Focus Group Findings #3
What do you like about living in your community?
Geography and environment
- Mountains
- Access to outdoors and state parks
- Beautiful scenery
- Geology of the area; the scenery, “love driving up the canyons”
- Water quality is good (more than one participant agreed)
Institutions
- Weber State University
- More than one person said they like the schools
- Good education system
- Ogden works hard at improving their community
- Diversity of businesses (big and small companies)
- Like working in Ogden, primarily because we work together, willing to come together for the greater good instead of individual agendas, good feel of cooperation
Infrastructure
- Easy access parking; good parking; free parking
- Transportation system has improved and is very good now
- Proximity to I-15 and grocery stores
Services/Access to Care
- Prenatal care at midtown clinic is good
- Hospitals and health clinics are close
- RAMP program: for kids
- Free lunches for kids at the parks during the summer
- Farmers Market-one resident stated, “I wish it would last throughout the year”
- Marshall White Center (local community recreation center)
- Good hospitals and emergency rooms
- Weber Human Services (“great service”, “helpful”)
- Libraries
- Early intervention programs
Safety
- Feels safe; some even feel they can leave their doors unlocked
- Not dangerous as people say
- Many said that they feel safer than in bigger cities
- In comparison to bigger cities, crime rate isn’t the same; “I feel safer here”
- There is a perception that Ogden is not safe; it’s an old, weird idea, but it persists
Social aspects
- Friendly, helpful, and safe neighborhoods
- You get to know your neighbors
- Neighbors are willing to help out and look out for you
- There are a lot of volunteers in the area, including doctors who are willing to help out
- Volunteer opportunities/ and many people in the community who volunteer
- Clean neighborhoods/ no garbage or gang graffiti
- The people, “good people”
- A lot of diversity
Lifestyle
- Mellow, calmer than Salt Lake City or other bigger cities
- “Slower pace of life than Davis County”
- One man said that “it’s like I’m in Mayberry”
- Smaller town, less “complicated”
- Cost of living is affordable; more affordable than other areas
- Access easy; transportation, parking, streets less confusing and busy than big cities
- Access to things (bigger cities are not too far)
- Everything is closer and you don’t have to get on the freeway to get to locations
Activities
- More places to take the children/ activities for children
- Active outdoor life
- Outdoor recreation, and trails; the city keeps working on their trails and takes care of them
- Recreation has improved much since earlier times
- Arts (the arts)
- Local parks
Other benefits/thoughts
- The history of the area
- You get to experience all four seasons
- National rankings have boosted image of Ogden