[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Uconn97

don't really need to get rid of the pictures section, but people need to be honest and post the good and the bad. I rarely see any posts or pictures on here that do that. Depending on ones agenda is how the info is presented - waterbury is a dump so lets post only pictures of the boarded up buildings and ignore the rest - people do sh** like this all the time.

Some people view the glass half-full, others view it as half-empty. It is all a matter of opinion. JMHO, Jay

[kidyankee764]

This board is about opinions. Some posters will post the good, while others will post the bad. And looking at the threads, the same posters don't always post only negatively or only positively. It depends on the thread and what the OP is looking for; it all balances out. I don't think it's about any specific agenda - just perception.

Why is it so bad to post pictures of boarded up buildings, etc? Waterbury does have a lot of these, and it's what any resident would see on a daily basis. I don't think it's "sh**," actually pretty accurate. There are nice sections of any city, but in some cities, rundown sections are more plentiful than the nicer ones. That's just the way it is.

And I think the suggestion to do away with the pictures section is pretty ridiculous. Simply because small towns have a more rustic, picturesque, New England feel than the grittier cities shouldn't make people upset. I hate to say it, but it really just sounds like some people are too easily offended. Message boards such as this aren't for people who can't handle what really is. JMO

[bluecountry]

Originally Posted by JViello

LOL You know how many people pay big money to have access to those covered bridges and "terrifying twisting roads". LOL



That's what I love about New England. It's not a grid with cookie cutter subdivisions with folks organized by their economic standing and endless strip malls.

I guess that's why it's a big country - there's room for everyone to find their spot.

What makes this picture New England?
I think you are overgeneralizing on both accounts.
First...beautiful country roads and one lane bridges...how is that New England?
Maybe the Catskills and Adironacks could be that scene.

Second...ever been to Manchester, CT?
If you have you would know McMansions and strip malls are there.

[bluecountry]

I actually had a couple of questions about Torrington.
I much have liked the Mountains of CT.
I wanted to know

1) Is this area considered rural, suburban, or a mix?
-Is it endanger or undergoing sprawl?

2) Would you consider it more NE or tri state NY...or both?

3) What's the split like sports?
-Is it like FF...NY based...mixed...or Boston based?
-I would assume since it is closer to NYC than Boston...and near FF county and NYC metro counties...the people here would naturally be inclined to root for NY teams overwhlemingly...more if you factor in those who vacation from NY.

[brasscitybluenwhite]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

This board is about opinions. Some posters will post the good, while others will post the bad. And looking at the threads, the same posters don't always post only negatively or only positively. It depends on the thread and what the OP is looking for; it all balances out. I don't think it's about any specific agenda - just perception.

Why is it so bad to post pictures of boarded up buildings, etc? Waterbury does have a lot of these, and it's what any resident would see on a daily basis. I don't think it's "sh**," actually pretty accurate. There are nice sections of any city, but in some cities, rundown sections are more plentiful than the nicer ones. That's just the way it is.

And I think the suggestion to do away with the pictures section is pretty ridiculous. Simply because small towns have a more rustic, picturesque, New England feel than the grittier cities shouldn't make people upset. I hate to say it, but it really just sounds like some people are too easily offended. Message boards such as this aren't for people who can't handle what really is. JMO

Well here's my problem. EVERYTIME I have to go into Hartford, I drive through the same crappy neighborhoods to get to where I have to go. Now me, being from a city, won't complain or do anything stupid like take a picture of every single abandoned house. But if you look at the pictures on hartfords page (citydata.com; search hartford), you would think that these neighborhoods don't exist.

Have you ever been to Waterbury? well obviously not, because the city has 2 major expressways where instead of driving around looking at blight, you could easily navigate around all of the projects and poor neighborhoods. So I don't know how those neighborhoods would affect one's daily commute if they don't live in them.

Where in FFC are u from? tell me this, if ur from FFC, then I'm sure ur familiar with bridgeport. Can u get around BPT without going down east main st? Of course. But should you take pictures of all of the abandoned houses on east main and the rest of BPT? No. how about albany ave or park ave in hartford? no pictures of those up here either. was everyone afraid to drive down those streets?


"I hate to say it, but it really just sounds like some people are too easily offended." Noooo u kno me, i'm jus keepin it real like always...

[CrissCT]

Originally Posted by bluecountry

I actually had a couple of questions about Torrington.
I much have liked the Mountains of CT.
I wanted to know

1) Is this area considered rural, suburban, or a mix?
-Is it endanger or undergoing sprawl?

2) Would you consider it more NE or tri state NY...or both?

3) What's the split like sports?
-Is it like FF...NY based...mixed...or Boston based?
-I would assume since it is closer to NYC than Boston...and near FF county and NYC metro counties...the people here would naturally be inclined to root for NY teams overwhlemingly...more if you factor in those who vacation from NY.

