Survey

We’re looking for opinions, viewpoints, feedback, and ideas as we explore the possibility of putting a Community Center referendum question on the November ballot. We have just completed our first phase of outreach in the form of a survey asking residents what amenities they'd like to see in a potential Community Center. Hundreds of residents weighed in online and staff members and civic leaders met with more than 100 people for face-to-face conversations around the community as well. Phase One wrapped up at the end of March. We'll have new updates in the coming weeks. 

Updates

This webpage you’re looking at right now is your “one-stop-shopping” point; we’ll be providing updates throughout the project. When’s the next meeting or how do you access the next survey? Has the City identified potential partners to share building or operating costs? What would a potential project cost the individual taxpayer? You’ll find that type of updated information right here in the near future.

Survey Results

We asked and you, the residents of Cottage Grove, answered! 1,744 people took our online survey and staff members and elected officials met face-to-face with another 303 people out in the community. The data you’ll find comes from a single question: Choose all the possible amenities (12 offered) you would like to see included in a potential community center? Some chose “none of the above,” some chose “all of the above,” and hundreds simply cherry-picked the features they’d like to be potentially included. View the online survey results:

Survey Results - Choose all of the possible amenities that you would like to see included in a potential community center

Amenities ChosenProgram Your Community Center

Throughout the month of March, Staff Members and Civic Leaders met with various groups and organizations to hear directly from residents, stopping by senior centers, meeting with members of clubs, and talking with shoppers at both Hy-Vee and Cub. Using the “block method”, residents could place the amenities they wanted onto a sliding scale that corresponded with the total construction cost of a possible building. The bigger the block, the bigger the expense.

Pool Categories

During these exercises, residents could choose possibilities within the amenities listed on the online survey. The Pool could be broken down into three categories:

  • Adventure AquaticsProgram Your Community Center 2
  • Aquatic Aerobics
  • Kids Pool

Fitness Center Categories

The Fitness Center could be broken down into three categories:

  • Cardio
  • Fitness Studios
  • WeightsProgram Tiles

Community Room Categories

Community Rooms could be broken down into four categories:

  • Activity Room
  • Banquet Space
  • Makerspace/Learning Lab
  • Party Rooms

Outdoor Park / Event SpaceProgram Tiles 2

Outdoor Park or Event Space could be broken down into 2 categories:

  • Lawn Bowling
  • Outdoor Event Landscape
  • Outdoor Playground
  • Splash Pad

Face-to-Face Interaction Results

View the results from those “face-to-face” interactions (303):

Community Center Blocks Outreach Results Pie Chart


Next Step

The City will pull all the data and combine it with recent market analysis, on-going stakeholder and potential partner discussions, and site feasibility studies. The Finance team will then run the numbers and a new survey, narrowing in on what a potential community center would entail, will be launched in the coming weeks. Stay tuned, we still need more of your input!