It says something about a place when almost everyone that lives there feels they have a pretty darn good quality of life.
That’s the case here in Okotoks as the Town’s 2022 Citizen Satisfaction Survey found that 98 per cent of respondents believe the overall quality of life to be good or very good.
You can’t get 98 per cent of people to agree on much these days, so to have that type of consensus on anything beyond lowering taxes or improving health care is quite an achievement. It stands to reason you wouldn’t necessarily live somewhere you don’t like, but it can be easy to take things for granted, to overlook all that’s good around you and harp about what gets under your skin. That’s certainly a favourite pastime of many on social media.
I thought the quality-of-life figure was very impressive, only to find out it was identical to results of surveys taken in 2018, 2013 and 2009, which clearly shows people have been satisfied with the direction of the town for quite some time. Before you think it’s like that everywhere, similar surveys conducted recently in Calgary and Airdrie found that 80 and 72 per cent of respondents, respectively, considered their quality of life to be good or very good.
The research firm contracted by the Town received over 700 responses so it’s a statistically valid survey, although I’m guessing the respondents skewed older as 69 per cent don’t have children at home, which seems on the high side given the town’s demographics. Thirty-two per cent have lived in Okotoks for more than 20 years, which also suggests a more mature segment of the population.
Nevertheless, the responses seemed to hit on all the key points this newcomer has come to recognize in a short period of time so it’s hard to quibble with the findings.
When asked for reasons why they chose a particular quality of life rating, not surprisingly the most frequent comment, one mentioned by 40 per cent of respondents, was the small-town vibe, which is exactly what drew us here. Civic services and amenities, from parks and pathways to arts and culture, were also frequently mentioned, as were shopping opportunities and overall safety, all things my wife and I have come to recognize as benefits of living in Okotoks.
I guess it’s also not a stretch that the most common negative comment had to do with what was termed unsustainable growth, which is often the greatest fear for those who are protective of their small-town lifestyle. Only six per cent of respondents have that concern, or at least shared it with the research firm, so it’s not a significant issue yet, but with our water worries soon to be a thing of the past, it has the potential to grow into something more.
That’s a discussion for another day as today’s takeaway is that Okotoks residents enjoy an enviable quality of life. Past satisfaction survey results tell us that lifestyle has been maintained despite growth spurts over the last two decades, so it provides hope that what we hold dear won’t be disappearing anytime soon.
