Last September, the Town of Niverville provided an opportunity for residents to voice their opinions on what it would take to make their town a better place to live. More than 375 people responded to the online survey, all but five of whom currently live in Niverville. Two-thirds have lived in Niverville for ten years or less.
The collective results of the survey were used in town council’s latest planning sessions to provide context as to the community’s future.
“I want to thank everyone who took the time to fill out this survey,” says Mayor Myron Dyck. “The information collected during this survey will help us in future planning, decision-making, and where to direct our efforts in advocacy, especially in the area of seeing businesses bring greater amenities to the community.”
As a measurement of the town’s success rate, council was happy to discover that the majority of respondents feel a sense of pride and would recommend Niverville to family and friends looking to relocate.
The survey reveals that many respondents chose Niverville for its small-town vibe, which offers a lower level of noise and tension compared to city life. A deeper sense of safety, too, was noted.
One subject of the survey concerns local job opportunities, which would lead to shorter commute times, more time with family, and less money spent on fuel. Fifteen percent of respondents said they’d appreciate the opportunity to offer their expertise to their home community.
Some respondents still desire to continue commuting to Winnipeg, despite the inconvenience and cost. Almost half would do so because of the greater variety of jobs available. Other reasons include better wages and a greater customer base.
For many, the decision to commute wouldn’t change even if the same job was offered locally. Twenty-two percent of respondents feel loyal to their current employer and another 19 percent said the hassle of changing jobs would be too great.
Some people live in Niverville but operate a business in Winnipeg, and would continue to do so rather than relocate. They cited the need to be close to their customer base, a lack of good locations or buildings in Niverville, and poorer access to qualified help.
If residents could change one thing about the community, many said they’d like to see a greater number of amenities and services offered locally, especially for younger families.
Respondents noted the top seven services that are currently missing in Niverville—more retail, casual dining, other grocery options, more daycare spots, a bowling alley or arcade, a bakery, and a butcher shop.
In fact, the general lack of amenities is cited as the main reason why the average family might not choose to make Niverville home. Others cited the distance from Winnipeg as an inhibitor as well as a lack of awareness of what Niverville has to offer.
While many see room for improvement, most respondents agree on the one thing that makes the community exceptional just as it is: the small-town feel.
In recent months, Mayor Dyck has been responding to this sentiment when the topic comes on social media.
It’s not the population size or number of amenities, he argues, that gives Niverville that small-town quality. It’s the people helping people and neighbours being neighbourly.
“I want to commend our community members for the effort they put into looking after one another,” says Dyck. “As long as we continue to do this, we will always have that small-town feel.”
