INTRODUCTION In July 2013 Oxford County initiated a study to develop a long term Trails Master Plan. The study is now being undertaken collaboratively with the County, the consultant team from MMM Group and a Trails Steering Committee made up of representatives from the Oxford County Trails Council, Conservation Authorities, Local Municipalities, interest groups and stakeholders and members of the public. Building upon the trails work already completed by the Oxford County Trails Council, the local municipalities and other groups and clubs,the Trails Master Plan will become the guide to facilitate future trail development, operation and maintenance throughout the County over the next 20+ years. In order to develop the master plan, the study team will undertake the following steps: Documenting and mapping existing trails, unique features, opportunities and barriers throughout the County, related to trail development; Reviewing local policies and plans influencing trail development; Consulting with the public, local stakeholders, interest groups and public agencies; Recommencing a County wide trails network including on and off road routes; Reviewing successful implementation and funding models; Developing an implementation and costing strategy; and Identifying potential branding, promotion, marketing and partnership stategies to support the network. As part of the study's development a number of Public and Stakeholder Consultation initiatives will be undertaken including this short questionnaire. The study area for this project is the entire County of Oxford including both the urban centres and rural areas. Your input is important to the success of this study. The short questionnaire should only take 15 minutes to complete and the information you provide will be invaluable in shaping the recommendations that are developed for this study. If a question does not apply to you or if you prefer not to answer it, please skip it and proceed to the next question. We also ask that you complete this questionnaire in one sitting as you will not be able to save your responses and return to finish the questionnaire at a later time. Please note that the comments received will be documented as part of the public record. Any personal information you provide is for the sole purpose of this project and none of it will be shared, traded or sold for any reason. Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire and for helping to shape and guide the future of trails in Oxford County. Page 1
Oxford County Trails Master Plan Online Questionnaire Part A: Current TransportationTrends this section ask questions about your current transportation activities. * 1. Thinking about your typical weekly routine, please identify the number of days a week (between 0 and 7) you travel to and from your place of work, school or other most frequent destinations, using the following types of transportation. Walking/Jogging Cycling Transit Driving by Myself Carpooling In line Skating Other 2. If you indicated 'other' as one of the modes of transportation you use throughout the week to get to work, school or your most frequent destination, please provide some details on the mode of transportation you use. 3. What is the approximate distance from your home to your workplace/school/other most frequent destination? Please select only one response. Less than 1 km 1 3 km 3 10 km 10 20 km Greater than 20 km 4. How long does it typically take you to access the nearest trail that you use most frequently? Please select one response for each mode. Don't Use Less than 5 Greater than 30 5 10 Minutes 10 20 Minutes 20 30 Minutes Minutes Minutes Walking Cycling Other If you selected 'other' please indicate what mode of transportation you use to access the trail facility. Page 2
5. If you provide a response regarding the time it takes to acess the nearest trail that you most frequently use please provide some details on the trail location (e.g. nearest major intersection, trail name, name of park access point, etc.) 6. What types of trail or cycling facilities do you typically use in Oxford County? gfedc gfedc gfedc gfedc gfedc Single Track Hiking Trail Off road Multi use Trail in a Utility Corridor or Open Space Off road Multi use Trail within the Road Right of Way Paved Shoulder (on high volume rural roads) Unsure of Facility Type 7. When you use a trail and / or cycling facility what do you use to navigate the route or find your location when necessary? A County Map A Local Municipal Map Smart Phone / GPS Device Trail Route / Signage From Past Experiences / Memory Other If 'other' was selected please indicate what you use. Page 3
Oxford County Trails Master Plan Online Questinonaire Part B: Current & Future Trail Use This section asks questions specific to your use of trails throughout the County. 8. How often do you use multi use trails in the County to participate in the following activities? Every Day A few times a week A few times a month A few times a year Never Walking/Jogging Cycling (any type) Hiking Cross Country Skiing In line Skating / Rollerblading Other If other, please specify the activity 9. Please select the reasons why you use trails or cycling facilities in Oxford County. Select one response for each. Most Often Sometimes Never To go to and from work To make deliveries or attend meetings during work hours To make trips to school To make trips to shop, run errands, or visit friends For fitness or recreation For tourism purposes (e.g. conservation areas, key destinations, etc.) To enjoy the natural environment For environmental conservation Other If other, please specify Page 4
10. For each of the following trail types please indicate your personal comfort level. Soft surfaces include loose materials such as compacted gravel/stonedust or woodchips. Hard surfaces include paved materials such as asphalt. Very Comfortable Comfortable Uncomfortable Very Uncomfortable Does Not Apply to Me Soft surface, narrow trails (e.g., less than 1.5 m) through natural areas such as wetlands, woodlots or buffers around creeks Soft surface, wide trails (e.g., up to 3 m wide) through natural areas such as wetlands, woodlots or buffers around creeks Soft surface, wide trails (e.g., up to 3 m wide) through parks and open spaces Hard surface trails (e.g., up to 3 m wide) through parks and open spaces Hard surface trails (e.g., up to 3 m wide) along urban roads Page 5
