A survey that took place between February and April yielded good results for Family Community Support Services (FCSS).

The Cochrane Cares Regional Well-Being Review will help identify positives, challenges, and needs for the coming years in regards to social, recreational, and health needs.

Susan Flowers, FCSS, Manager says they were extremely happy with the results not only from survey completion but also from community meetings.

"So many people ended up participating, we had 562 completed surveys online and paper, and 145 partially completed surveys; between that and all the focus groups, personal interviews, and sounding boards around the community, we ended up talking to a couple thousand people."

Total participation was even better than Flowers was expecting, and she now anxiously awaits for the results.

"We are going to get a two pager from the consultants just overviewing the information within in a couple weeks."

The full report is expected to be released at Cochrane Council on June 12;  at that time it will begin discussion on how to strategically plan for the next few years for resources the community needs and identified.

Flowers adds transportation, affordable meeting and community gathering space, and 24 hour health care were top of mind; while the results won't produce immediate action it opens up the opportunity for conversation.

The results of the last survey helped bring about Urgent Care and Seniors on the Bow.

The report will be available to all community groups who wish  to pursue granting opportunities.

"It pays to do these surveys and really have the information at hand when you make your statements or your claims that we need more services.