Understanding how people perceive Greater Concepción — in terms of both its strengths and its outstanding challenges — was the aim of the “City and Quality of Life” survey conducted by City Lab Biobío through its social media channels.
The survey involved residents aged between 16 and 75 from municipalities across Greater Concepción. Some 74 per cent of respondents said they like their city, while acknowledging it still has many areas for improvement, and 23 per cent said they love it. The sense of belonging and pride among Greater Concepción residents is further confirmed by the fact that those who responded “I don’t like it” or “I’m indifferent” accounted for just 2.6 per cent.
Nature, the Biobío River, the beach, green spaces, university life, diversity, culture and the climate were among the characteristics of Greater Concepción most valued by its residents. When it came to areas needing future improvement, 33 per cent of respondents chose public transport, 23 per cent cited green spaces and public areas, and 22.4 per cent pointed to streets, cycle lanes and pavements. Safety, pollution, amenities and access to public services also received mentions.
“The objective of City Lab Biobío is to model the city in order to improve future urban planning decisions, and to that end we are gathering data from a range of sources. In this context, it is also important to understand the perceptions of residents across different areas — and in the case of Greater Concepción it is very clear that those of us who live here have a strong sense of belonging and pride in our city,” said Marcela Martínez, director of City Lab Biobío.
Participants were also asked how they would like their city to be known in the future. Some 18.7 per cent opted for a clean and orderly city, 18 per cent for a city that protects the environment, 15.8 per cent for a metropolis of economic and employment opportunity, 11.3 per cent for a multicultural city, and 10.3 per cent for a safe city and university town.