This is just my opinion and I am fairly new to Connecticut, but here is how I would answer your questions:
1.) I would consider Torrington a small city surrounded by rural communities.
2.) I would consider it NE, not tri state
3.) Sports, majority Boston fans (it is just about equally close to both cities and closer to the MA border), but with a fair amount of NY fans too (maybe 70/30 split).

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by bluecountry

What makes this picture New England?
I think you are overgeneralizing on both accounts.
First...beautiful country roads and one lane bridges...how is that New England?
Maybe the Catskills and Adironacks could be that scene.

Second...ever been to Manchester, CT?
If you have you would know McMansions and strip malls are there.

First - "beautiful country roads and one lane bridges" are New England. that also describes other parts of the country as well.

Second - Have you ever been to Manchester, CT? I mean the real Manchester beyond the Buckland Hills shopping district. Obviously you have not since it is not all strip malls and McMansions. Not even close. In fact there are very few if any McMansions in Manchester. Drive out of the Buckland Hills area and you will see what a nice diverse town Manchester is. Jay

[JViello]

Originally Posted by bluecountry

What makes this picture New England?
I think you are overgeneralizing on both accounts.
First...beautiful country roads and one lane bridges...how is that New England?
Maybe the Catskills and Adironacks could be that scene.

Second...ever been to Manchester, CT?
If you have you would know McMansions and strip malls are there.

What the h*ll did I do to have you attack me and my post with both barrels? I'm not understanding what your problem is?

#1 That picture IS New England. And yes upstate NY, PA etc can have similar things, but flat out, New England is unique. It is. Driving over the border from CT, MA, VT into upstate NY you can see things change. I'm not saying it's worse, it's just different. You don't see steel sheds hardly in New England. That's all you see in upstate NY.

There is a difference. If you chose to not see it or believe it, that's up to you. Many people would disagree with you.


#2 I LIVE in Manchester.

My neigborhood contains homes built in the 20's, 30's, 50's, 70's, 80's, 90's and one about 3 years old.

Cookie cutter? Hardly.

#3 Manchester has a retail section. The largest in the state. But it's on one side of the town and hardly representative of the city itself. You can live your life in Manchester and never see the "mall". BUT it's nice to have.

Have you ever been to Main Street Manchester? Have you ever been to the historic neighborhoods like the Cheney District or simply the neighborhoods surrounding Center Street and Middle Turnpike?



What McMansions would you be talking about? The 100 homes over in Dennision Ridge Road? Or perhaps the 50 homes just built behind Shady Glen? A couple hundred homes out of 30,000+ is hardly the norm or indicative of our city as a whole.

Manchester's housing is as diverse as the state. You have Geno Auriemma living in a million dollar home in one of the neighborhoods I mentioned above and you have section 8 housing in another part of town. Everything in between. 40's neighborhoods, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's up to new construction.

If you think Manchester is like a city in NC, SC or GA regarding sudivisions and strip malls you are so far off base it's not even funny.

Originally Posted by JayCT

First - "beautiful country roads and one lane bridges" are New England. that also describes other parts of the country as well.

Second - Have you ever been to Manchester, CT? I mean the real Manchester beyond the Buckland Hills shopping district. Obviously you have not since it is not all strip malls and McMansions. Not even close. In fact there are very few if any McMansions in Manchester. Drive out of the Buckland Hills area and you will see what a nice diverse town Manchester is. Jay

Thanks Jay. I read your post after writing mine. I got fired up too quick. lol I'd rep ya but I have to spread the love some more first.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by brasscitybluenwhite

how about albany ave or park ave in hartford? no pictures of those up here either. was everyone afraid to drive down those streets?

Actually I have them and yes I was walking around with my camera. Being a Wtby boy it was no big deal. lol

I'm on Albany ave quite a bit (mmm, Scott's bakery. lol) and service a large salon just north of DT on Main Street in the "thick of it all". No problems, no issues.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say many folks should drive up Main Street from DT and see just how much is being redeveloped and whatnot. It's starting to look pretty good!

I didn't post the ghetto pictures for two reasons. A. It's not indicative of the metro as a whole and folks can get the wrong idea. B. I'm trying to put some positive energy towards the city that seems to get nothing but negative attention.

That's it really.

[brasscitybluenwhite]

Originally Posted by JViello

Actually I have them and yes I was walking around with my camera. Being a Wtby boy it was no big deal. lol

I'm on Albany ave quite a bit (mmm, Scott's bakery. lol) and service a large salon just north of DT on Main Street in the "thick of it all". No problems, no issues.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say many folks should drive up Main Street from DT and see just how much is being redeveloped and whatnot. It's starting to look pretty good!

I didn't post the ghetto pictures for two reasons. A. It's not indicative of the metro as a whole and folks can get the wrong idea. B. I'm trying to put some positive energy towards the city that seems to get nothing but negative attention.

That's it really.

J, I'm not necessarily speaking about you. Were you the one that put those pictures of waterbury up?