

I do agree with Bru,however. Excepting for the Grant Works section of town, I not afraid to go about my business during the day. I don't feel that I'm going to be shot down while taking out my garbage, but I no longer go out at night as I used to and can no longer walk my dog in town because of the pit bulls and other dogs that often roam the streets unattended.

Not to throw this thread off topic again but there's no way in hell you should tolerate this sort of thing. If you see it, call the police immediately. And keep doing it, over and over and over until it stops. If the morons who own these dogs don't know any better due to cultural barriers or issues related upbringing, it's up to people with common sense to teach them. This isn't something I'd even think of letting go. This is how areas become "ghettos."

[bungalowdweller]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Are you trying to imply that child abduction rates are higher in Oak Park than in other suburbs? If so, you are incorrect. This could have happened just as easily in Naperville or Downers Grove! What a ridiculous post. I know dozens of people who have kids in Oak Park, and they all talk about how wonderful it is for kids all of the time. Oak Park is a bit of a kid's paradise as far as I'm concerned! And it's a much healthier environment to grow up in intellectually. People who grow up too isolated from society just don't have a good understanding of people different from themselves. Kids who grow up in lilly white suburbs are more screwed up than anyone I've ever met from Oak Park!

No implication intended, Lookout! I'm just saying that it Happened--so I don't think that it's ridiculous to say that it did. And it was a terrible shock for everyone involved because the people I know Don't expect things like that to happen in O.P. I think O.P. is a great place to raise children---I have many friends there.

[bungalowdweller]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Not to throw this thread off topic again but there's no way in hell you should tolerate this sort of thing. If you see it, call the police immediately. And keep doing it, over and over and over until it stops. If the morons who own these dogs don't know any better due to cultural barriers or issues related upbringing, it's up to people with common sense to teach them. This isn't something I'd even think of letting go. This is how areas become "ghettos."

Don't worry, Bru! They get Regular calls. The police know my family quite well. We've been involved in "Adopt-A-Block" and community policing initiatives for a l-o-n-g time.

[oakparkdude]

Here are the latest crime data for Oak Park for 2007 as well as comparisons with 2006.

News -- Oak Park, Illinois (http://www.oak-park.us/News/Special%20news%20report_2007_crime_index.html - broken link)

Also, OP has a population of a little over 50,000 (2003 census estimate)

[Pebbs78]

Notfromchicago - I'm not sure if you are still reading this tread anymore, but I have lived in Illinois for over 5 years now. I have lived all over - Arlington Heights/Palatine, Bolingbrook, West Loop, and Lakeview. I understand how hard it is to come in from out of state, (originally from South Florida). I lived in the far-flung burbs for 3 years, and in the city for the remainder. I would advise to find what's comfortable for you by exploring both types of neighborhoods.

Like others said before, the main difference between Oak Park and the far-burbs is a matter of your comfort level. Oak Park is a typical Chicago city neighborhood –older homes, smaller lot-lines. The historic element is something that is hard to find in the far-burbs. Yes, you are going to have that 'gritty' element in Oak Park, but no matter where you go in the city of Chicago, that will be there. That 'grittiness' is what I've come to love about this town over the past 5 years, and I would never trade it for a place that resembles perfection.

I lived in the burbs for 3 years, and we had our fair share of problems. We had an attempted burglary, cars were stolen from our parking lot, and signs were 'tagged' along with other domestic gang activity. Honestly, this did not bother me to the point that I wanted to move. For others, this type of activity will scare them into moving elsewhere. Crime can happen everywhere, and it doesn’t stop once you reach the outer areas of the burbs. I've had similar problems in Chicago, too, but somthing I have come to expect from living in one of the largest cities in the nation. Also, Chicago is undergoing gentrification, and many of the folks who cannot afford the city are moving out to the far-suburbs, which are less expensive than most areas in the city. Paying rent in areas such as Wicker Park/Bucktown, (where condos are anywhere from $300-$450k) is not affordable any longer. The city is slowly re-defining itself, and for that reason, the suburbs will have to slowly adjust to those that choose not to stay in the city.

I am currently looking to move out to Elmwood Park from Lakeview. The only reason for my move is to have more space, and it is too expensive here for the square footage I need. The immediate burbs such as Oak Park, River Forrest, and Elmwood Park/Norridge offer that city feel, but without the hefty mortgage payment.