relocate to wilkes barre center city how is it

we are thinking of relocating to wilkes barre how is the center city area %26amp; the city in general -- best %26amp; worst neighboorhoods --- things to do -- crime taxes weather. interested mainly in the downtown area but all info is appreciated thanks

relocate to wilkes barre center city how is it

Hi Momndad -

I lived in Wilkes-Barre for about 20 years, so perhaps I can be of some help...

Up until about 15 years ago, Wilkes-Barre was a quiet, friendly, SAFE city in which to raise children. Not true any longer - you can%26#39;t turn on the local news without seeing a report a murder, rape, etc. This is DAILY - not extraordinary for many cities, but W-B has a population of only about 50,000. Just this past week, we were on CNN news because a psycho went into a beauty salon and attacked 4 elderly women over their heads with a hammer during a robbery - AFTER they had given him all their money! Sadly, this kind of activity has become commonplace. I wish I could give an example of a ';good'; neighborhood in the city, but I no longer know of any. The drug issue is out of control, especially heroine.

There%26#39;s a big movement underway to revitalize the downtown area, but so far, no one has seen any improvement -which is a shame, because the history and architecture of the area are exceptional. The ';Center City'; area is tiny compared to Phila standards - only a few square blocks - and half the store fronts %26amp; buildings are vacant (and the tallest building you%26#39;ll find is about 10 stories high). You couldn%26#39;t pay me enough to get me to this area after dark, and among the 3 city public high schools, there isn%26#39;t one I%26#39;d allow any child of mine to attend, not even the one from which my grandmother, father, 3 sisters %26amp; I graduated.

About 2 years ago, when a drug-related shooting occurred on the same day a child molester was arrested, within 3 blocks of my home in my ';safe, quiet'; neighborhood, I left the city for good. I now live about 5 miles outside Wilkes-Barre and it%26#39;s a different world - tree-lined streets, victorian homes along the river, and neighbors who have all known each other for years. I%26#39;m glad to say there are still some good small towns in this area - but Wilkes-Barre is not one of them.

As for the weather, pretty much like Phila but the temperature is usually a few degrees cooler, and we may get a little more snow in winter, but not much.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

relocate to wilkes barre center city how is it

Youn seem to be relocating since June of 2005 to a new city every couple of months, just when is this happening?