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Old 03-24-2013, 11:51 AM
 
1,235 posts, read 3,679,440 times
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I was having a conversation about this with my husband & I was curious to know what others thought. I remember a year or two ago, it seemed like there were violent crime reports almost daily (a lot of it gang related). The news reports have seemed pretty quiet lately compared to the past. Anyone else noticed this? And no, I'm not trying to compare B'ton & SRQ. I know both will always have areas to stay away from but.....

Is it just me or do you think Bradenton is changing for the better? Or maybe it's just all perception & nothing really has changed? Or maybe the papers made it seem worse than it was? Just curious....

Not wanting this to turn into a bashing thread. Just interested in some mature discussion on the matter (if that's possible here )
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Old 03-24-2013, 01:00 PM
 
17,535 posts, read 39,141,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PixiStix View Post
I was having a conversation about this with my husband & I was curious to know what others thought. I remember a year or two ago, it seemed like there were violent crime reports almost daily (a lot of it gang related). The news reports have seemed pretty quiet lately compared to the past. Anyone else noticed this? And no, I'm not trying to compare B'ton & SRQ. I know both will always have areas to stay away from but.....

Is it just me or do you think Bradenton is changing for the better? Or maybe it's just all perception & nothing really has changed? Or maybe the papers made it seem worse than it was? Just curious....

Not wanting this to turn into a bashing thread. Just interested in some mature discussion on the matter (if that's possible here )
Personally, I LOVE Bradenton, in a lot of ways, more than Sarasota. Yes, it IS changing. The downtown is really revitalizing, the beautiful new RiverWalk, the new Arts Center, the new Manatee Players theater, the vintage hotel (Pink Palace) currently undergoing renovation, the improvements to McKechnie - I could go on and on. People do get a bad perception because of the couple of bad neighborhoods there. Bradenton is absolutely NO WORSE than Sarasota when it comes to crime. It does seem like I'm hearing less about crime there these days. Anyway, it's only bad in a few areas. I personally feel Bradenton has a lot to offer. I prefer the beaches there, and I have always loved the Manatee Riverfront. In fact, tonight we are going to our favorite place, Pier 22, where we go a lot for there utterly fantastic happy hour.

Anyway, I am sure there will be those who disagree, and insist Bradenton is still some awful place based on what they read or a couple bad areas they drove past, but people should really get out and see what it has to offer. There is a great community spirit there, also, something I find kind of lacking in a lot of Sarasota.
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Old 03-24-2013, 01:32 PM
 
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Thanks Gypsy, I will admit, I was one of those who kind of "blew off" Bradenton as having high crime- both from reading the news way too much I guess & a bad experience we had (newly moved here & traveled to the wrong part of town ) Anyhow, I'm not going to throw up crime stat links & all that but with an almost identical population number, Bradenton by the stats appears to have way less crime than Sarasota does. Something I never imagined....

As for those who call it "Bradentucky", that's fine- I grew up in "Kentuckiana" so no worries for me there I'll take beer & football before an opera any day.

Anyway, I think it's time for another trip to the planetarium & a good meal somewhere up there. I'm willing to give Bradenton another chance
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Old 03-24-2013, 01:58 PM
 
17,535 posts, read 39,141,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PixiStix View Post
Thanks Gypsy, I will admit, I was one of those who kind of "blew off" Bradenton as having high crime- both from reading the news way too much I guess & a bad experience we had (newly moved here & traveled to the wrong part of town ) Anyhow, I'm not going to throw up crime stat links & all that but with an almost identical population number, Bradenton by the stats appears to have way less crime than Sarasota does. Something I never imagined....

As for those who call it "Bradentucky", that's fine- I grew up in "Kentuckiana" so no worries for me there I'll take beer & football before an opera any day.

Anyway, I think it's time for another trip to the planetarium & a good meal somewhere up there. I'm willing to give Bradenton another chance
Pixi, go to Pier 22 on the river, it's so beautiful and be sure to walk the new RiverWalk. I am sure you will feel differently when you see how nice it all is. Bradenton is no different than anywhere else, it has it's bad and ugly neighborhoods but it has beautiful areas, same as Sarasota, St. Pete, Tampa or any other number of overall nice cities and towns.

I wanted to mention that while Sarasota really bills itself as an arts destination, and for sure it has a lot; Bradenton is also working to make itself into an arts destination - it already has a working artists village (Village of the Arts) and the new bus station has very colorful artworks on it, plus a lot of other public art. The big difference is that Bradenton is more of a "working people's" type of everyday living art as I call it, rather than the "high falutin'" stuff that Sarasota is known for, LOL. Not a dig at all, just pointing out the difference. I love both, but probably identify more with the lower brow stuff.

