This Is A Quick Overview Of The Bias. A Rebuttal Of Each Of The 14 Survey Questions Follows.

The possible move of the Civic Centre, Chatham-Kent Museum, and Thames Art Gallery to the Downtown Chatham Centre has been much discussed of late. Residents wonder if the move would or would not be beneficial for Chatham-Kent.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent recently put out a survey of resident’s opinions on the possible move. It is a ridiculously biased survey, clearly in favour of moving the Municipal Centre, Gallery, and Museum to the DCC.

The survey never asks if the user wants them moved, yet most Yes answers can be used by the Municipality to support the idea that survey users (and therefore C-K residents) agree with the move.

For Example, Question #10 Says…

“Chatham-Kent’s population has been steadily growing for the past several years. Given this increase, do you support an increase in overall space for our current Library programming in Chatham?”

The question does not mention that the planned move would decrease the Gallery from its current 7,389 sq. ft. to 4,800 sq. ft. (a 35% decrease) and the Museum from the current 8,190 sq. ft. to 3,500 sq. ft. (a 57.3% decrease).

The Municipality already has this information, yet they do not mention it in the survey. This is the most obvious example of bias in the survey.

Why the Municipality is eager to increase the size of the Library but severely decrease the Museum and Gallery is a question that deserves an answer.

Some Of The Questions Are Both Biased And Silly, Like Question #3

“As Chatham-Kent strives to move toward becoming a more walkable community, is having a Municipal Civic Centre in a walkable location within Chatham important?”

This is an absurd question. A Centre anywhere in Chatham is in a walkable location if you live close enough to it.

The question attempts to trick survey users into equating walkability with walking to the DCC, though walking to the current Centre is just as easy.

In Question #14, The Survey States…

“The current Civic Centre, built in 1977, requires significant updates and renovations to continue to provide services to the community.”

The DCC was built in 1982, only five years after the Centre. Why does the survey not suggest that it, too, might require significant updates and renovations?

The Unasked Question

In a survey “designed to allow public input on and gauge public sentiment for important elements of the project,” users are never asked if they prefer to renovate the current Civic Centre building, move to the DCC, or any of the other options the Municipality provides. Also, users are not given any financial estimates of the costs of the options. Surely, C-K residents need to be given such basic information if they are asked to complete a survey.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent should treat the survey answers with caution and apologize to Chatham-Kent residents.

Finally

Rebuttals, corrections, and complaints about each of the 14 questions are below. Please feel free to comment and to share this with friends.

Thank you.
Clair Culliford

A Rebuttal Of Each Of The 14 Survey Questions

Question #1. “The Chatham-Kent Civic Centre is located centrally within Chatham proper, allowing for a relatively central access from all areas of the municipality. Is having a Municipal Civic Centre located in downtown Chatham important?”

Rebuttal #1. No. Having a Centre that is centrally located and easily accessible by public transport is important. Central does not necessarily mean downtown Chatham, the current Civic Centre, or the DCC.

Question #2. “As public transit becomes increasingly popular in our community, is having a Municipal Civic Centre located near a public transit hub in Chatham-Kent important?”

Rebuttal #2. The current Centre is close (approximately 2½ blocks) to the RIDE CK hub on Wellington between Fifth and Centre. From the hub, a bus arrives at a stop close to the current Centre in approximately three minutes.

Because the DCC is closer to the hub (just behind the DCC), the Municipality can use a Yes answer as proof that the user supports the move to the DCC.

Question #3. “As Chatham-Kent strives to move toward becoming a more walkable community. Is having a Municipal Civic Centre in a walkable location within Chatham important?”

Rebuttal #3. This is an absurd question. A Centre anywhere in Chatham is in a walkable location if you live close enough to it.

The question attempts to trick survey users into equating walkability with walking to the DCC, though walking to the current Centre is just as easy.

Question #4. “Collocating certain cultural services has the potential to save money through energy use reduction, reduced operating costs and shared security, and would offer shared programming for various community groups. Would you like to see more cultural services offered within one building?”

Rebuttal #4. The Thames Art Gallery, Chatham-Kent Museum, and Kiwanis Theatre are already in one building, the Chatham Cultural Center. Studio 2 in Thames Art Gallery and the Kiwanis Theatre are currently used by many community groups.

What does this survey mean by “more cultural services”? ARTspace? Capitol Theatre? Chatham Branch of Chatham-Kent Public Library? Kiwanis Theatre? Studios One & Two?

Why does this question not list the possible “more cultural services” that it speaks of?

Also, “has the potential to save money” is not the same as “will save money.”

What does “shared programming” mean, by the way?

Question #5. “A new or renovated facility would allow for significant improvements to the accessibility of our Municipal Civic Centre. How important is having a fully accessible Municipal Civic Centre?”

Rebuttal #5. In what way is the current Civic Centre not accessible? The front door is at ground level and there is an elevator just off the lobby. It is on a Ride CK route. There is also sufficient nearby parking for those who visit the Centre to pay taxes, attend Council meetings, etc.

