What is it about a community that makes current and future residents and businesses want to locate, live, work, shop, and play there? In other words, what is a good community, and how can city leaders help put all the pieces together?
While everyone is likely to answer this question a little bit differently, years of research show there are common elements that help build strong and vibrant communities. Most people are looking for similar things, such as:
- Membership: The feeling that part of us is invested in the community, and that we have a right to belong and feel welcome.
- Influence: The sense that we have some say in the local issues that affect us, and that our perspectives are appreciated and respected.
- Fulfillment of needs: The community provides numerous opportunities for both individual and social satisfaction, including basic needs (goods and services), recreation, and quality social interactions.
A fairly recent multi-year, multi-community study of characteristics that most influence community attachment identified the following key features of great communities:
- Social offerings (good place to meet people, availability of community events and cultural opportunities, enjoyable night life).
- Welcoming and openness (good place for all types of families, individuals and seniors, friendly and hospitable people).
- Aesthetics (beauty and cleanliness of community, parks, playgrounds, trails, downtown area, etc.).
- Education (quality of K-12 schools, tech schools, and nearby colleges).
- Basic services (roads, water, healthcare, housing, etc).
- Safety (level of crime, effectiveness of police, safe to walk in neighborhoods).
- Economy (getting better or worse, availability of jobs that provide income needed; etc.).
The study establishes that people who are satisfied with their communities are likely to perceive that the community has great social offerings, is welcoming and has great aesthetics. These community characteristics particularly, and a few others too, attract and anchor individual and business talent and provide for opportunity.
Watertown needs leaders with the energy, expertise, and enthusiasm to make our city the kind of place where current and future residents and businesses want to live, work, shop, go to school, and play. A place that people feel attached to and have pride in.
For more information see: https://www.knightfoundation.org/sotc/ and https://extension.psu.edu/what-makes-the-good-community
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