Question about neighborhood safety in Mt. Prospect and also Randhurst Shopping Center/Mall (Arlington Heights: apartment complexes)

[InfoSeeker7]

Hello,

I am considering renting a small house in Mt. Prospect with a 5 year-old child. Can anyone tell me about the area in Mt. Prospect southwest of Rand Rd, off Kensington Rd and N. Main Street? We're looking fairly close to the Randhurst Shopping Center - in the neighborhoods across Rand Rd. from Randhurst Shopping Center. Is that a safe area? I've read about some gang activity just east of the shopping mall. I'm concerned if these neighborhoods are too close to that. We're new to this area and don't know much about it.

Also, is that a nice shopping center and movie theater? Or too close to the gang areas and so not a good idea to wander around with a young child? We don't know anything about it.

Can anyone tell me about the parks in the area too - Meadows, Fairview, Hill Street, Gregory, Busse Parks? Are they family oriented for hanging out in?

Thanks for any help!

[Coyote27]

Hi InfoSeeker,

I live just east of Randhurst in the Camelot subdivision. My opinion, I have never seen a gang presence in this area you specify and would classify Mt. Prospect in general as a great town to raise a family. Randhurst recently received a face-lift that has really drawn a lot of attraction to the area. The approach to the mall is a walk outside type (not quite old orchard). The mall is new, clean feeling, and you should feel safe walking around with your five year old.

Also note, I believe the area you are looking in goes to Lions Park elementary which I hear great things about. For high school, Mt. Prospect in this particular area is divided between Prospect High School and Hersey. You may be closer to Prospect, but still mapped to Hersey. Something to look into, but both schools are ranked high.

Go to the mall and surrounding parks on a weekend and check them out for yourself before moving.

[Lookout Kid]

When you hear about gang activity east of Randhurst, people are just talking about the apartment complexes across from the mall. Those apartments are old and kind of crappy, and they have some lower income residents. The problems don't extend much into the neighboring streets of single-family homes, so just give yourself a small buffer between your house and the apartments and you'll be fine. It's a very low-crime suburb.

[cubssoxfan]

I have friends who live east of the mall and they have been happy in their neighborhood. There are apartments betwen the mall and Wheeling Rd and that is the small area with issue. If you are west of Rte 83 and just south of Kensington, you are A-OK there! Very good schools and decent parks. You're also a decent bike ride or short car trip to BOTH downtown Mt. P or Arlington Heights

[chicagohunter]

Ditto to the other commenters. Mt Prospect is a very nice place to raise a family and any gang members that do exist would be very lightly sprinkled about but certainly not prevalent. As anal as the police are in Mt Prospect about minor traffic violations I highly doubt any semblance of a gang would last very long. As far as the parks, Mt. Prospect has a lot of nice parks. Melas (you can get to it off Central Rd) is a great 'full service' park - great for running/walking and just about any type of outdoor athletic activity - volleyball, soccer, football, baseball, etc. In the winter there is a water retention area with fairly nice size hills that children go sledding on. They also try to keep the running/walking paths plowed in the winter so you can make use of it all year long. Meadows is also a nice park - the others I am not familiar with.