I love Peoria and I’m not ashamed to admit it, dammit.
Emtronic’s latest post (in which he was possibly abducted by aliens) explains why he loves Peoria, even as much as it is a love/hate relationship, got me to thinking about a half baked post I wrote but never published.
Considering I’m short on both thoughts and time, I’ll just throw it out there… still half baked… and with the original title…
CJ Summers, in a post that I kicked myself for not thinking of myself, asked “Tell us all what you sincerely like about Peoria.”
I found it interesting that some of the usual commenters stayed away from this post, as evidenced by one from a new resident who said
“I’ve never lived in a town where the negative image issues are as largely self-inflicted, or self-generated, as they are here. I, for one, am tiring of being rebutted when I do try to say something positive about Peoria, to a Peorian.
In other words, I think it would be smashingly positive if you would stop arguing with me when I say you don’t suck.”
On that note, here are some things I love about Peoria, in no particular order:
The Riverfront.
Our Skyline.
Easy Interstate access connecting various parts of the city.
Our cultural diversity.
Springdale Cemetery.
Glen Oak & Bradley Parks.
Glen Oak Zoo.
Common Place.
The Junior League of Peoria.
Forest Park Nature Center.
Wild Life Prairie Park.
Excellent and inexpensive golf.
Grand View Drive, High Street, Moss Avenue, The Uplands, and the Randolph-Roanoke historic district.
Bradley University.
Our rich history.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Thank You, Peoria fans! Perhaps, It’s the air or just old habits! Most of our citizens don’t care or realize how shamelessly they convey to newcomers and outsiders civic insecurity to giant Chicago, racial division, government mistrust, and being VERY frugal.
It’s very sad because Peoria’s attitude and divisions are on the verge of destroying THIS, once, promising city. Countless ” ALL or nothing ” battles are destroying Our city’s neighborhoods, public school district, etc. Thanks to ALL with appreciation and efforts for Peoria, It has one last chance for a promising future. Peoria controls the choice for It’s destiny or fate. Time will tell with path It chose.
Most Americans don’t realize that smaller cities, like Peoria, will not survive the 21st century without massive internal and external transformation. Dwindling population, continuing depletion of the tax base, dwindling re-investment within the city center, and a divisive populace will doom It. ALL city’s are ONLY the result of what It’s citizens put into It for better or for worse!
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:12 am
[...] to do in Peoria and don’t give me that stuff about the wonderful Riverfront. Others like this guy want to tout the riverfront. I say it sucks compared to any other city. There’s nothing to [...]
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:59 am
I would differ with you on the golf.
It’s priced exactly where it should be.
Excellent and inexpensive golf to me would be the early morning special at Weaver or the M-Th special at Coyote Creek.
Also Lick Creek and Prarie Vista would fall into this category.
I would always shake my head when someone says “Why would anyone pay $50 to play Weaver Ridge when you can play the Park District courses for less?”
Uhhh, well, one is a top-notch state-ranked course and the others aren’t.
And with gas prices, the Peoria courses win the convience battle.
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:20 am
Also have to disagree about the riverfront. Easily the most underdeveloped and underutilized piece of property in the city. If you’re not there to eat or drink, there’s not much else to do. The Antique Center and a lot of the other shops close in the 5-6 P.M. range. I love the Farmers Market, but it’s only during a few months of the year.
Eating out or going out for a few can only go so far on the Riverfront.
And I think my above post is a rerun from a past topic, sorry about that.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:51 am
Mazr, maybe I should have rephrased it as an abundance of golf courses. Compared to other cities we have a large number and variety of courses in the area. I’ve been told many times by many different people who move here that they are surprised at what a strong golf community we have.
As far as the riverfront, yea, the platform sucks, but it’s better than the old Eckwood Park, and if you consider the riverfront in it’s entirety from State Street all the way up to the park past Detweiller Marina, I’d say it’s quite nice. All depends on how you look at things. It’s easy to criticize, and sure it could be better, but it’s come a long way from what it used to be.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Whether or not people like Peoria seems to depend a lot on how hard they’re willing to try to find something to do. Summertime at the Riverfront is simply amazing. The wide variety of musical acts and events featured at Riverfront Park only do people good if they get off their asses and check them out. From the Art Festival to the Universal Rhythm Assembly to the Taste to the Blues Festival, there’s something for everyone. There are also plenty of parks and walking trails to enjoy, and if one is willing to drive 10-15 minutes from the city, the possibilities open up even more. For the population, and the menial amount of income the city can make from tourism when compared to a Chicago or even a Miami, Peoria really isn’t that bad.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:41 am
You ever think the problem with Peoria IS the negative attitude most people have?
