Annual Vital Signs report released
Posted Oct 1, 2013 06:49:33 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The 6th annual Vital Signs report card has been released for Waterloo Region.
The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation says it takes the pulse of the community, comparing how we are doing now in 11 different areas as compared to previous years.
Foundation CEO, Rosemary Smith tells 570 News, one chief concern remains belonging and leadership.
“Less of us are voting…less of us are donating. That does not bode well
for a community who sees itself coming shoulder to shoulder to build itself.”
The report takes the 11 different indicators and then focuses on four high priority issues.
In addition to belonging and leadership, the report also identifies arts and culture, health and wellness and getting started in the community as areas of concern.
The report also identifies the gap between rich and poor and lack of affordable housing as areas that need to be addressed.
Brock Hart of Overlap Associates is working on a separate survey about belonging.
He tells 570 News giving someone a sense of belonging could be something as simple as saying “Hi” or getting to know a neighbour.
When it comes to arts and culture, Heather Franklin with the Waterloo Community Arts Centre says the arts community also has to get better at getting its message out about festivals and other events.
“We don’t market well enough…They find out about it after it happened.” said Franklin.
Vital Signs also found when it comes to the environment were are above the Ontario median of the proportion of waste we direct to recycling. As a community we are using less water per day as well.
