Town of Aberdeen - Quality of Life Survey

1. Planning for our future is important....

The Aberdeen Town Council is beginning the process of creating a strategic plan for our community. It's important to us that everyone's opinion is heard. Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated and will assist us as we make plans for the future of our community. Everyone completing the survey will receive a $5.00 Community Card - simply write your name and contact number at the end of the survey. Your name will not be connected to the survey results.

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* 1. Has Aberdeen always been your home community?

yes

no-moved here from less than 100k away

no-moved here from a large urban centre

no-moved here from over 100k away

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* 2. How long has Aberdeen been your home?

less than 5 years

5 to 10 years

10 to 20 years

more than 20 years

this has always been my home community

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* 3. Please identify your age group:

less than 18

18-25

25-35

35-45

45-55

55-65

more than 65

How many people live in your household?

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* 4. Are you satisfied with the amenities that are available in your community?

very satisfied

satisfied

unsatisfied

very unsatisfied

Please tell us the primary reason for your answer.

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* 5. From your perspective what makes Aberdeen unique?

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* 6. People require many things in order to have a truly comfortable life. In terms of accessing those things that you require to feel content; what is the statement that you most agree with?

I have everything I need in my home community

Occasionally I must rely on nearby communities

I rely on what is available throughout my region

I got to a large urban centre to get what I need

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* 7. Lets say for a moment, that in the near future, your community will not face any major dilemmas, but will also not experience any new good fortune; given this scenerio what would you say are the long term prospects for your community?

will stay the same

will slowly fade away

will find a way to flourish

unsure

Why?

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* 8. How would you rate your ability to influence the future of your community?

very good

good

not so good

Why?

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* 9. If the right project came along in your community, would you have skills and/or time you'd like to volunteer?

yes

potentially

If so, what types of projects would interest you?

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* 10. From your perspective, how has your community changed the past several years:

improved

stayed same

deteriorated

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* 11. How would you describe the level of mutual trust and respect among community members?

increased somewhat

decreased somewhat

greatly increased

greatly decreased

stayed the same

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* 12. Do you feel that your community provides adequate networks of support for people during times of stress and need?

yes

to some extent

very much so

not at all

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* 13. For your current or most recent job, how far do you travel to work each day?

within my home community

less than 30k one way

between 30 and 80k one way

approximately 80 to 100k one way

over 100k each one way

over 100k and stay at work for period of time

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* 14. If you were to continue living in Aberdeen, but were offered a more attractive job outside of your community, which of the following would you consider doing:

leave region to work for several week periods at a time

commute up to 100k one-way per day

commute up to 50k one-way per day

commute more than 100k one-way per day

move to be close to job

none of the above

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* 15. How would you rate the performance of your local municipal government?

	excellent performance	satisfactory	poor performance
promoting community progress	promoting community progress excellent performance	promoting community progress satisfactory	promoting community progress poor performance
responding to local concerns	responding to local concerns excellent performance	responding to local concerns satisfactory	responding to local concerns poor performance
provision of services	provision of services excellent performance	provision of services satisfactory	provision of services poor performance
supporting community initiatives	supporting community initiatives excellent performance	supporting community initiatives satisfactory	supporting community initiatives poor performance
maintenance of infrastructure	maintenance of infrastructure excellent performance	maintenance of infrastructure satisfactory	maintenance of infrastructure poor performance
stewardship of local environment	stewardship of local environment excellent performance	stewardship of local environment satisfactory	stewardship of local environment poor performance
pursuing local opportunities	pursuing local opportunities excellent performance	pursuing local opportunities satisfactory	pursuing local opportunities poor performance
management of local resources	management of local resources excellent performance	management of local resources satisfactory	management of local resources poor performance

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* 16. What are the greatest strengths of the community of Aberdeen?
Please mark all that apply:

Location

Natural resources

Technology/communications

Recreation/activities/leisure

Town appearance

Available services

Processing/manufacturing/industry

Business opportunities

Agricultural background

Pristine natural environment

Unique theme/culture/heritage

Infrastructure

Employment opportunities

Housing-availability/affordability/quality

Cost of living

Health/education/social services

Lifestyle/way of life

People

Other (please specify)

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* 17. Why did you choose to live in Aberdeen?
Mark all that apply.

