By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Aug. 6, 2013
A iPad mini and five $20 gift cards are up for grabs in a draw if you complete the district survey on ‘shopping habits, leisure activities, and perceptions in and around downtown Squamish.’
The new consumer study survey aims to determine what business services Squamish residents and visitors want to see in downtown Squamish, said Mayor Rob Kirkham.
“We hope to receive useful data that will help inform decisions around our downtown transformation initiative, as well as provide insights to the business community on what opportunities exist downtown.”
The survey has been developed in partnership with a university student-run volunteer organization, White Forest Consulting.
Student volunteers will be administering the survey at the upcoming farmers’ market. The survey is also available online.
The survey will be open online August 3 to September 7, 2013.
Student volunteers will be at the farmers’ market to conduct the survey in person August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, and September 7.
Posters and postcards will be placed throughout downtown Squamish stores, and various tourist attractions with a link and QR code for the survey.
The survey can be accessed online at www.squamish.ca/survey
Dave says
This survey is all well and good and I have completed it. But the bottom line is that Squamish is the whole valley.
I shop in Downtown, the Industrial Park/Queensway, Brackendale, and Garibaldi Estates for a wide variety of my needs. All people in all of these areas pay taxes….All parties please remember that! Perhaps the District should conduct individual surveys on all these areas including Valleycliffe to see how they can be “enhanced” or “revitalised”. Kinda sick of all this. Please focus on ALL OF US.
Wolfgang W says
The problem is in the description ‘DOWNTOWN’. As I said in another post on this subject, this area of Squamish was ‘Downtown’, when that was all there was in urban density in the valley. Some time ago it has become ‘historic’ Downtown, not in the sense of pretty heritage buildings, but in the sense that it can no longer claim to be the economic center of the valley it once was.
Nevertheless, before we blame previous councils for allowing strip mall sprawl further north, consider also the geographic constraints of the old Downtown for expansion, not to mention its restricted access. Our ‘Downtown’ is not, as in most other cities, the old core from where urban expansion could radiate out in every direction. Whether one likes it or not, ‘Downtown’ has become a ‘former’ and, at least in my opinion, can only be rejuvenated by making it into an attractive ’boutique downtown’ (e.g. like Steveston, in Richmond). Easier said than done, I know, but aren’t the pretty artist renderings and plans for the Nexen lands precisely pointing in that direction?
Patricia says
I started to complete this survey but then noticed so many holes in it that I didn’t see how it was going to give you an accurate picture. It seems to leave out Chieftain & Squamish Station Malls. It leaves out all sorts of businesses within Squamish (eg Garibaldi Graphics, the various dollar stores, businesses that carry household goods). I see nothing for “other” (I head into the city sometimes for fabric & other sewing supplies). And my critique is just from the first page. If this is to be done well, it needs reworking.
Madi says
When I did the survey I included the Chieftain and Station Malls as south of McDonalds and did my survey accordingly. I do agree with Patricia we are in desperate need of a good fabric, sewing, quilting shop. Unfortunately we have done without a fully functioning shop for a while and I have put that hobby aside.