Me and my homies gonna put a beat down on Wal-Mart! (Scranton: crime, home)

[Copanut]

The fight against Wal-Mart continued last night with a grass roots meeting. First one I've attended and found it interesting. Politicians are amazing to say the least. The site was previously in a flood zone, all of a sudden it's not, wonder how that happened? Most areas across the country are fighting to keep Wal-mart out, the McCandless council is bending over backwards to get them here.

Personally, I think it's going to happen, too much money involved to keep them out. My concern is the increased traffic through North Park, it's already getting crazy and will only get worse. Generally 90 tractor trailer trucks unload per week at a typical Wal-Mart.

The next 2 years should be interesting.

[SteelCityRising]

I'm going to keep my personal anti-Walmart sentiments aside here and just look at this strictly from the perspective of quality-of-life deterioration for adjacent residential homeowners.

While some Walmart aficionados on here are undoubtedly going to debate me, the "new" (a couple years old now) Walmart Supercenter near my parents' home in the 'burbs of Scranton has been a burden on their neighborhood---not a boon. Just like McCandless, their township also bent over backwards trying to woo Walmart because they wanted the tax revenues. The increased noise and pollution from the truck traffic has been noticeable in their neighborhood; the police swarmed my parents' home one day when a shoplifter from Walmart holed himself up in their backyard shed; odd characters have been known to walk around their neighborhood now (isolated location, so it's bizarre); and the parking lot lights illuminate the neighborhood because the Walmart sits at a slightly higher elevation. The already traffic-choked four-lane highway in front of their subdivision and in front of the shopping center has only become even more congested.

If McCandless officials can reap tax revenues from this and hold the line on property taxes, ensuring re-election victories, then of course they'll want to alienate one or two neighborhoods for the sake of the rest of the township that is seemingly gung-ho for this.

[Goodjules]

The Walmart in my late mother's town of Deming, NM decimated their once quaint downtown. Many vacant storefronts and check cashing businesses now. Progress?

[UKyank]

Penn and Teller Bull**** S05E02 Walmart PART 1 of 4 - YouTube

And for the record I don't agree with everything said, but neither do I have a knee jerk hatred of the chain & see no problem with Mccandless replacing a defunct shopping plaza with it, nor do I see it attracting hoodlum shoplifters to the area (I'm sure to the fear of some residents, the area will remain lily white).

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by UKyank

Penn and Teller Bull**** S05E02 Walmart PART 1 of 4 - YouTube

And for the record I don't agree with everything said, but neither do I have a knee jerk hatred of the chain & see no problem with Mccandless replacing a defunct shopping plaza with it, nor do I see it attracting hoodlum shoplifters to the area (I'm sure to the fear of some residents, the area will remain lily white).

Obviously, the white factor will be played up by those that are pro-Walmart. I will never shop Walmart, never have, not crazy about their treatment of employees. My main issue will be the increased traffic through North Park. But, like I said, it's a done deal. It may take 2 years for them to break ground, but it will happen.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

I'm not sure how WalMart is considered a race issue. Its a class issue. That is, lower income shoppers across all races tend to shop at Walmart. Go to Walmarts in Collier and Robinson and you will see a majority white population. The more affluent shoppers tend to do their "bargain" shopping at Target. McCandless/Wexford are largely upper middle class, so I find the location of this new WalMart a little odd. It is also within a stone's throw of a Target and down the road from another. Perhaps they brand this as a more upscale Walmart, similar to what you might find in affluent neighborhoods in the Pacific NW? I found those stores to mesh better with their surroundings as opposed to the normal big blue box with enough lighting to illuminate Heinz Field.

As for the store itself, I can't stand them. I don't have any angst towards their shoppers, but I do dislike the general dirty and disorganized atmosphere I always find there (at least at the one in Collier). WalMart also seems to put little/no effort into traffic planning as entering and exiting their parking lots always seems to be either massive gridlock or an accident waiting to happen.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by SlurmsMcKenzie

I'm not sure how WalMart is considered a race issue.

I was just going by half the comments made on the post gazette site last time an article on this walmart ran all eluding to fear of ghetto residents finding their way to Mccandless & crime spiraling as it would be the Walmart closest to the city or something like that.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by UKyank

I was just going by half the comments made on the post gazette site last time an article on this walmart ran all eluding to fear of ghetto residents finding their way to Mccandless & crime spiraling as it would be the Walmart closest to the city or something like that.

Never read those comments. The PG very clearly screens to exclude all but the worst of humanity. It's damaging to your ability to talk to people you meet in the area.

[gg]

Originally Posted by UKyank

I was just going by half the comments made on the post gazette site last time an article on this walmart ran all eluding to fear of ghetto residents finding their way to Mccandless & crime spiraling as it would be the Walmart closest to the city or something like that.

There is a Target and Walmart in the city.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by gg

There is a Target and Walmart in the city.

I didn't say it was a rational argument