The majority of Airdrie residents - 97 per cent - are satisfied with the quality of life in the city, according to the 2015 Citizen Satisfaction Survey.
Results from the annual survey of residents regarding City venues and amenities were presented to City council on March 16 by Tracy With, vice president of Bannister Research.
“Airdrie continues to top most of the communities we work with in the province of Alberta in terms of quality of life,” With said. “Airdrie is in the top three for most of the factors for the communities that we survey.”
“We’re king in the south (of the province) then,” said Mayor Peter Brown, referring to Airdrie’s positive quality of life results.
Bannister Research completes similar surveys in 45 communities throughout Alberta.
“Overall quality of life holds consistent every year in Airdrie at 96 to 97 per cent,” With said.
A total of 400 residents were contacted by telephone for their opinions on City services and amenities, quality of life issues, and safety issues during the polling period, from Jan. 8 to 17, according to With. The survey took 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
Respondents were asked to identify what the top issues facing Airdrie are. According to With, infrastructure, construction, train tracks, roads and traffic concerns topped the list at 23 per cent. This represents a significant jump from 2014 when similar issues elicited a 14 per cent response rate. Examples of particular issues of concern to residents are the building of a new interchange at Highway 2 and traffic congestion on Yankee Valley Boulevard.
Rapid growth management at 19 per cent, health care at 17 per cent and snow removal at 14 per cent rounded out the top of the list of issues mentioned by residents responding to the survey as being of concern.
“(Residents) are still mentioning health care as an issue,” With said. “Whether that’s a perception issue or an awareness issue, we don’t necessarily determine that, but health care is still top of mind for residents.”
Satisfaction with City services and amenities is also polled as part of the survey. Overall quality of service was rated very good or good by 82 per cent of the respondents. One service that received only a 39 per cent positive rating was Airdrie Transit. However, Transit Co-ordinator Chris MacIsaac said he was still pleased.
“We made some gains last year. I think it’s a reflection of the existing service levels being provided today,” he said. “There’s certainly a need in the community for additional transit services, be that to Calgary or within Airdrie itself. I think that satisfaction rating reflects the community’s desire for more servicing.”
Safety in the community is another area that respondents are asked to rate. According to With, 98 per cent feel safe in Airdrie during the daytime and 81 per cent feel safe after dark.
Summer road maintenance (69 per cent), recycling programs (58 per cent) and winter snow and ice control (38 per cent) continue to be areas for improvement for the City, according to With.
“I do want to say that 97 per cent overall for quality of life is pretty spectacular in my mind,” Brown said. “I look at that and it captures our community. I want to congratulate our administration for all the work you do to make our community what it is.”
Full survey results are available on the City of Airdrie website, airdrie.ca
