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I'm sure it has to be a bit of both, but my perception has gone down in the 20 years I've lived here to the point where I can't stand living here anymore. I think my attitude has been soured by the negative news, results of polls, and jokes about Cleveland.
On News 5 today, they announced that a TripAdvisor.com survey of more than 3,400 respondents said Cleveland is boring. Channel 5 polled Clevelanders and 67% agreed.
Forbes announced the least family friendly cities in the U.S. Cleveland is #5.
Cuyahoga County is the 4th worst county for carbon monoxide pollution.
Cleveland was the poorest city in the U.S. (Now I think we've "improved" to #2.)
Forbes ranks us 3rd worst in US for Jobs (May, 2009)
Forbes ranked us #8 in Most Overpriced Cities. (Someone at Forbes really hates us.)
We're at the top of the "Least Graduates per School District" list.
The U.S. Census Bureau announced that Cleveland lost nearly 10 percent of its population this decade, the fastest rate of decline of any major American city (except New Orleans).
Author Peter Greenberg went on the today show and listed Cleveland as one of his worst places in his book, "Don't Go There: The Travel Detective's Essential Guide to the Must-Miss Places of the World."
I won't even go into the corrupt government, lack of foresight, anti-regionalism arguing, failing schools. Every day, there's another reason to hate Cleveland, to feel depressed that it's never going to change. Honestly, the city was "turning around" when I came here in 1985 and it's been waiting for that turnaround ever since.
Are there others who didn't grow up here who believe we can recover?
Is there any REAL hope of change? I'd love to hear everyone's opinion.
as a whole i love northeastern ohio... what city doesnt have its downsides. like the old saying in the early 70's , "cleveland, you've got to be tough"... lead me to utopia and i will follow you. ps- @uck those stupid polls. who writes them? who did they poll? its like charles barkly trashing our city on tv during the playoffs... but sir charles never tells you he got his butt kicked in the flats a couple yrs ago. think thats why he hates cleveland.. ? gotta go, i think a new survey about cleveland is on the manipulated news.
as a whole i love northeastern ohio... what city doesnt have its downsides. like the old saying in the early 70's , "cleveland, you've got to be tough"... lead me to utopia and i will follow you. ps- @uck those stupid polls. who writes them? who did they poll? its like charles barkly trashing our city on tv during the playoffs... but sir charles never tells you he got his butt kicked in the flats a couple yrs ago. think thats why he hates cleveland.. ? gotta go, i think a new survey about cleveland is on the manipulated news.
I was wondering that.... Charles Barkley is so hard to understand and see where he is coming from. They did aerials of Cleveland all the time, and they showed the Lakefront with the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, and they asked him what it was, he goes... "Rock n Roll Hall of Fame right? Not like they have anything else in this city!" I was suprised he even said something that downgrading.
Cleveland, just like any other city has its drawbacks. I don't agree with a lot of these "lists" and other sort of data. Now I will agree with the population decline, it will take some time for cities like Cleveland and Pittsburgh which have made huge comebacks change their images and reverse these trends.
Cleveland has a lot to offer, and it takes people leaving home and living elsewhere for awhile to realize this. Cleveland is one of the most underrated cities in the nation. And many people have come to Cleveland with one image, and left with a completely new one. I have heard many stories, as a recent visitor myself, I have heard many stories of people amazed by how great Cleveland has changed. And while I was there, there were many in the city from all over the country and world that were living in Cleveland, and were recent residents.
Trust me, Cleveland has a lot to offer. You just have to know what to look for.
I think Forbes has the most contradictory "lists" out there. One week, a city will be "the most desirable place to move" and then next week that same city will be on "the least desirable place for newcomers" or some other crap. It's all what you make of it. As far as I'm concerned, the country as a whole is in a slump and most cities are faring the same.
Cleveland is one of few places that has:
*beaches
*no earthquakes (or one every 50 years)
*a rare tornado
*4 seasons
*outdoor activities galore
*world class medical facilities
*a major US port
*3 professional sports teams
*an actual downtown (may be small in comparison to others, but, hey, we have one)
*low cost of living
I could go on....And yes, our winters are brutal, but thankfully there's plenty to do in the snow.
Trust me, Cleveland has a lot to offer. You just have to know what to look for.
I really agree with this quote...Not to mention, a majority of the rankings are extremely subjective...if anything they're made to sell magazines/"news." Maybe the midwest is an easy target.
In the same light, I can throw out some other statistics:
- Playhouse Square has the second biggest amount of Broadway theaters outside of NYC
- Cleveland Orchesta generally ranks 4th in the WORLD
- Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals/Rainbow Babies are world-renowned (as evidence of royalty and celebrities flying in on a regular basis).
