Don't "Norman" my Edmond

[RealJimbo]

Seems only fair. Although I actually love both towns, I love them for their uniqueness. One thing I don't want to see imported from Norman to Edmond is the attitude that there is nothing outside of Edmond (Norman) that is worthwhile. A friend who lives in Norman says "I try never to leave Norman", meaning he hates dealing with OKC or any other place that isn't Norman.

I also don't like the rowdy side of the party atmosphere there. Partying in Edmond is mostly in a couple of bars and in private homes. It is in the street in Norman. Like Jenkins, Lindsay, Boyd. The dumb people there will walk right out in front of a moving vehicle. I know pedestrians have the right of way, but c'mon. Be un-stupid, OK?

[kevinpate]

Most Norman folk don't dislike OKC at all, nor many other places in the state. On the other hand, we don't tend to fret much about staying in town either. Plenty to do, with lots more nearby whenever a desire for a change of pace does arise.

[venture]

Well Norman is kinda of this college town type place, might have forgotten that part.

As far as hating OKC? Not at all. I personally don't have many needs that take me to the city, so why bother? Everything that I want to do is roughly in Norman or Moore...no need to go farther north. Of course you know your friend more than any of us, but I would say most of us that take this line don't hate OKC or any other place. There just isn't a need that forces us to go farther to get (or do) something we can hear. I will say this...distance and travel time do play a factor in this. OKC is so spread out, heck all the area cities are, that I really have no desire to drive an hour to the north side to get something I can here or just order online.

Now...if there was a very frequently running light rail service from Norman to the city, I would probably be up there more.

[kwash]

Like in a previous post, the whole dont knorman my edmond thing is just a refelction on 2 different communities and how they want their town to be viewed. Its funny to call any town in oklahoma "liberal", but norman is as close at it will ever come too that. You see some weird people in norman especially closer to campus, they have unique shops and eateries around the campus corner area. If your looking for all that in edmond, good luck to you. Edmond is a conservative family town period, and they dont want it to be anything else but that. Edmond does have a pretty decent size college in uco but its no where close to an atmosphere you would get from ou. Most would consider it a commuter school by leaps and bounds. Edmond dosent want to be norman, and norman dosent want to be edmond so there ya go

[gen70]

It is what it is, right?

[lasomeday]

Personally from someone that doesn't live in either town. Edmond had character with the hills and the trees, not anymore.

Norman still has character and if they continue to have Main Street thrive as well as campus corner it will only get better!

If only the other suburbs could embrace their character.

Yukon has potential with its farming heritage and awesome grain elevators.

[mireaux]

Now...if there was a very frequently running light rail service from Norman to the city, I would probably be up there more.

while not exactly a rail service, amtrak does run from norman to okc and vice versa.

[Jethrol]

I think it's more likely that we will Edmonize Norman. As more money flows into people's pockets and the economy recovers, more people with money will be looking for quiet suburb living and Norman is a perfect place for this. As that money gets into the economy, more business will spring up, larger homes, more of everything.....IMO it will seem much more like Edmond as time goes on.

When I lived in Norman, I tried to never leave...even though I worked in NW OKC so I actually left everyday. On weekends, I refused to leave simply because I loved the pace of Norman and some of their unique shops. This didn't have anything to do with not liking OKC but had more to do with loving the Norman pace of life.

However with all my friends in far NW OKC, this became more and more difficult and I eventually moved back to NW OKC. I still miss those lazy days in Norman tho.

[kevinpate]

while not exactly a rail service, amtrak does run from norman to okc and vice versa.

Only if you wanna visit Norman at about 8:45 am and hang out for the day until late thirty to catch the Heartland back home. If you're in Norman, heading to OKC at late thirty and then back out and alert early enough to return to Norman at 8:45 the next morning is ok for an all nighter card house or maybe a graveyard shift very near the station, but not so much for anything else.

However, if what I do or enjoy were a better mesh with the AT schedule, I'd certainly consider it for my transport. No sooner express bus at night or weekends is another bit of a bore. I know many razz it, but I've used the express between N and OKC, and would more often if it better met my needs.

[td25er]

Personally from someone that doesn't live in either town. Edmond had character with the hills and the trees, not anymore.

Norman still has character and if they continue to have Main Street thrive as well as campus corner it will only get better!

If only the other suburbs could embrace their character.

Yukon has potential with its farming heritage and awesome grain elevators.

I'm pretty sure the hills are still there.

North and east Edmond still have plenty of trees and beautiful scenery.

[CuatrodeMayo]

At least until the next Walmart goes in...

[td25er]

At least until the next Walmart goes in...

Touche.

[RealJimbo]

Well Norman is kinda of this college town type place, might have forgotten that part.

Maybe you didn't know that Edmond is also a college town...

[fuzzytoad]

Maybe you didn't know that Edmond is also a college town...

