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This week, the City Monitor reveiled in its second edition the results of 2006. The City Monitor is an assignment of the Flemish government to the University of Gent, in order to improve the liveability of cities. The City Monitor screens every two years the 13 centre cities of Flanders according to various indicators to measure their liveability and sustainability. This is done by phone calls to 8000 inhabitants. Kortrijk can be satisfied with the results.
We see an augmentation of 6% in how satisfied people are with the city, compared with the figures of 2004. The negative flow of people moving to other towns has finally stopped : in the beginning of 2007 Kortrijk counted 75 people more than in 2006. People are more pleased with the neighbourhood they live in (+5%). Inhabitants are proud about Kortrijk (+11%).
Kortrijk is one of the cities where houses are most affordable (3 out of 10 families can afford to get a loan) and where waiting lists for a social house are shrinking. The satisfaction with playground and youth facilities went from 40.8 to 47.6, satisfaction with the recreation facilities from 60.8 to 74 %, satisfaction with the cultural offer was good for 87.5 % and with the possibilities to go out 71.5 %
Other indicators measured participation to cultural events, sport events, associations and use of public space. Also the quality of education, the presence of education in the city, the entrepreneurial climate and employment issues and safety. The use of transport modes, the quality of housing and care facilities, together with the availability of green spaces and nature were also investigated.
The City Monitor provides figures of different cities and is usefull to underline or stimulate the public debate about urban policy in an objective way. There will be a general information meeting about the results for the city administration and citizens on the 24th of April.
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