- We have celebrities Lebron James and Shaquille O'Neal (recently named 2 of the top 5 salary earning athletes in the COUNTRYSI.com - The Fortunate 50 ....they are going to create huge tourist $$$ this year)
- Constantly on lists for affordability and sustainibility (Overpriced city. huh?!? LOL C'mon now!)
- Downtown population has been increasing every year for the past decade (and has been increasing at a higher rate the last 2 years)
- A rich history that has been preserved in many, many regards
Lastly, we have true gems/assets that cities twice our size would kill to have-- Westside Market, Little Italy, Cleveland Museum of Art/Natual History Musuem/Botanical Gardens, rapid trains, 3 major sports teams...and all Downtown!, Cleveland Zoo and Rainforest, Lake and Metroparks
Everytime I leave, I can't wait to get back--and I'm being honest.
The lists of positive aspects of the city are great!
My problem with the naysayers is that they are usually the problem. They always think there is more to see or more to do in other cities. The reason there is so much to do in these cities is that the people living there (as well as the visitors) actually get out of the house and DO things. I have to say that the vast majority of people who bash this city never take part in the absolutely wonderful events, attractions and unique businesses offered here!
Ask the critics, "What did you do this weekend?" They will likely say, "Oh I stayed in and watched a movie on TBS... Cleveland is boring!" That's sad to me because this weekend I had cocktails at Luxe, shopped the Made in the 216 event, watched great local musicians at Bela Dubby coffee shop, took in a yo-yo performer and shopped at the Waterloo Arts Fest, sampled great wines at the Wine Fest and took a lovely walk in the MetroParks. Oh, and I got a really nasty sunburn from the great weather we had. Haha.
I truly believe there are great people, places and things to do in this city. My family has lived here for generations and I'm proud to be from the Cleve! And remember that at the end of the day, a city... and your experience in it... is what YOU make of it!
Whenever I hear people say "Cleveland is boring" I have to laugh. Especially since a lot of those people either haven't been outside of it to compare it to anything or have only been to places like NYC.
If you say Cleveland is boring you need to take a good look in the mirror, because it's probably you who's the boring one lol.
Do you mind if I ask what suburb you live in? I'm guessing you live in the suburbs and work in the suburbs and only come downtown for a concert or a Tribe game. I'm guessing you've never experienced the Westside market. It just seems to me that the people who bash Cleveland the hardest are the ones who watch to much news and rarely, if ever, come out to truly see their hometown.
As someone that has grown up here I don't fit the criteria of what you are looking for in a reply.
But please allow me.
I just don't understand how someone who has lived here as long as you can say that Cleveland hasn't changed in 20 years...
Did you see "Tower City" in 1985? Compare that to today. It may not be a palace but it is immeasurably better then it was just 20 years ago. It was a cavern of concrete and steel 20 years ago and no one ever saw it unless they took the rapid downtown. And it was not a safe place to be after 6PM.
People say downtown is dead now, did you see it 20 years ago when NO ONE lived downtown? You could be on Public Square at 10PM on a Friday and feel like the last person on Earth after the nuclear holocaust. Hopefully you aren't that suburbanite that only goes downtown a few times a year and you have seen the sweeping changes that have taken place all over downtown. I can't wait to check out our new aqaurium next year!
I was downtown this past Saturday. Took a friend to see some sights. We went to the Westside market. There was a band playng in that cute little park across the street. He was blown away by the market. "This is nicer then one I went to in NYC!". We took the tour of the USS Cod. It was packed. We saw a good crowd at the Mather. The Science Center was packed. The Rockhall was packed. There was a sailboat regatta going on on the lake. Public Square was jammed. Yep... this town's dead alright...
Now let's talk about just the Westside neighborhoods:
Slavic Vilage: Yes it has gone downhill in some respects but there are still some very promising things going on there making parts of it nicer then it has ever been. There is a 9 hole golf course that wasn't there 20 years ago that was recently named one of the best in the country. The area around the Mill Creek development looks like something right out of the suburbs and includes a 30+ mile park and a nice long (safe) trail through it. Not to mention the very trendy row homes completed recently that people are moving into.
Edgewater: Always has been a cool little trendy neighborhood that has only gotten better in recent years. You can't find homes like this in a housing development in Strongsville. The new tunnel to Edgewater Park? Brilliant!
