Thunder?Bay, as a whole, you seem generally happy with the direction the city is taking.
According to the biennial citizen satisfaction survey, 92 per cent of respondents rate the city’s quality of life as good or very good, up five percentage points over 2011 and seven over 2009.
An even better sign is the economy seems to be less and less of a worry than it was as little as four years ago, when 56 per cent listed it as the No. 1 issue in the city.
Today that number is just 21 per cent, sliding behind transportation as residents’ biggest concern.
It’s not all good news. Crime has slowly crept up the list, from four per cent in 2009 to 17 per cent this time around, a troubling trend that shows fear is on the rise in Thunder Bay, warranted or not.
The survey also gives council an indication of what major capital projects are the most important to the people who live here.
A new youth centre and library renewal top the list, with 76 per cent agreeing or strongly agreeing it must be done. Conservatory redevelopment checks in at 72 per cent, while a new event centre was second lowest at 61 per cent. Ironically, moving the Thunder?Bay Art Gallery to the waterfront, which council agreed in principle Monday night to support, came in last place, at 54 per cent.
