Survey gives Cabbagetown group direction for 2014

Eric Morse –

In the fall of 2013, the Cabbagetown Residents’ Association (Gerrard to the Necropolis and the Don to Parliament) conducted a survey of its residents. Over 200 replied. The results, which are posted in full on the CRA website at www.cabbagetowner.com, contained several surprises, according to CRA President Steven de Blois.

The biggest surprise, de Blois said, was that 64% of Cabbagetown residents were already concerned about the loss of the green canopy when the survey was taken before the devastation caused by the ice storms of December. On the other hand, only 1.8 are concerned by the occasional coyote manifestations in the neighbourhood.

Cabbagetowners stay put: 23% have lived in the neighbourhood from six to ten years, 20% from ten to 15 years, and 15% have been resident for over a quarter century.

Cabbagetowners walk to work, or at least 53% of them do, which is perhaps not surprising, since 86% chose to live in the neighbourhood because it’s close to the city centre.

Cabbagetown is kid-friendly: 36% of responding families have them in some form or other. Correspondingly, a very high percentage of respondents feel that Cabbagetown is a safe place to live.

De Blois told The Bulletin that the survey had received over 200 open comments. The executive has themed these by issue and they will be dealt with month by month over the next year on the website and in the newsletter. Meanwhile, Carolyn Shaw-Rimmington, the chair of the canopy committee, has been accepted onto the board of LEAF for a closer operational liaison on tree renewal.

The CRA expects to repeat the survey in another five years.

The CRA’s major focus now is planning for the Forsythia Festival on May 4. The survey found a general wish for a better shopping experience in the neighbourhood, and de Blois told The Bulletin that the Forsythia Festival provides an excellent opportunity for businesses and residents, with commercial sponsorships impressively up over 2013, (the first year that the CRA took over responsibility for organizing the event). The organizing committee for the festival includes Trish Finkelstein, Lindsay Whitfield and Carolyn Shaw-Rimmington.

A full festival program can be found at www.cabbagetowner.com.