Survey: Residents favor more businesses, recreation

The business park needs businesses, the city doesn’t need a casino, and more recreational activities need to exist for children.

That’s what residents are saying based on the results of a community survey. More than 550 residents responded to the Community Investment Advisory Committee’s survey. City Councilman and CIAC member Lee Barnes presented figures to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Monday night. CIAC members will reveal the full results in a presentation to the City Council in November.

“These are definitely the tools we have to have to determine what the public does need,” Interim Parks and Recreation Director Bart Wagner said. “Many of the items talked about in the survey dealing with parks is something we noticed a few years ago from our needs assessment. The top results seem to be waterfront access to our public beaches and increasing the number of trails.”

Wagner said the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board has constantly looked for ways to improve the areas highlighted in the survey, adding that the CIAC survey will be able to do a lot more.

“We have identified these needs and we look for the opportunities, but for us with our recommendations to the City Council, I think you could say these figures present a lot more weight,” he said. “It means a lot to be able to make changes based on what the community wants.”

The survey, which was available on the city’s Web site, asked detailed questions on city issues like the English Village, the potential Industrial Park, possibly establishing a casino, tourism, parks, public safety and cultural development. Based on initial results, 80 percent of respondents agreed with the opening of the Business Park and expansion to it, 57 percent discouraged the establishment of a casino, 81 percent agreed to providing more waterfront access, and 78 percent wanted more activities in the city for children.

“I think it’s going to be quite important for everyone’s future,” CIAC chairman Don Bergen said previously. “I think we have a council right now that is very receptive to listening to the public and responding to the public. I think the results will be the biggest thing the council goes to when making decisions in the future.”

You can contact the reporter at nbruttell@havasunews.com.