Richmond or Brick?

I saw in this morning’s Times-Dispatch the celebratory headline that Richmond’s standing in annual crime ratings has improved: City ranks as safer in crime survey. According to the Morgan Quitno Press, we’ve gone from the fifth most dangerous city in America to the 15th. Progress is progress, I suppose. On the other end of the survey, Brick Township, NJ once again has seized the title of safest city in America.

Well, I’ve lived in Richmond for three years now. I lived in Brick Township from 1972 to 1974, and I also lived in Silverton, right next to Brick, from 1994 to 1996. I am very familiar with Brick. The town used to be known as “Bricktown”, and before that “Bricksburg”, both of which have at least a touch of flair – but today it’s just plain “Brick”. It is a colossally uninteresting place – the name alone gives away the game.

Brick is not actually the safest city in America, because it’s not a city. It’s just a sprawling township that has occupied all of its land with low-density residential housing and strip malls.  Compared to other townships in the area (such as Wall, Berkeley or Lacey) Brick is kind of a dump. I moved to Richmond to escape the poor alternatives of suburban vs. urban living in New Jersey – sprawl is no way to live.

Richmond may get a black eye in crime ratings, but it’s a great place to live. Brick does incredibly well in crime ratings, but the mere thought of ever living there again makes my head hurt.