Community Engagement Survey

Every two years, the City of Celina conducts a Community Survey that gathers residents’ perceptions of the performance of the City in our community to ensure that resident expectations are being met. To conduct this survey, the City partnered with Polco, the national leader in benchmark surveys, as they can analyze and compare the gathered data to other like-sized cities. The City will use these findings to direct City initiatives that ensure that resident expectations are being achieved. This is aided by Polco’s ability to conduct follow-up surveys to learn more about residents’ needs.

Below are some highlights of the 2022 Community Engagement Survey. Please take a few moments to review the results that were collected based on input from our residents.

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE 2022 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY SUMMARY

Celina Residents Experience a High Quality of Life

All items relating to the quality of life in Celina received high marks from a strong majority of residents and were largely similar to ratings given to other communities across the country. About 9 in 10 residents gave positive ratings to Celina as a place to live, the overall quality of life in the city, and the city as a place to raise children. A similar proportion of residents also indicated that they would both recommend living in Celina to someone who asked and planned to remain in the city for the next five years. A slightly lower proportion, around 8 in 10, positively rated the overall image of Celina and made all residents feel welcome.

The Economy is Healthy in Celina - Though Residents Point to Possible Areas of Focus

The economy is an area of priority for the residents of Celina, and when asked about aspects of the community the City should focus on in the next two years, nearly 9 in 10 residents responded that the importance of the overall economic health of the City was essential or very important. A number of items related to the economy in Celina garnered positive ratings from residents, including the overall economic health of the city (78% excellent or good). About two-thirds of respondents also gave high marks to the overall quality of business and service establishments, the vibrancy of the downtown and commercial area, economic development, as well as Celina as a place to visit. About half of the participants showed similar support for Celina as a place to work.

Possible areas of opportunity for the City, as identified by residents, include the additional development of the downtown area. The variety of business and service establishments and shopping opportunities in Celina garnered support from 41% and 23% of residents respectively; both lower than the national benchmarks. Additionally, the City also asked a custom question regarding the quality of different aspects of the downtown area. Of these, about two-thirds gave excellent or good ratings to the number of family-oriented businesses, and about 4 in 10 gave similar ratings to the variety of dining and entertainment options. Other items included a variety of professional services (33% excellent or good), a variety of shopping options (32%), transportation and parking options (27%), as well as a variety of cultural and art-related options (18%).

Parks & Recreation is a Possible Area of Opportunity for Celina

Items pertaining to parks and recreation in Celina garnered mixed results and may be a possible area of opportunity for the City. City parks received the highest level of support from residents (69% excellent or good), followed by the overall quality of parks and recreational opportunities (57%), and recreation programs or classes (52%). Items that were less positive tended to be related to accessing recreation activities and facilities. Such items included recreation centers or facilities (39%), recreational opportunities (33%), availability of paths and walking trails (27%), and fitness opportunities (23%). Each of these was either lower or much lower than the national averages. Additionally, when asked what improvements residents would most like to see in Celina, about 1 in 10 pointed to a recreation/aquatic center, or recreational programming for children and seniors.

Safety is an Asset to Celina

Overall feelings of safety, along with safety-related services, contribute to the high quality of life experienced in Celina. All items relating to safety in the city were rated positively and tended be either higher than or on par with national benchmarks. About 9 in 10 respondents gave excellent or good ratings to the overall feeling of safety in the city and indicated feeling safe in most aspects of the community. This was highlighted by nearly all residents reporting feeling very or somewhat safe from violent crime (96%), in their neighborhood during the day (96%), in Celina’s downtown and commercial area (95%), as well as from property crime (89%). Safety-related services also garnered support from a high proportion of residents. About 9 in 10 gave favorable marks to fire services, crime prevention, and police/sheriff services.

Previous Results

2020 Community Engagement Survey Results
2018 Community Engagement Survey Results