There are so many insecure people there. All the attractive women think they are God’s gift to the world, and walk around with their noses up in the air, being all manipulative like the chick in “Mean Girls.” All the average looking women are stifled with insecurities because they are not one of the gorgeous girls. All of the men are shy and nervous, and walk around with a slouch. I moved south, and it is so nice to interact with attractive women every day who act like they’re human. True, if I was single none of them would probably date me unless I hit the gym for a year, but they don’t make it a point to publicize this fact every time I see them.
There is a black cloud of midwestern conservatism hanging over the city that doesn’t help things much. It seems some of the Christians who rule the area need to lighten up a little bit. For example, the other day I had a conversation of a sexual nature with a church group openly and fluidly. I honestly remember thinking to myself, “this wouldn’t happen in Peoria.”
The place may be racially diverse, but it is still segregated to the max. If I remembered correctly this was documented in anthe Journal Star.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:50 am
Anyway, the topic was what do you like about peoria. Let’s see…
There are things to do in peoria, I agree with morton malise. Things to do don’t happen 24/7. You kind of need to be in the know of what’s going on, it seems. Get on the internet and listen to Markley and Luciano on WMBD to learn what’s going on. Also, the hike and bike trail and checkered raven and antique store are things to do on the river that don’t involve food. If you do want a drink, Rodell’s pub has the best beer I’ve ever tasted. They brew it there.
I also loved cruising downtown on foot, especially around (and through) pere marquette and the twin towers.
Forest park is great. So is Jubilee. Especially this time of the year.
The little strip in Peoria Heights is charming, even if old-ladyish. The spotted cow is gone too, but at least the tower and leaves and beans are still there.
Well, I’ve gotta go. Also, I typed these 2 entries very fast, so I apologize for typos.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:47 am
I disagree with Mazr about the riverfront. It’s WAYYYY better than it was when I was growing up. I remember, as a teenager, hearing all the rumors about prostitution in the park across from the department store.. (was it a Sears?)
And I rarely go to the Riverfront to eat or drink. Instead I take my kids to play in the fountain. We walk along the path and look at the water, at the sculptures. We go to the free/low cost jazz concerts in the summer. We love the Peoria Art Guild festival and the Indian festival. Building Steam meets there (at the Riverplex) and utilizes the path, too. Oh, and I take my nieces to play at the playground equipment there, too…
April 29th, 2008 at 9:45 am
“Whether or not people like Peoria seems to depend a lot on how hard they’re willing to try to find something to do.”
I think part of the problem is that so many Peorians are lifers, which on the one hand speaks quite well of the community, but on the other hand, WHEREVER you’re a teenager is permanently branded in your brain as “boring” and “nothing to do” because when you can drive but can’t drink, have free time but no money, etc., everything IS kinda boring.
Sometimes my students tell me it must have been “much more fun” to be a teenager in (near) Chicago, and I say, “Nope, still pretty boring!” You still can’t go to the cool places that are 21-and-over-only regardless of whether you’re interested in drinking; your movements are still restricted by protective parents and transportation problems; your social group is still defined by high school; you’re still constrained by homework and school commitments; and you’re still 16. Cops still come hassle you if you’re in a park dorking around after 8 p.m. because there’s nowhere else to hang out.
I really think a lot of Peorians think the city’s boring because they were teenagers here.
Anyway, I like that we all get whiney (me too!) when there are three whole cars at a stoplight because omg traffic! I like that the whole city can go to some event and the traffic still isn’t as bad as rush hour in Chicago. I like that bars let you run a tab without demanding your credit card to open it. I like events like the Ren Faire and the St. Phil’s Fall Festival where you see EVERYONE YOU KNOW just because it’s a small town here.
On a more serious note, I ADORE the housing stock in this city. I love the neighborhoods. I love the older parks that are so different from modern grass-and-play-structure parks. I love the older buildings downtown. I love that middle-class salaries are enough to buy a Victorian-era mansion and restore it!
I love that Peoria’s midwestern. (And Billy Bob, I dunno where in the South you are, or what kind of people you knew up here, but I met way more “mean girls” in the South (is it possible you don’t speak Southern and don’t know they’re being mean yet?) and way more Holy High Rollers with quite a bit more political power down South.) I love that if you have a bare modicum of manners, midwesterners will tolerate almost any eccentricity. (”I’ve never heard of someone planting their lawn with clover on purpose before, but she’s a real nice girl, so …”) I love the food. I love having neighbors that bring you food! I love that the old dudes at the hardware store accept the fact that girls can be handy too and don’t treat me like a moron. And I love it when I catch a glimpse of a bald eagle!