Bannister Research & Consulting presented City council with the results of a Community Needs Assessment at the July 18 meeting.
The assessment was complete from April 1 to June 1 in conjunction with the 2011 Municipal Census. Nearly 3,000 surveys were completed online and polled Airdrie citizens on areas like community services, volunteerism, and arts, culture and recreation facilities.
“It’s a very valuable tool,” said Michelle Lock, the City’s director of community services. “It identifies the community’s wishes and needs and helps with community planning.”
Within the community services category, respondents were asked if there were any services that they would like to see that the City does not provide. Seventy-three per cent said no, but 23 per cent said yes and listed a hospital and 24-hour emergency care are the two services they’d most like to see.
A large part of the assessment was dedicated to the use and quality of the City’s arts, culture and recreation facilities. According to the assessment, the City’s walking paths and trail system are the most used recreation facility, with 80 per cent of the survey respondents having used them. Nose Creek Park and the Genesis Place Aquatic Centre were also among the top used facilities. The walking paths were rated the third-most effective facility and were preceded by the Genesis Place Fitness Centre, Running Track and Gymnastics Facility.
“These numbers are very encouraging,” said Tracy With, a senior associate with Bannister Research & Consulting. “Airdrie has very high visitation for recreation facilities and the heavily used facilities are also rated quite high.”
The arts, culture and recreation section of the assessment also determined which facilities citizens would like improved and built. Arenas and skating rinks topped the list of facilities that could be improved at 17 per cent, followed by Genesis Place, parks and the library. Fourteen per cent of survey respondents stated that they want new arenas and rinks built in the city. Thirteen per cent want a hospital built and 10 per cent want new schools built.
“This is very typical because of the nature of how arenas and rinks are booked,” With said. “They’re heavily booked all the time.”
With also pointed out that Airdrie has a 37 per cent volunteerism rate, which is 10 per cent higher than the Alberta average. The assessment polled citizens on their general perceptions of the city and neighbourhoods. More than 80 per cent said that their neighbourhood is a good place to live and 78 per cent said that they feel safe in their neighbourhood.