I have appreciation for Manatee County in general, they have a no-kill animal shelter that is becoming a model for others everywhere. And Bradenton is known as "The Friendly City" and also a "Tree City" (they REALLY work to save old trees!) and these are the kind of things I identify with.
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Old 03-24-2013, 02:16 PM
 
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Thanks, we will certainly try Pier 22- sounds like our kind of place

This was in the paper today & goes with what you were saying-

Theater is linchpin of Bradenton downtown revival | HeraldTribune.com
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Old 03-24-2013, 03:06 PM
 
Location: North Port
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Don't forget Tarpoon Spring Tiki Bar at end of Riverwalk....nice..usually bands every weekend..beach volleyball.
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Old 03-24-2013, 05:46 PM
 
1,069 posts, read 1,621,838 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PixiStix View Post
I was having a conversation about this with my husband & I was curious to know what others thought. I remember a year or two ago, it seemed like there were violent crime reports almost daily (a lot of it gang related). The news reports have seemed pretty quiet lately compared to the past. Anyone else noticed this? And no, I'm not trying to compare B'ton & SRQ. I know both will always have areas to stay away from but.....

Is it just me or do you think Bradenton is changing for the better? Or maybe it's just all perception & nothing really has changed? Or maybe the papers made it seem worse than it was? Just curious....

Not wanting this to turn into a bashing thread. Just interested in some mature discussion on the matter (if that's possible here )
It will only change for the better if all the gangs, thugs, and drugs are completely eradicated, and that has not happened, yet.
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Old 03-25-2013, 03:48 AM
 
1,235 posts, read 3,679,440 times
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Originally Posted by Latina7 View Post
It will only change for the better if all the gangs, thugs, and drugs are completely eradicated, and that has not happened, yet.
Unfortunately, we all know that no city will ever be completely eradicated of all those things....

My point being, there are many cities with the same exact issues but these cities are still considered "nice" but Bradenton has them (& again, seemingly lower rates than many other FL cities) & people want to slam it as crime ridden.
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Old 03-25-2013, 07:44 AM
 
17,535 posts, read 39,141,385 times
Reputation: 24289
Quote:
Originally Posted by PixiStix View Post
Unfortunately, we all know that no city will ever be completely eradicated of all those things....

My point being, there are many cities with the same exact issues but these cities are still considered "nice" but Bradenton has them (& again, seemingly lower rates than many other FL cities) & people want to slam it as crime ridden.
Believe me, I go there all the time, and NEVER feel unsafe. It's just like Sarasota or anywhere else, you stay out of the 'hood and don't go looking for trouble at 3:00 a.m.

Anyway this nice gallery of downtown Bradenton was in today's Herald Ticket. Very timely for you, Pixi!

Downtown Bradenton Guide | Ticket Sarasota

ETA: ArmyChief mentioned Tarpon Pointe - that is indeed a cool place! Sarasota has nothing like it! That place and Pier 22 kind of "bookend" the RiverWalk.

http://www.tarponpointegrill.com/

http://pier22dining.com/

Bradenton and it's beaches have a lot more cool waterfront places to eat and drink than Sarasota does.
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Old 03-25-2013, 08:02 AM
 
1,235 posts, read 3,679,440 times
Reputation: 976
Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsychic View Post
Believe me, I go there all the time, and NEVER feel unsafe. It's just like Sarasota or anywhere else, you stay out of the 'hood and don't go looking for trouble at 3:00 a.m.

Anyway this nice gallery of downtown Bradenton was in today's Herald Ticket. Very timely for you, Pixi!

Downtown Bradenton Guide | Ticket Sarasota

ETA: ArmyChief mentioned Tarpon Pointe - that is indeed a cool place! Sarasota has nothing like it! That place and Pier 22 kind of "bookend" the RiverWalk.

Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar

Bradenton Restaurant and Catering | Waterfront Dining, Patio Bar, and Event Space | Pier22

Bradenton and it's beaches have a lot more cool waterfront places to eat and drink than Sarasota does.

Yes, forgot to thank Army- It does look like a really fun place! We've been getting bored with our same old places so once season dies down, we'll definitely head up to try those 2 restaurants. And of course, explore around with more of an open mind than I did before. I do now know what areas to avoid, lol.

I've never been to the downtown shops but it looks cute!
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