This is my Columbia SURVEY

When Missourian reporters went out in February and March to interview Columbia residents about their vision for the city, one of their goals was to get each person they interviewed to fill out a survey. The purpose of the survey was to give participants an opportunity to express their views about visioning in their own words. Our hope was that it would also provide a sense of the community’s priorities about the future. The survey questions – there are only two – prompted participants to consider what should be the city’s first concern as it proceeds with planning, and what might bring Columbia renown or recognition. At least, that’s what we hoped. Here’s what residents had to say:

Pritesh Patel, 32

• Neighborhood: Hitt Street, Mini Mart area
• Years in Columbia: 2
• Ethnicity: Indian
• Areas of interest: Business
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Education

Debi Tozer, 22

• Neighborhood: Southampton
• Years in Columbia: 2.5
• Ethnicity: Jewish
• Areas of interest: Israel, education
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Encouraging businesses of diverse backgrounds to open downtown, that way everyone could experience culture from all the world.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Best city for everyone to feel welcomed and safe.

Sean Randall, 20

• Neighborhood: Eastgate Apartments
• Years in Columbia: 2.5
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Social justice (civil liberties, especially drug policy), the environment, education opportunities.
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Ensuring that education is available to all who desire it, and that social justice issues are handled by the most qualified people (i.e. not politicians in all cases).
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? One of the first cities to rationally look at drug policy issues from an intelligent standpoint and base these policies on facts and research.

Kelly Dedo, 22

• Neighborhood: Columbia
• Years in Columbia: 3.5
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Business marketing/textile apparel management
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Better parking and transit.
• * What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Willie’s Pub & Pool

Matt Richmond, 20

• Neighborhood: Campus View Apartments
• Years in Columbia: 20
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Areas of interest: Arts (film), health
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Put the power more in the hands of the voters on everything.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Schools, universities.

Chase Asmussen, 22

• Neighborhood: Ninth Street
• Years in Columbia: 4
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Music, theater, local artists
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Parks and recreation, outdoor venues, theaters, festivals. Things that easily show tourists an interesting and active community.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Local musicians.

Oliver Clark, 24

• Neighborhood: Country Squire Court
• Years in Columbia: 3
• Ethnicity: Black
• Areas of interest: Computer networking
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Update the downtown area — too constrictive — more parking.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Best burgers.

Tadao Leunammachack, 19

• Neighborhood: Columbia Country Club area
• Years in Columbia: 1.5
• Ethnicity: Asian American
• Areas of interest: Journalism, dance, shopping, road maintenance
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Rebuilding of roads and creating easier to read road lines and street signs.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Great resources for college students in community, not just campus (shopping, events, etc.)

Casey Lozier, 20

• Neighborhood: Columbia Country Club area
• Years in Columbia: 1.5
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Shopping, infrastructure
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Better shopping — not just for clothes — and better parking downtown.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? A combination of old and new architecture, shopping and infrastructure.

Tina Perna, 20

• Neighborhood: Near Lake of the Woods
• Years in Columbia: 3
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Elementary education
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? More college-age places to go and entertainment.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? The botanical garden campus. Nature drew me here.

Whitney McKinney, 20

• Neighborhood: Old 63 South
• Years in Columbia: 1
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Dance clubs and cosmetology
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Catering to college students’ schedules.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? A new food chain restaurant like Planet Hollywood.

Robert Case, 20

• Neighborhood: East Campus
• Years in Columbia: 2
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Restaurant management, nightlife
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Growth of the city ­— keeping students here after graduation would help the city grow. Less college-appropriate housing.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Cultural diversity, not farming.

Patrick Martin, 20

• Neighborhood: Gillett Hall (MU Campus)
• Years in Columbia: 3
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Downtown development, art galleries
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? A vibrant and original arts/culture scene (art galleries).
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Arts support/theater/visual (more than just pre-teen companies).

Luke Drissell, 18

• Neighborhood: Cramer Hall (MU Campus)
• Years in Columbia: 6 months
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Downtown
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Visual improvement and increasing appeal in the arts (music halls).
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Being a vibrant music scene with local and world-famous musicians.

