What's living in Canaryville like? (Chicago: apartments, rent, crime)

[Drover]

Read a Dennis Lehane book, imagine it's set in Canaryville instead of Southie, and you'll get a basic idea of what Canaryville is like.

[canaryvillekid12]

im a young man born & raised in the ville and most of you hit the nail on the head. i cant say enough times that canaryville is the one and only, like no other. the hispanic population is always exaggerated mostly because canaryville always carried a racism reputation that we dont take kindly to minorities. this isnt completely true and the neighborhood is still over 95% white, almost all of these people having some irish blood in them. touching on the racial tension subject, it isnt so much as a racism issue as it is a "locals only" issue. its just that not being white proves that youre not local. people are more then kind to outsiders if they approach it right. you have to understand that this community is tight-knit to the point where any "viller" can name the family who lives every single house within our square mile, so when you throw someone new in, people notice and tend to worry. keeping to yourself is actually a bad idea because theres nothing we hate more than yuppies who move here for cheap property and dont embrace the community. comes off as exploitation. introduce yourself, hit the tavern, attend neighborhood events, etc. and yes there is a sox/cubs rivalry amongst the neighborhood. haha but its all for the craic and ball breakin'. the average income or class cant really be defined because we have doctors/lawyers and we have white trash druggies, but were all connected by our upbringing in the same neighborhood. if your a fan of small town simplicity and love the city as well, then the ville is your spot. very traditional, very tough, very real. if you have any other questions id love to answer.

[Jandur]

Originally Posted by canaryvillekid12

im a young man born & raised in the ville and most of you hit the nail on the head. i cant say enough times that canaryville is the one and only, like no other. the hispanic population is always exaggerated mostly because canaryville always carried a racism reputation that we dont take kindly to minorities. this isnt completely true and the neighborhood is still over 95% white, almost all of these people having some irish blood in them. touching on the racial tension subject, it isnt so much as a racism issue as it is a "locals only" issue. its just that not being white proves that youre not local. people are more then kind to outsiders if they approach it right. you have to understand that this community is tight-knit to the point where any "viller" can name the family who lives every single house within our square mile, so when you throw someone new in, people notice and tend to worry. keeping to yourself is actually a bad idea because theres nothing we hate more than yuppies who move here for cheap property and dont embrace the community. comes off as exploitation. introduce yourself, hit the tavern, attend neighborhood events, etc. and yes there is a sox/cubs rivalry amongst the neighborhood. haha but its all for the craic and ball breakin'. the average income or class cant really be defined because we have doctors/lawyers and we have white trash druggies, but were all connected by our upbringing in the same neighborhood. if your a fan of small town simplicity and love the city as well, then the ville is your spot. very traditional, very tough, very real. if you have any other questions id love to answer.

Thanks for the insight. It's interesting to hear about neighborhoods that are close by but really night and day from what a lot of us experience.

[jwaiter]

I've always been a bit curious as well, my mothers side is from canaryville, dads from back-o-the-yards.

[jonnynonos]

Hey Canaryvilellekid, thanks for the insight. A few questions:

Has the neighborhood seen any yuppies/hipsters, etc., move in at all, as in Bridgeport?

And how is crime? Safer than 10 years ago, about the same, worse?

And what do you see as the future of the neighborhood?

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by canaryvillekid12

im a young man born & raised in the ville and most of you hit the nail on the head. i cant say enough times that canaryville is the one and only, like no other. the hispanic population is always exaggerated mostly because canaryville always carried a racism reputation that we dont take kindly to minorities. this isnt completely true and the neighborhood is still over 95% white, almost all of these people having some irish blood in them. touching on the racial tension subject, it isnt so much as a racism issue as it is a "locals only" issue. its just that not being white proves that youre not local. people are more then kind to outsiders if they approach it right. you have to understand that this community is tight-knit to the point where any "viller" can name the family who lives every single house within our square mile, so when you throw someone new in, people notice and tend to worry. keeping to yourself is actually a bad idea because theres nothing we hate more than yuppies who move here for cheap property and dont embrace the community. comes off as exploitation. introduce yourself, hit the tavern, attend neighborhood events, etc. and yes there is a sox/cubs rivalry amongst the neighborhood. haha but its all for the craic and ball breakin'. the average income or class cant really be defined because we have doctors/lawyers and we have white trash druggies, but were all connected by our upbringing in the same neighborhood. if your a fan of small town simplicity and love the city as well, then the ville is your spot. very traditional, very tough, very real. if you have any other questions id love to answer.

Ok, so as a fellow mick but from the north side I gotta know - what's the scoop on this alleged Bridgeport-Canaryville rivalry? Are you guys really Cubs fans?

Your description sounds like my old block on George St in Lake View, where you knew every last man, woman and child and what they did for a living, and perhaps more importantly, if they'd kick your behind if they caught you cutting through their yard while playing tag or some such thing.

I totally get the local/outsider thing. I know people moving into these kinds of communities don't always understand it, but when you see someone move in and they show no interest in meeting you/any of the neighbors, it obviously leaves a bit of a sour taste in one's mouth.

Then you add on to that the giant fences, the people who don't shovel as they only go in and out of their place through the garage/the back, yeah, there can be some friction there.

[Plzeň]

Originally Posted by canaryvillekid12

the neighborhood is still over 95% white

City-Data disagrees. Looks like it's 75-80% white.

//www.city-data.com/neighborhoo...hicago-IL.html

[jwaiter]

Are there "good" and "not-so-good" (aka "bad") areas to C-ville?

[Josef K.]

I'm also curious what people do for a living there. It looks to be close to a bunch of industrial zones, but I don't know if they're still in business. It's also right next to the stockyards, but that of course closed down ages ago. Is it a city worker neighborhood? I guess the thing that puzzles me is why this particular white ethnic community stayed put when so many others were heading to the burbs.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Josef K.

I'm also curious what people do for a living there.

That's none of your business.