Eric Stock
WJBC-AM
Results of a city-wide survey in Bloomington are now in a hands of stakeholders who will try to see what changes - if any - can be done.
Executive Director of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission Vasudha Pinnamaraju said while Bloomington's population actually skews younger than the national average, there's worry they'll inevitably get older and how can the city be hospitable?
"By that time, how are we going to accommodate that aging population?," Pinnamaraju asked. "Do we want to lose them to the Sunbelt communities? Do we want to help them age in place? These are all of the questions we are asking."
Vasudha Pinnamaraju queries residents during a 2014 Bring It On Bloomington meeting at the McLean County YWCA.
Pinnamaraju told WJBC's Scott Laughlin, the survey also shows a clear east-west divide in the city, due largely to socioeconomic factors. There's a much higher concentration of low-income families in west Bloomington.
"The sentiment exists there is a divide. People feel like we should try to find ways to dissolve that," Pinnamaraju said.
Residents also said they want to preserve the city's historic neighborhoods.
"People are happy with the variety we have with older and newer neighborhoods, but are extremely concerned the historic neighborhoods are not being taken into consideration," Pinnamaraju said.
More than 2,000 residents took part in the Bring It On Bloomington survey that will guide the city's comprehensive plan for the next two decades. The working groups covering areas such as economic vitality, arts and culture and neighborhoods are expected to have a final report for the city council by June.