For anyone living in Eau Claire anytime in the last ten years, it's been a unique experience. Personally, I've resided in Eau Claire just three short years, and the changes to the city in that time alone are palpable. My attitude has mostly been anywhere between ecstatic and proud. I tell my friends back home and throughout the state about how great it is to be in Eau Claire right now; the opportunities are becoming boundless. The sheer infrastructure is changing.
As I search for a new place to live, however, I'm seeing things a different way. Almost too slowly to notice, living in Eau Claire is becoming expensive; at least for the tastes of a low-income college student.
Some of the college and low-income areas are getting wiped out, especially across from Phoenix Park. In the Water Street district, many college rentals are getting torn down and replaced by more expensive housing... do I dare say gentrification?
It's hard to say how extreme Eau Claire's changing atmosphere will become. Without dispute, it's becoming beautiful, perhaps a perfect place for someone in their 30's and a steady professional paycheck, but what about the poor college students who've helped make Eau Claire lively for the last 100 years? I'd hate to see rising tuition and housing costs scare some creative minds away to somewhere more affordable and with equal opportunities.