John Myshrall, 48

• Neighborhood: Springdale Estates
• Years in Columbia: 2.5 years
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Christian church, politics (Republican), reading, Cajun cooking, baseball.
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Columbia in 2007 is similar in many respects to what Baton Rouge was like 30 to 40 years ago. There are three areas Columbia must not fail in: 1) Education must be the first priority at all levels, from pre-school to University. Instead of doing what is popular, we need to do what is right and effective. Our schools must also be open to diversity that does not exclude religion. 2) The DOTD must have a vision for the future when building and planning the roads. Meeting immediate needs should not be the goal. 3) Columbia must diversify in the types of industry it brings into the community.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? I hope that Columbia will be world-famous as a place that is safe, prosperous and God-honoring.

Denise Morales, 43

• Neighborhood: Vanderveen
• Years in Columbia: 2.5
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Outdoors and Twilight Festival. I would love to see more restaurants that serve crawfish.
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Growth and development of our kids.

Stase Ochoa, 39

• Neighborhood: Vanderveen
• Years in Columbia: 2.5
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Summer outdoor concerts with food and music. Local bands, interactive museums for kids, art galleries, and wine tasting in the District.
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? More schools, roads and things above.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Stem cell research.

Steve Mellis, 54

• Neighborhood: Parkade
• Years in Columbia: On and off since 1971
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Rivers and streams
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? I guess I would like to see the whole process of development and planning re-thought in a way to make it estimable.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? I don’t know that I’d like to see it world-famous for anything. I’d just like to see it a decent, safe place.

Drew Bray, 16

• Neighborhood: Green Meadows
• Years in Columbia: 8
• Ethnicity:
• Areas of interest: Everything
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Transportation or building up and not out.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Its college. The school is important to all of us.

D.J. Pittman, 17

• Neighborhood: Grant
• Years in Columbia: 5
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Drums, sports
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? I think it should be focused more on music.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Producing good musicians.

Stephanie Huett, 16

• Neighborhood: Maricopa Drive, off Bearfield
• Years in Columbia: 16
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Entertainment, preserving historical buildings.
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Acknowledging that there is a problem with the youth and they need to provide more entertainment for them.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? I want it to be famous for safety and fun.

Ralph Carper, 18

• Neighborhood: Quale Creek
• Years in Columbia: Less than 1
• Ethnicity: African American
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? City busses
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Museum

Jillian Goehl, 16

• Neighborhood: Bedford Walk
• Years in Columbia: 8
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Entertainment and transportation/location
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Location of entertainment, expand up — skyscrapers.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Safe and fun, but not a lot of tourists.

Jen King, 16

• Years in Columbia: 5
• Ethnicity: Doesn’t matter
• Areas of interest: Art
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Traffic, more entertainment for youth, better school systems/funding.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Its artistic show downtown with youth and other artists — more art (dance, galleries, etc.)

Alexis Robertson, 17

• Neighborhood: Jesse Lane
• Years in Columbia: 17
• Ethnicity: White
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Education
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Performing arts and athletics

Dianna Grayson, 17

• Neighborhood: Woodrail South
• Years in Columbia: 15
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Church youth group, art, cooking, watching movies
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Making Columbia more attractive; easier traffic; use empty buildings; clean, artistic community
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Arts and community atmosphere

Jenny Karlsen, 18

• Neighborhood: Stephens College
• Years in Columbia: Less than 1
• Ethnicity: White/Native American
• Areas of interest: Theater, fine dining, poetry.
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Cultural expansion.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Education.

Charley Roberts, 18

• Years in Columbia: Less than 1
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Film, writing
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Homeless people, and leaving the originality alone.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Film industry.

Yancy Kamine, 28

• Neighborhood: Southside
• Years in Columbia: 5
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Parks, expanded downtown area
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Traffic problems, better transit
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Food and culture areas

Denise Morales, 43

• Neighborhood: Vanderveen
• Years in Columbia: 2.5 years
• Ethnicity: White
• Areas of interest: Outdoors and Twilight Festival
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? Growth and development of our kids

Stase Ochoa, 39

• Neighborhood: Vanderveen
• Years in Columbia: 2.5
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Areas of interest: Summer outdoor concerts with food and music, local bands, museums, interactive activities for kids, art galleries; wine tasting in the district.
• What should be Columbia’s No. 1 priority in planning its future? More schools, roads, and things mentioned above.
• What do you want Columbia to be world-famous for in 25 years? Stem cell research