Transportation the top Concern for PG Voters

Monday, August 22, 2005 04:02 AM

Prince George City Council will get a good look at the pulse of the voters tonight when it receives the results of the 2005 community consultation process.

The report includes the results of the IPSOS Reid phone survey in which 300 residents of Prince George, over the age of 18 were questioned.

Here are some of the results:

The major concern is transportation with 37% saying it’s the single most important issue in the city.

88% of respondents said the overall quality of life in Prince George was good (70%) or Very Good (18%)

Of those who like life in P-G, 14% said it was because of the economy, while 13% said they just liked living here.

Those who didn’t like P-G said it was because there was little to do (18%), the healthcare services were poor (13%) and they got poor value for their taxes (11%)

On other issues, like funding for municipal programs and services,
62 % support using revenue from casinos
When it comes to user fees, there was a split, with 48 % being opposed to new or increased user fees, while 47 % supported that idea.

63% opposed expanding or increasing pay parking.

The public consultation forum sessions produced different information, as specific topics were addressed, and although the public was welcome to attend, the participants were largely invitees to discuss certain topics.

Those sessions raised concerns about multiculturalism, attraction and retention of immigrants, services for seniors, downtown revitalization, public health, transportation, programs for youth, and economic development.

The public consultation process is designed to give Council direction as it makes plans for the future.

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Posted on Monday, August 22, 2005 04:02 AM in News by Elaine Macdonald

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Comments

Posted by: Opatcho on August 22 2005 9:52 AM

Isnt it strange that the City needs an Ipso-Reid survey to determine what the needs of the tax payers are. I always thought that it was the function of Council to find what the needs are of the residents. They are spending our money like drunks on hair brained schemes and that question dosent even show up.

Posted by: gypsy on August 22 2005 10:14 AM

What a relief it is--the people have spoken!!!!
The present Mayor and Council must be breathing a sigh of relief. Run again- you are a shoe in if one can judge by the outcome of this polling of 300 voters. Simplifies the decision process for the rest of us. Goes like this:
Give us your word you will fix the potholes.
Keep gambling operational in the city. (I would suggest allowing the pubs to have slots-as that will increase income without any investment-just the installation of the equipment).
Go ahead and say no intention of increasing user fees. Of the 15 people who must have been unsure, just sway a couple over to the support side. Mission accomplished!!
Only 12% of those polled not living in "bliss." Not a problem!!! They will accept, as, after all, we are a very civilized community, and furthermore-it is that lack of choice.
That Harris group is going to solve the "downtown" problem, Krause will get that "Backpacker" operational, maybe a big "gaming" centre can be built if "private" partnership is permitted in this project.
Get those water meters in and get paid for every drop, and it will help determine sewer charges also. Lighten the load.
Council has all the "direction" they need now. Just have to get the votes, and if this poll is any indication of how the voters will vote-hey, better they get their winning speeches written.
I, for one, wish them luck. Prince George voters will get what they deserve. Nothing but the finest.

Posted by: owl on August 22 2005 10:27 AM

I thought I would read the report myself. There are some real gems of comments from the focus group I thought might be fun to share a sampling:

Community Economic Development Group: “There are pros and cons to locating a light industrial park within the community”. Huh???!!!

Community Promoters: cancelled due to lack of interest.

Arts and Cultural Groups: “There is a need to establish what the community’s arts and cultural needs are specifically”.

City Infrastructure Group: “consider a monorail or LRT service to the university.” I wonder how long someone is going to spend considering that? Hopefully it will not become a $47,000 report prepared by a Vancouver “expert”.

There is one that really hit home with respect to downtown and reflects on all these types of activities by this City Administration and Council, activities such as surveys, planning reports, focus groups, etc.:
“The 2000 Phil Benome downtown revitalization strategy needs to be updated, timelines of completion need to be developed and action needs to be taken.”

Amen ….. instead we have another study!!!!

I guess one could say that the City is allowing the people to speak, but it is business as usual after that.

Posted by: spanky on August 22 2005 10:28 AM

Transportation? Meaning what? Great poll Colin, what is the tranportation concern?
Not enough gypsy cabs? Too few busses pulling out in front of you? Maybe lil Colin can promise rides around in his V-8 camaro to alleviate the problem. We all know he can still afford gas. Oh well , catch ya later.

Posted by: owl on August 22 2005 10:34 AM

So you figure that the councillors will each start calling citizen's themselves, do you opatcho ... brilliant idea!!!! more spam calls!!!!! LOL

Spanky, bang on with the transportation question. The newspaper this morning interpreted it as meaning putting more money into maintaining roads. General questions like that are absolutely useless. I would not pay money for a survey like that. But then there is no one at City Hall who knows what a good survey looks like.

Here is the report info on line

http://www.city.pg.bc.ca/pages/publicconsultation/pcreport2005.pdf

Posted by: Chadermando on August 22 2005 4:55 PM

Polls are only as good as the questions they ask. This poll is only good enough for dogs.

Posted by: owl on August 22 2005 6:29 PM

woof, woof .... ;-)

Posted by: Opatcho on August 23 2005 9:35 AM

You got it wrong again owl. I dont't expect to be called by a Councilor. Perhaps the Councilors could read my email to them.
As for transportation being the big issue I guess Colin thinks he did such a great job on improving the bus service that it would be the main concern of the residents. Why would we care about the streets we drive on.

Posted by: owl on August 23 2005 1:40 PM

I gues you either do not believe in surveys or do not understand them Opatcho. An e-mail to a councillor, or meeting with a councillor is okay, but that is one person's opinion and that is all ..... get ten friends to write an e-mail, and they each get 10, and you have a biased input which is not likely representative of the community, but just a segment of the community ....

Posted by: owl on August 23 2005 1:42 PM

BTW, Opatcho, when I e-mail a councillor I get a response, so I know they have read it ... perhaps you need a few lessons of how to wrtie an e-mail which gets a response .....

Sitting down with them over a coffee works even better .....

Posted by: Opatcho on August 24 2005 10:40 AM

A councilor dosent have time to give me a phone call but would have time to go for coffee with owl?
Your the person thats looking for ideas but all you come up with is sarcasm and dumb statements. Give it a rest.
This website is about opinions.

Posted by: girlone on August 24 2005 2:12 PM

300 people??? that is all that were surveryed? or is all that would answer the questions...either way it's not a very good representation of a City that claims to have a 77, 000 population...in order to get proper results 10% of the pop. should have been interviewed...I didn't do well in math but I do know that 300 isn't 10% of 77,000.....