There's a college in Edmond.

Having a college in your town doesn't make it a "college town".

Edmond is *not* a college town..

**edit**
here: "A college town or university town is a community (often literally a town, but possibly a small or medium sized city, or in some cases a neighborhood or a district of a city) which is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several smaller institutions such as liberal arts colleges clustered, or the residential population may be small, but college towns in all cases are so dubbed because the presence of the educational institution(s) pervades economic and social life. Many local residents may be employed by the university - which may be the largest employer in the community, many businesses cater primarily to the university, and the students' population may outnumber the local population."

[Chase]

Edmond's economy relies on UCO and OCU. It is a college town but on a much smaller scale than Stillwater and Norman.

[bluedogok]

I don't consider Norman a "college town" anymore, I don't consider Austin or Columbus, Ohio "college towns". They are cities with a large college in them.

[hipsterdoofus]

Edmond's economy relies on UCO and OCU. It is a college town but on a much smaller scale than Stillwater and Norman.

Psst - It's OC, not OCU (sorry but if you are from Edmond, you should know that.)

[soonerfan_in_okc]

I don't consider Norman a "college town" anymore, I don't consider Austin or Columbus, Ohio "college towns". They are cities with a large college in them.

visit norman in the summer and you will undoubtedly get the feeling it is a college town, especially with all the students from texas.

[bluedogok]

It's not the same Norman as when I went to school there, it became more of a "OKC burb" not too long after I was there. Sure the immediate campus area has less traffic, the Drag here in Austin is a bit slower during the summer but it still doesn't mean Austin is a college town. The rest of Austin is still just as busy as always.

To me a "college town" is one where if the college closed the town would figuratively dry up and blow away, Norman wouldn't go away if the school closed. Heck, places like Stillwater or College Station wouldn't do that anymore. There just aren't as many "college towns" as there used to be.

[Peach fuzz]

I disagree. Stillwater would be a small city without OSU imo. Norman would decline but not as severe just due to the metro.

Anyway for people to say "dont norman my edmond" is really confusing to me. I live in Edmond and I dont think they can even compare to Norman (dont kid yourselves). My opinion is just a laxed look at culture(both are reletively weak, Edmond lagging behind Norman), People friendly ( pros and cons either way), and overall lifestyle which to me edmond is a lame duck.

But to each his own.

[RealJimbo]

There's a college in Edmond.

Having a college in your town doesn't make it a "college town".

Edmond is *not* a college town..

**edit**
here: "A college town or university town is a community (often literally a town, but possibly a small or medium sized city, or in some cases a neighborhood or a district of a city) which is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several smaller institutions such as liberal arts colleges clustered, or the residential population may be small, but college towns in all cases are so dubbed because the presence of the educational institution(s) pervades economic and social life. Many local residents may be employed by the university - which may be the largest employer in the community, many businesses cater primarily to the university, and the students' population may outnumber the local population."

This is not a "choose your definition" thread. Edmond has two colleges, so it is definitely a "college town".

[Soonerus]

I have lived in Norman for many years but I still think Edmond is a great city...I think both cities are great !!!

[kwash]

bluedogok, lol you been watching to many 80's movies. Norman and Austin are both college towns. If you got a huge university population your a college town. I lived in austin for 6 yrs and the heartbeat of that whole dang city is "Longhorns". UT signs everywhere, longhorn sports on the tv, turn on the radio and they talk longhorn sports and have longhorn watch partys. Longhorn flags fly everywhere in that town, sure its a huge city of almost 1.5 million, but the whole city bleeds lives for longhorns. Ask anyone around the country about austin and they will tell you, oh yea that where ut- austin is lol. Same with norman, the whole town bleeds "ou". bluedogok quit watching those 80's college movies its 2010, you dont have to be out in the wilderness 60 miles from civilization to be considered a college town.

[Jethrol]

It's not the same Norman as when I went to school there, it became more of a "OKC burb" not too long after I was there. Sure the immediate campus area has less traffic, the Drag here in Austin is a bit slower during the summer but it still doesn't mean Austin is a college town. The rest of Austin is still just as busy as always.

To me a "college town" is one where if the college closed the town would figuratively dry up and blow away, Norman wouldn't go away if the school closed. Heck, places like Stillwater or College Station wouldn't do that anymore. There just aren't as many "college towns" as there used to be.

Yep, which is exactly why I said it's more likely that we'll Edmonize Norman....which already seems to be happening.

However Norman does still have that college town feel to it. Perhaps its because of all the ****ty housing. heh

[kwash]

yea kinda, you definitly have zero college town fell in edmond, sure they have uco and ocu but that town has absolutly no care for either one of those schools. Most of their students dont live in edmond and no one supports uco sports in edmond. Norman you truely feel the college atmosphere, simply becuase students come from all over the country to go to ou and they live for the most part in norman