Safety/security

Recreation/leisure/activities

Have always lived here

Environment--nature/landscape/scenery

Cost of living

Agriculture

Elder care

Personal employment

Child rearing/family friendly community

Retirement opportunities

Employment for spouse

Environment—clean air/water/less noise

Health services

Proximity to an urban center

Relaxed lifestyle

Doing business

Relationships/family

Other (please specify)

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* 18. What, for you, are the greatest benefits of living in Aberdeen?
Please mark all that apply:

self-employment opportunities

services—financial/business/internet/mortgaging

proximity to city

ability to pursue personal goals

people--relationships/friends/social life

relaxation--quiet/peaceful/less stress

agriculture

employment opportunities

environment—sporting/fishing/hunting

recreation/leisure/sporting facilities

jobs nearby/travel to work

doing business/business opportunities

people-cooperation/trust/volunteerism/service

people-skills/qualities/resources

environment—nature/scenery/landscape

provides basic necessities—food, fuel etc.

housing—availability/affordability /quality

services—garage/plumber/electrical/carpenter

environment—clean air/water/pristine condition

services—grocery/shopping/goods & services

adult education/training opportunities

culture--events/people/places

culture--heritage/history/tradition

sense of belonging/ I am comfortable here

health care

infrastructure—transportation/communications

low crime /security/safety

activities/events/things to do

culture—creativity/interest/expression

culture--devotional/spiritual/religious

natural resources

education-school

town cleanliness/appearance

parks/camping/museums/attractions

cost of living

environment--weather/seasons/climate

retirement opportunities/opportunities for elderly

family—nearness to family/raising a family

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* 19. From the following list please rank the services most important to your quality of life in Aberdeen:

	more important	less important	not available in my community
Communications/internet	Communications/internet more important	Communications/internet less important	Communications/internet not available in my community
Entertainment/social life	Entertainment/social life more important	Entertainment/social life less important	Entertainment/social life not available in my community
Fuel/garage	Fuel/garage more important	Fuel/garage less important	Fuel/garage not available in my community
Elder care	Elder care more important	Elder care less important	Elder care not available in my community
Service/volunteer organizations	Service/volunteer organizations more important	Service/volunteer organizations less important	Service/volunteer organizations not available in my community
Financing/lending/mortgaging	Financing/lending/mortgaging more important	Financing/lending/mortgaging less important	Financing/lending/mortgaging not available in my community
Plumber	Plumber more important	Plumber less important	Plumber not available in my community
Grocer	Grocer more important	Grocer less important	Grocer not available in my community
Clubs/associations/societies	Clubs/associations/societies more important	Clubs/associations/societies less important	Clubs/associations/societies not available in my community
Post office	Post office more important	Post office less important	Post office not available in my community
home maintenance	home maintenance more important	home maintenance less important	home maintenance not available in my community
Water/sewer/utilities	Water/sewer/utilities more important	Water/sewer/utilities less important	Water/sewer/utilities not available in my community
Electrician	Electrician more important	Electrician less important	Electrician not available in my community
Shopping/general goods & services	Shopping/general goods & services more important	Shopping/general goods & services less important	Shopping/general goods & services not available in my community
School	School more important	School less important	School not available in my community
Municipal representation	Municipal representation more important	Municipal representation less important	Municipal representation not available in my community
Sporting facilities/organizations	Sporting facilities/organizations more important	Sporting facilities/organizations less important	Sporting facilities/organizations not available in my community
Committees/boards/community improvement groups	Committees/boards/community improvement groups more important	Committees/boards/community improvement groups less important	Committees/boards/community improvement groups not available in my community
Health service	Health service more important	Health service less important	Health service not available in my community

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* 20. Take a moment to think about the future of your community. Based on the following list, what are the most crucial issues threatening that future?
Mark all that apply.

