MCF SURVEY: 6 OUT OF 10 RESPONDENTS SAY MCLEAN LACKS "SENSE OF COMMUNITY," MOST POPULAR REMEDIES OUTLINED
McLean Citizens Foundation Polls Community on Priorities, Major Concerns;
Top Priorities: Business District Revitalization, Pedestrian-Friendly Changes Urged
McLEAN, VA. - Sept. 26, 2007 - Most McLean residents may not believe that the place where they live has a "sense of community," but they have clear ideas about how to remedy the situation, according to a new survey conducted by the McLean Citizens Foundation (MCF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that has been funding worthy local projects in the Greater McLean area for more than 25 years.
The Web-based survey consisted of 14 questions and was available on the MCF Web site (www.McLeanCitizensFoundation.org) from June to August 2007 after notifying local residents by postcard of the survey's availability. Hard copies of the survey were distributed at McLean Day and were made available at the McLean Community Center. A total of 284 residents responded to the survey.
MCF president, Trish Butler said: "While the vast majority of MCF grants have been in response to applications by local non-profit organizations, the Foundation also is chartered to initiate community projects on its own. MCF Trustees wanted to hear from residents about their priorities, so we reached out to the community to ask their opinions about possible improvements to McLean."
Key survey findings were as follows:
* Residents were asked if they agreed with the statement: "Some people say that McLean does not have a very strong sense of community identity or character." More than three out of five respondents -- 23.2 percent strongly agreeing and 37.7 percent somewhat agreeing - embraced the statement; 25 percent disagreed, with just 8.1 percent disagreeing strongly.
* When asked on an open-ended basis "If you could change one tangible thing to make McLean a better place, what would it be?", the vast majority of responses (183) focused on a downtown revitalization and beautification effort with a public square, giving priority to safe sidewalks and bike paths and focusing on improving and diversifying commercial amenities - restaurants, shops (and adding a cinema). Respondents voiced frustration over an unplanned approach to development in McLean. A number of respondents cited Reston Town Center as an example of what they'd like to see in McLean.
* Residents were asked to rank the general types of projects they would like to see undertaken in McLean: Parks/green space/trails; public safety; the arts; historical projects and projects focusing on target populations. The overwhelming majority of respondents indicated that parks/green space and trails (79.6 percent) and public safety projects (47.5 percent) are very important to them. Of "somewhat importance" were historical projects (52.1 percent), the arts (47.2 percent), and projects focusing on specific groups (40.5 percent).
* When asked to rank the kinds of projects they would like to see MCF initiate, residents ranked parks, trails and recreation (60.2 percent) and community spaces (42.6 percent) as top priorities. Renovation to existing public facilities (44.7 percent) and beautification/public art projects (42.6 percent) came in as medium priorities.
The subjects of traffic (it's too fast and there's too much of it) and the unsafe environment for pedestrians (adults and children) came up regularly in responses (although pedestrian safety was in the context of needed sidewalks and therefore included in the previous summary). The tunnel (of course) was mentioned as a transportation issue - all who answered with it favored "under" to "over" while the same number of residents stated support for Metro.
Other suggestions from respondents to the open-ended questions included:
Incorporate McLean;
Have more free and low-cost locally-sponsored community activities like Bethesda, Vienna and Reston;
Bury the utility lines;
Install a footbridge over 123 to McLean Central Park;
Start "greening" McLean - force new public buildings to have solar panels;
Ban the signs that are on all our medians and street corners; and
Initiate a "Clean up" campaign to rid McLean of litter, poison ivy along trails and improve untended green spaces.
MCF survey respondents represented residents of 22101 (60 percent of respondents), 22102 (31 percent of respondents) and 22043 (9 percent of respondents). Residency of respondents ranged from less than one year to more than 20 years. Of those who responded 38.7 percent have lived in McLean for more than 20 years and those who lived here for less than six years were at 23.3 percent. Almost half of respondents (47.5 percent) were employed by a company and working away from home; 16.2 percent were self-employed; 8.8 percent were at home parents; and 22.2 percent were retired. While only 32 percent of respondents were currently active in at least one community-based organization, nearly half (48.9 percent) told MCF they had been active in local community-based organizations in the past.
ABOUT MCF
MCF is McLean's community foundation, making grants to worthy projects that have a lasting benefit to the residents and surroundings of the McLean Planning District. Recent grant recipients include McLean Volunteer Fire Department, Fairfax Trails and Streams, and SHARE, Inc. The MCF Web site lists a history of grants made to the community, which has awarded nearly one million dollars in grants to local organizations. Local not-for-profit organizations are encouraged to visit (www.McleanCitizensFoundation.org) for MCF grant policy guidelines and the application form.
Individuals and businesses can support the important work of the McLean Citizens Foundation by making tax deductible contributions to MCF, P.O. Box 75, McLean, Virginia 22101.
CONTACT: Trish Butler, MCF Publicity Chair, 703-917-0611 or tbutler@sagecommunications.net.
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