Detroit Shoreway: Don't even get me started on how this neighborhood has transformed in just the last 8 or 9 years. It's yuppie central now! Awesome new homes with really unique designs, and some amazing restaraunts and bars. I wouldn't go near this neighborhood 20 years ago... I have no fear walking the streets over there at night now. Battery Park is just gorgeous and competes well with any area in any city.
Tremont: Also one of the trendiest neighborhoods. Yea, it still has a way to go but there are WORLD CLASS restaraunts down there (Farhenheit being my favorite) and some of the best cool little bars in town. Stoli Doli's at the Treehouse cannot be missed. Not to mention hundreds of new or rebuilt homes and a very strong community of dedicated citizens.
And Westpark? My neighborhood? When the Kamms Corner redevelopment is done it will look prettier (by far) then Rockside Road in Independence. We have bars here now that draw people from all over the Western suburbs. Unheard of 20 years ago when it was just tiny little bars that only the locals hung out at and just one decent restaraunt (and a strip club). My friends come to my house from Olmsted Falls, Berea, North Olmsted and Westlake to walk up to Westpark Station, the Public House, or PJ Mcintyre's. We have live music in several diferrent flavors from traditional irish music, to acoustic bands (at the new intimate and trendy Backstage Bar), to rock and roll to... well whoever is playing at The Station this week or at the biker bar across the street.
Now I am NO expert on the eastside at all. Typical westsider here. I only go to Coventry or Little Italy. Both of them are beautifull and safe neighborhoods that have undergone a lot of good changes in the last few years. I will let (hopefully) an Eastsider who is as passionate about his side of town, as I am about mine, go into more detail. It's not that I hate the eastside, it's just that there is so much stuff on JUST the westside and downtown to keep me busy!! Boring? Please....
As for Cleveland ranking last this or 10th that.... I put very little faith in any kinds of "studies". Did you know the University of Miami did a study recently that time actually does seem to move quicker the older we get? Yep, it's a fact, not a myth. Seriously? Someone got paid to do that study?
You want some good rankings for Cleveland? How about #1 in "Commute time"? The average Clevelander spends less then 10 hours a year in congested traffic compared to the average Los Angelesean that spends more then 44! Less then an hour a month for us... more then 4 a month for them.
Best cities to commute in: Cleveland #20.
Local food and agriculture: #2.
Water supply: #1 (to easy there with Lake Erie, I know).
Least natural disaster risk: #3.
Green economy: in the top 10 nationwide.
In 2005 Cleveland was named the #1 most livable 'big' city in America and #26 IN THE WORLD (out of 127).
(Of course we were tied with Pittsburgh so take that, and ANY study, with a grain of salt).
Ok, I DO NOT wear rosy glasses. I know not everything is wonderfull in this town. Our politicans are corrupt, but IMO at least 50% of all politicans are corrupt. Most just haven't been caught yet.
Our lakefront is a joke compared to... just about every coastal city. Hell, Buffalo has a nicer waterfront then we do. Although Detroit doesn't.
Yes we are bleeding population..... to LORAIN COUNTY (one of the fastest growing areas in the country). You think people from other states are moving to Lorain? I'd say at least 3% of Cleveland's loss has been Lorain County's gain. Have you seen all the work that has been done in Avon lately? Talk about huge change in 20 years!!
Anti-regionilism? Agree and it sucks. But how many areas have succesfully regionalized lately? 5? 6? At best?
And yea... winters can be brutal....
Lastly... the school system. Is anyone here REALLY familiar with the school system? Do you really think Cleveland is failing its children? I do not. I know plenty of excellent schools in Cleveland proper. Our schools are safe. The system hasn't failed Cleveland children. Their parents have. Kids are failing the achievement tests because far to many parents take little to no interest in their education.
Of course there are bad teachers, but they are not the majority. And if you raise good kids they can get a qaulity education in Cleveland. I am actually glad we are losing population. Maybe by the time my kid is ready for school there won't be a waiting list anymore to get into the very good Riverside Elementary here in Westpark.
I actually heard a Cleveland resident say it is the teachers fault that the drop out rate is so high in Cleveland. Seriously? I wanted to smack her. Let me ask those of you that had strong parents and graduated high school: What would your mother have said or done to you if you came home one day and told her you were dropping out? Exactly!
Sorry for the long post. I guess I've just had it with all the negativity in this forum and took it out here. Will Cleveland recover? Compared to 20 years ago it ALREADY has. This is nirvana compared to then. And I firmly believe it will continue.
Someone please tell me why Clevelanders have an inferiority complex?!? It really is true, isn't it?? Well.... not this Clevelander.
Last edited by Peregrine; 07-01-2009 at 10:42 PM..
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Exactly! 