Housing needs

Youth retention

Aging population

Access to family friendly services (school, activities etc)

Access to training/skills

Business succession (passing business on)

Employment opportunities/under-employment/unemployment

Commodity agriculture/ family farming

Business retention

Lack of volunteerism/community cooperation

Availability of investment/financing/mortgaging

Availability of activities/leisure/social entertainment

People’s resistance to change

Quality of infrastructure

Depopulation

Environment—drought/water quality/waste/contamination/condemned sites

Personal savings/consumer debt/income levels

Social/family problems

Access to heath care

Availability of essential services (grocer/plumber/electrician etc.)

Concentration of employment in single sector

Access to technology/communications/internet

Access to larger markets

Other (please specify)

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* 21. Please identify your priorities for improvement in your current home community?
Mark all that apply.

Town appearance/cleanliness

Opportunities for youth

Access to technology

Attitude of local people

Entrepreneurial spirit

Infrastructure—water, roads etc.

Adding value to agriculture

Family friendly services

Business growth/retention/succession

Access to basic services (health, education. . .)

Infrastructure—communications/cellular/internet

Tourism/marketing/promotion of community,

Unique town theme

Other (please specify)

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* 22. From the following list please select the most essential to the quality of life in your commmunity:

	essential	not essential	N/A
Municipal council	Municipal council essential	Municipal council not essential	Municipal council N/A
Insurance	Insurance essential	Insurance not essential	Insurance N/A
Sporting clubs	Sporting clubs essential	Sporting clubs not essential	Sporting clubs N/A
Health care	Health care essential	Health care not essential	Health care N/A
School	School essential	School not essential	School N/A
Garage/fuel	Garage/fuel essential	Garage/fuel not essential	Garage/fuel N/A
Financial institution	Financial institution essential	Financial institution not essential	Financial institution N/A
Grocer	Grocer essential	Grocer not essential	Grocer N/A
Library	Library essential	Library not essential	Library N/A
Protective—fire/police	Protective—fire/police essential	Protective—fire/police not essential	Protective—fire/police N/A
Service clubs/Community groups	Service clubs/Community groups essential	Service clubs/Community groups not essential	Service clubs/Community groups N/A
Town improvement group	Town improvement group essential	Town improvement group not essential	Town improvement group N/A
Creative outlets/cultural groups	Creative outlets/cultural groups essential	Creative outlets/cultural groups not essential	Creative outlets/cultural groups N/A
Elder care	Elder care essential	Elder care not essential	Elder care N/A
Skilled trades business	Skilled trades business essential	Skilled trades business not essential	Skilled trades business N/A

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* 23. In your opinion what represents the top 3 greatest areas of opportunity and growth for Aberdeen?

Agricultural processing

Town appearance

Alternative energy (bio-fuels, wind power etc.)

Elder care

Tourism—events/cultural/heritage/festival

Attracting new residents

Unique attributes/unique town theme

Employment in nearby communities/urban centers

Tourism—sporting/hunting/fishing

Entrepreneurship/ innovation/invention

Industry/ Manufacturing/processing

Cottage industry—artisans etc.

Intensive livestock

Home based businesses/professionals

Attracting industry

Quality of people: skills/resources/attitudes

Regional collaboration

Amenities—health/education/local services

Lifestyle/way of life

Natural resources

Proximity to urban center

Housing affordability/availability

Casual/seasonal employment opportunities

Community spirit/cooperation/volunteerism

Agriculture-niche/diversification

Business expansion

Reasonable cost of living

Infrastructure-transportation/commercial property/land/facilities

Tourism—natural/recreational/leisure

Pristine natural environment

Immigration

Internet based business

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* 24. What would you consider to be the top 3 most pressing environmental concerns facing your community?

Air quality

Infrastructure—sewer/transportation

Drought—soil erosion, soil quality

Concern for drinking water supply and quality

Encroachments of urban areas onto agricultural land

Dilapidated/condemnable buildings

Intensive livestock operations

Industrial usage/waste/contaminated sites

Availability of green space/leisure & recreation

Land extensive agriculture

Controls on land use

BSE and other diseases

Integrity of wetlands/ watersheds

Energy use

Noise—traffic etc.

