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Advisory board seeks council OK for community survey on Union Colony Civic Center name and uses
Summary
The Union Colony Civic Center advisory board asked council to approve a community-wide survey to gather input on whether the facility’s name and programming align with community expectations; council signaled support and asked staff to broaden outreach to include condition and programming questions.
Members of the Union Colony Civic Center advisory board presented an outreach proposal to the Greeley City Council seeking permission to conduct a community-wide survey about the facility’s name and broader community uses.
Mark Plagat, chair of the Union Colony Civic Center advisory board, said the task force formed by the advisory board identified three issues to explore: whether the existing name clearly communicates the facility’s primary function as a performing-arts center; historic-sensitivity concerns some residents have about the name; and whether a clearer name could improve awareness and accessibility.
Plagat said the board is not making a name-change recommendation at this time but wants to gather community input before deciding. He described a survey plan that would be developed in collaboration with the advisory board, the Culture, Parks and Recreation Department and other city staff and that would use digital, print and in-person outreach to reach statistically and demographically representative respondents.
Council reaction
Several council members said they supported the advisory board’s approach but asked staff to broaden survey questions beyond name recognition to include programming, food and facility condition. One councilor noted historical associations tied to the center’s name and said some residents might view that history as exclusionary; others noted marketing clarity for new residents as a factor.
Diane (presenter/staff) and Plagat said the advisory board will work with staff to finalize survey logistics, ensure inclusive outreach, and return to council with the results and any recommendations.
Next steps
Staff and the advisory board will finalize the survey instrument and outreach plan, incorporate council feedback to include programming and facility-condition questions, and return to council with survey results and any potential recommendations.
Ending: Council expressed support for the advisory board’s community-engagement approach and asked staff to broaden the survey scope to capture both naming perceptions and practical feedback about programming and building condition.
