Illinois is lacking a second city (Chicago, Rockford: school, living, restaurants)

[k3worker]

Anyone who has spent any reasonable length of time in central or southern Illinois will probably quickly realize that although St. Louis may be in Missouri, it is the de facto second major city for a good part of Illinois. While living in several different central Illinois metro areas, it was evident that people were frequently more likely to identify and affiliate themselves with St. Louis than they were with Chicago. This was reflected in the teams they were fans of and where they would go when they wanted to visit a nearby major city. This of course becomes more evident as one heads south. To people in southern Illinois, Chicago may be in the same state, but it's really just another distant city no closer than Kansas City, Cincinnati, Nashville, or Memphis.

Jons99, your comment is rich coming from a Kankakee supporter. Peoria is hardly perfect and certainly has its rough edges, but I'll take what it has to offer in terms of shopping, entertainment, dining, and culture over the complete lack thereof here in Kankakee. Peoria isn't thought of as progressive by any means, but at least some vision actually exists there and some progress has been made in revitalizing downtown and other portion of its urban core. That's far more than can be said for Kankakee, where a Jimmy Johns and a handful of banks in the downtown area are considered the hallmark of a vibrant urban space.

[Swampmonster]

Originally Posted by k3worker

Anyone who has spent any reasonable length of time in central or southern Illinois will probably quickly realize that although St. Louis may be in Missouri, it is the de facto second major city for a good part of Illinois. While living in several different central Illinois metro areas, it was evident that people were frequently more likely to identify and affiliate themselves with St. Louis than they were with Chicago. This was reflected in the teams they were fans of and where they would go when they wanted to visit a nearby major city. This of course becomes more evident as one heads south. To people in southern Illinois, Chicago may be in the same state, but it's really just another distant city no closer than Kansas City, Cincinnati, Nashville, or Memphis.

Jons99, your comment is rich coming from a Kankakee supporter. Peoria is hardly perfect and certainly has its rough edges, but I'll take what it has to offer in terms of shopping, entertainment, dining, and culture over the complete lack thereof here in Kankakee. Peoria isn't thought of as progressive by any means, but at least some vision actually exists there and some progress has been made in revitalizing downtown and other portion of its urban core. That's far more than can be said for Kankakee, where a Jimmy Johns and a handful of banks in the downtown area are considered the hallmark of a vibrant urban space.

This is VERY true.....If we need MAJOR medical attention in this area then it's straight to St.Louis,Paducah,Ky or Evansville,In.The same if you REALLY want to shop or entertainment.We have nothing in common with Chicago what so ever and as you put it so well,it might as well be Memphis.No slight to Chicago in the least, but it is as irrelevent to us as we are to it.

[Jons99]

Originally Posted by k3worker

Jons99, your comment is rich coming from a Kankakee supporter. Peoria is hardly perfect and certainly has its rough edges, but I'll take what it has to offer in terms of shopping, entertainment, dining, and culture over the complete lack thereof here in Kankakee. Peoria isn't thought of as progressive by any means, but at least some vision actually exists there and some progress has been made in revitalizing downtown and other portion of its urban core. That's far more than can be said for Kankakee, where a Jimmy Johns and a handful of banks in the downtown area are considered the hallmark of a vibrant urban space.

I don't recall anyone trying to compare the culture of Kankakee to that of Chicago, much less compare an area of 100K to an area of 500K...
And I will disagree, for an area of its size, the Kankakee area has done a nice job of turning itself around as it becomes more and more of a bedroom community for the south suburbs.

[linicx]

If we need MAJOR medical attention in this area then it's straight to St.Louis, Paducah,Ky or Evansville,In.

Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis is the only top 25 ranked midwestern hospital in America.

[Swampmonster]

Originally Posted by linicx

If we need MAJOR medical attention in this area then it's straight to St.Louis, Paducah,Ky or Evansville,In.

Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis is the only top 25 ranked midwestern hospital in America.

They saved my Dad's life there

[k3worker]

Originally Posted by Jons99

I don't recall anyone trying to compare the culture of Kankakee to that of Chicago, much less compare an area of 100K to an area of 500K...
And I will disagree, for an area of its size, the Kankakee area has done a nice job of turning itself around as it becomes more and more of a bedroom community for the south suburbs.

You decided to cast aspersions on another city while promoting a city that is clearly not highly thought of highly by many here, nor in various quality of life surveys. Whether you like it or not, you're making an implicit comparison.

Being a bedroom community is about all we can hope for as our economic development efforts have clearly been a failure as reflected by our 10.5% unemployment rate. Contrast that with an unemployment rate around 6% in the Tri-County area around Peoria and a state average of 7.4%. We're already a laughing stock, but we become even more so when we put down other places.

[Jons99]

Their January 6.4% will increase as the Cat layoffs take effect this spring...

And nowhere did I say Kankakee is better than Peoria, just think Kankakee County is better than people here claim and that Peoria is not nearly as attractive as one poster thinks it is.. Not sure whats so confusing.

[linicx]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Goode's in Kankakee regularly advertises on Peoria stations. Otherwise I would't know what beautiful furniture is in that store..

Kankakee had a population of 27k and nearly 11,000 households. . The poulation is 50% white, 39% persons of color, 9.0% Latinos and the balance made up of assorted others.

The Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately 90 mi (144 km) long, in northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the United States. At one time the river drained one of the largest wetlands in North America and furnished a significant portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Significantly altered from its original channel, it flows through a primarily rural farming region of reclaimed cropland south of Lake Michigan.

Kankakee is a principal city of the Kankakee–Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Kankakee County. The county is also part of the larger Chicago–Naperville–Michigan City, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area. Library service is provided by the Kankakee Public Library.

Several notable figures from KanKakee include sports figures, actor Fred McMurray and a porn star -- that's what wikipedia says. The city lists two Frank Lloyd Wright homes and a milk barn among other points of interest. The city has 28 parks, marina, railroad museum, and a diverse religious community. Above the dam is 9 miles of pleasure boating and canoeing below the dam.
Kankakee offers 10 golf courses, hiking, fishing, city buses, Amtrak and GreyHound buse sevice plus YMCA, Olivet Nazareen University, community college and auto-recycler, Riverview Historic downtown, an Alderman named "Bubba", a Kankakee Wiki, a newspaper and Comcast cable.

It's a little hard to compare what little I could learn about the city to a metroplitan area 5 times larger that offers symphony, performing arts, botaniical garden, 60+ parks, two marinas, sports stadium, two semi-pro sports teams, large library system, city cabs and buses, four bowling alleys and some other stuff, a beautiful river front with restaurants, museums, art galleries, etc.. Across the river there's a Frank Lloyd Wright home, one of the largest night time Xmas parades and displays in America and Par A Dice.

CAT laying off workers during a downturn in the economy doesn't mean a thing. It's temporary. Those employees will be called back first.

[Jons99]

I have lived in Kankakee County all of my life, no idea what Goodes is, I think you are confused, can't think of any Kankakee business that would advertise 2 hours away.

Everything you mentioned that Peoria has, we have within about an hour, but MUCH, MUCH better of eveything...

[Jons99]

So of the things she mentioned, what does Peoria have thats better than Chicago???