Question #6. “Keeping community accessibility in mind, is having Council Chambers located on the first floor of a Municipal Civic Centre important?”

Rebuttal #6. It would be good, but the front door of the current Centre is at ground level and there is an elevator just off the lobby. Surely that is sufficiently accessible. Having Council Chambers on the ground floor is not a strong reason to move the current Centre to the DCC.

Question #7. “A thriving and vibrant downtown relies on having vehicle parking available for patrons and visitors alike. How important is the preservation of parking spots in downtown Chatham?”

Rebuttal #7. What is meant by preservation?

Municipal employees have little to no effect on downtown parking. Currently, downtown Municipal parking lots are not filled 9 to 5, Monday to Friday. If Municipal employees park on the street, they must move after 2 hours, so it is doubtful if many use this option.

Question #8. “As Chatham-Kent continues to grow, more focus has been put toward improving our downtown experience for residents and visitors alike. Would having a Municipal Civic Centre in the heart of downtown Chatham support downtown revitalization?”

Rebuttal #8. This question makes no sense. The current Municipal Centre is in downtown Chatham, at the corner of King and Fifth Streets. It is a seven or so minute walk from there to the DCC, depending on traffic. The question exists only to make moving the Centre to the DCC seem important. It is a ridiculously and obviously biased question.

Question #9. “Do you believe small businesses in Downtown Chatham would benefit from having a Municipal Civic Centre located in the downtown core?”

Rebuttal #9. The current Municipal Centre is already in the downtown core. It is a seven or so minute walk from there to the DCC, depending on traffic and traffic lights. The Gallery and Museum are also a seven-minute walk from the DCC.

This question, like #8, exists only to make moving the Centre to the DCC seem important. It is another overtly biased question.

Question #10. “Chatham-Kent’s population has been steadily growing for the past several years. Given this increase, do you support an increase in overall space for our current Library programming in Chatham?”

Rebuttal #10. Sure, if and only if it does not mean a harmful reduction in square footage of the Thames Art Gallery and the Chatham-Kent Museum. Moving the Gallery and Museum to the DCC would be calamitous for each of them, as the Municipality already knows.

Months ago, Arts & Culture staff presented the Municipality with the following figures of the move of Thames Art Gallery and Chatham-Kent Museum to the DCC.

• Current Gallery: 7,389 sq. ft.
• Gallery at DCC: 4,800 sq. ft. (a 35% decrease)
• Current Museum: 8,190 sq. ft.
• Museum at DCC: 3,500 sq. ft. (a 57.3% decrease)

That these reductions are not mentioned is the most obvious example of bias in the survey.

Why the Municipality is eager to increase the size of the Library but severely decrease the Museum and Gallery is a question that deserves an answer.

Question #11. “The previous proposed Entertainment Complex considered a single pad arena facility within the available space. Do you support the exploration of a twin pad arena facility located elsewhere in Chatham-Kent”

Rebuttal #11. Sure. Go for it, if it’s feasible. Let’s see the study, please.

Question #12. “Input from the public is integral to the success of developing a purpose-built and functional Municipal Civic Centre. Will you be attending the public consultation meetings held during the weeks of September 11 and 18?”

Rebuttal #12. Gosh! It sounds like a purpose-built and functional Municipal Civic Centre means choosing the DCC. Is information from the public not important for the other possible solutions listed at the end of this survey: 1. Do nothing and continue to fix issues as they arise / 2. Renovate the Existing Civic Centre / 3. Renovate the existing Civic Centre, Library and Cultural Centre / 4. Build a new Civic Centre at an entirely new location /5. Purchase portion of the Downtown Chatham Centre and relocate Civic Centre to this location?

Question #13. “Housing has become an issue within the past several years; with low availability and increasing costs. In the event that Council decides that the Civic Centre will move to the Downtown Chatham Centre Sears building or elsewhere in the municipality, would you support converting the current Civic Centre and Library building into housing within the downtown core?”

Rebuttal #13. How can anyone support something for which no information is given? Why support conversion without an idea if the housing would be built privately or with grants from some level of government? Would it be housing for the well off, for those who can manage to obtain a mortgage, for apartment dwellers, for the homeless?

Question #14. “The current Civic Centre, built in 1977, requires significant updates and renovations to continue to provide services to the community. These are the five options that Council is considering moving forward:
1. Do nothing and continue to fix issues as they arise
2. Renovate the Existing Civic Centre
3. Renovate the existing Civic Centre, Library and Cultural Centre
4. Build a new Civic Centre at an entirely new location
5. Purchase portion of the Downtown Chatham Centre and relocate Civic Centre to this location
Are there any other ideas or suggestions you would make to the options above?”

Rebuttal #14. It’s nice of the Municipality to ask for ideas and suggestions. However, in a survey intended to be useful, why is the user not asked which of options 1 to 5 they prefer. Also, why are financial estimates of the costs of the options not included?

Finally, the DCC was built in 1982, only five years after the Civic Centre. Why does the survey not suggest that it, too, might require significant updates and renovations?

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