Chemical use—pesticides/herbicides etc.

Other (please specify)

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* 25. What are some of the ways that you are involved in your community?
Mark all that apply.

Sporting group

Volunteer for specific initiatives/etc.

Volunteer for service groups/committees

Volunteer for special events

Craft/hobby/artisan group

Provide assistance to elderly

Member of a co-operative

Vote in municipal elections

Shopping locally

Pay property taxes

Give donations

Other (please specify)

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* 26. What businesses/services/industries do we not have in this community that you would like to see and would support?

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* 27. If you travel to purchase goods or services that are available locally, could you provide reasons why?

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* 28. What additional programs or facilities do you believe would be feasible and utilized by children/youth/adults/seniors in the community? Feel free to address any or all of the demographics.

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* 29. Again, thank you for completing this survey. If you would like to receive a $5.00 Community Card simply provide your name and phone number. Your name will not be connected to your survey results.

Name

Phone Number

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* 1. Has Aberdeen always been your home community?

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* 2. How long has Aberdeen been your home?

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* 3. Please identify your age group:

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* 4. Are you satisfied with the amenities that are available in your community?

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* 5. From your perspective what makes Aberdeen unique?

Question Title

* 6. People require many things in order to have a truly comfortable life. In terms of accessing those things that you require to feel content; what is the statement that you most agree with?

Question Title

* 7. Lets say for a moment, that in the near future, your community will not face any major dilemmas, but will also not experience any new good fortune; given this scenerio what would you say are the long term prospects for your community?

Question Title

* 8. How would you rate your ability to influence the future of your community?

Question Title

* 9. If the right project came along in your community, would you have skills and/or time you'd like to volunteer?

Question Title

* 10. From your perspective, how has your community changed the past several years:

Question Title

* 11. How would you describe the level of mutual trust and respect among community members?

Question Title

* 12. Do you feel that your community provides adequate networks of support for people during times of stress and need?

Question Title

* 13. For your current or most recent job, how far do you travel to work each day?

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* 14. If you were to continue living in Aberdeen, but were offered a more attractive job outside of your community, which of the following would you consider doing:

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* 15. How would you rate the performance of your local municipal government?

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* 16. What are the greatest strengths of the community of Aberdeen? Please mark all that apply:

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* 17. Why did you choose to live in Aberdeen? Mark all that apply.

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* 18. What, for you, are the greatest benefits of living in Aberdeen?Please mark all that apply:

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* 19. From the following list please rank the services most important to your quality of life in Aberdeen:

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* 20. Take a moment to think about the future of your community. Based on the following list, what are the most crucial issues threatening that future?Mark all that apply.

Question Title

* 21. Please identify your priorities for improvement in your current home community?Mark all that apply.

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* 22. From the following list please select the most essential to the quality of life in your commmunity:

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* 23. In your opinion what represents the top 3 greatest areas of opportunity and growth for Aberdeen?

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* 24. What would you consider to be the top 3 most pressing environmental concerns facing your community?

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* 25. What are some of the ways that you are involved in your community?Mark all that apply.

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* 26. What businesses/services/industries do we not have in this community that you would like to see and would support?

Question Title

* 27. If you travel to purchase goods or services that are available locally, could you provide reasons why?

Question Title

* 28. What additional programs or facilities do you believe would be feasible and utilized by children/youth/adults/seniors in the community? Feel free to address any or all of the demographics.

Question Title

* 29. Again, thank you for completing this survey. If you would like to receive a $5.00 Community Card simply provide your name and phone number. Your name will not be connected to your survey results.

* 16. What are the greatest strengths of the community of Aberdeen?
Please mark all that apply:

* 17. Why did you choose to live in Aberdeen?
Mark all that apply.

* 18. What, for you, are the greatest benefits of living in Aberdeen?
Please mark all that apply:

* 20. Take a moment to think about the future of your community. Based on the following list, what are the most crucial issues threatening that future?
Mark all that apply.

* 21. Please identify your priorities for improvement in your current home community?
Mark all that apply.

* 25. What are some of the ways that you are involved in your community?
Mark all that apply.