Oxford County Trails Master Plan Online Questionnaire Part C: Current & Future Cycling Trends This section poses questions about your use of cycling facilities throughout the County. 11. If you use trails or other facilities to cycle within Oxford County, please tell us about the type of cycling you do and how often you cycle. Please respond to all. Most Often Sometimes Never Short Distance Cycling (10 km or Less) Long Distance Cycling (More than 10 km) Cycling on a Multi use Trail BMX Biking Other If other, please specify the activity 12. For the following types of cycling facilities, please indicate how comfortable you are using each one. Please select one response for each. Very Comfortable Comfortable Uncomfortable Very Uncomfortable Does Not Apply to Me Signed Route on low volume rural road Signed Route in an urban area Paved Shoulder on higher volume rural roads Bike Lanes in an urban area Page 6
Oxford County Trails Master Plan Online Questionnaire Part D: Developing the Master Plan this section asks questions about why and how the County should develop the Trails Master Plan. 13. The objectives listed below describe some of the reasons why trails master plans are developed. In your opinion, how important are each of these for Oxford County? To provide places to use trails and cycle within the community Very Important Somewhat Important Neutral Not Very Important Not at all Important To improve the quality of life and health of citizens To connect the County and its local municipalities To connect the County to surrounding municipalities To improve cycling and trail use as transportation options in the County To coordinate existing trail development efforts in the County To provide access to historical / cultural destinations and support tourism To connect non drivers to key locations throughout the County To connect children and youth to schools To connect commuters with transit and alternate modes of transportation To connect existing natural areas and recreation facilities Other objective(s) If you selected other objective(s), please provide a brief description Page 7
14. Recognizing that County and local municipal funds are used to cover a broad range of important infrastructure projects (e.g. roadways, public open spaces, community facilities, etc.), please tell us how important the funding of the trail network and cycling and walking supportive facilities is to you and/or your family in comparison to other infrastructure projects. Please select one response. Higher priority than other services/projects Equal priority with other services/projects Lower priority than other services/projects No opinion 15. How much influence would the following possible improvements have on how often you use trails or engage in active forms of transportation (e.g. walking, cycling, hiking, etc.)? Strong Influence Moderate Influence Neutral Very Little Influence No Influence at all More trails More bike lanes More bike routes Better signage of the network for wayfinding and identification Better connections to key destinations (e.g., schools, employment, community centres, theatres, retail etc.) Better safety education for motorists, trail users, cyclists and pedestrians Better cycling, trail and / or pedestrian route maps in print format Cycling, trail and / or pedestrian route maps in electronic format (e.g. smartphone applications) Other If other, please specify 16. What are the top three locations in Oxford County that you would like to cycle or walk to? Please indicate the preferred mode of travel (walking, cycling, in line skating, etc.) for each. Example: hiking to downtown Tillsonburg. Enter up to three responses in order of priority. Priority #1 Priority #2 Priority #3 Page 8
17. What are the top three locations where improvements need to be made to encourage people in Oxford County to cycle, walk or use trails more often? This might be a repair or improvement at a particular location, or it could be a new trail or cycling connection that needs to be made. Please provide details (e.g. name specific location, and indicate starting and ending points for new connections). Priority #1 Priority #2 Priority #3 18. Please provide any comments or ideas you may have regarding increasing trail and cycling awareness, promotion and education in Oxford County (e.g. the development of trail maps, cycling education campaigns for youth, etc.). 5 19. Please enter any other comments you have regarding Oxford County's Trails Master Plan. 6 5 6 Page 9
Oxford County Trails Master Plan Online Questionnaire Part E: Demographic Information This section asks questions about you. None of the input will be published or traded in a public format. * 20. Are you a resident of Oxford County? Yes No Page 10
Oxford County Trails Master Plan Online Questionnaire Part E: Demographics Continued 21. You indicated that you live within the County, please indicate which of the following municipalities you live in. Township of Zorra Township of East Zorra Tavistock City of Woodstock Township of South West Oxford Township of Norwich Town of Blandford Blenheim Town of Tillsonburg Town of Ingersoll 22. You indicated that you are not a resident of Oxford County. In what municipality do you reside? 23. When you visit the County what is the purpose of your trip? (visit family, tourism, recreation, etc.) 24. What is your age group? 14 or younger 15 18 19 25 26 40 41 54 55 65 Over 65 Page 11
25. If you wish to be notified about upcoming dates, events and information related to this project or would like to assist with the planning and development of trail in Oxford County in the future please provide us with the following information. Name Email Phone Number Fax Number (Optional) Page 12
Thank You Thank you for your input on Oxford County's Trails Master Plan. To forward this questionnaire and other study information to someone else, please provide them with the following link to the online questionnaire at: https://www.research.net/s/oxfordtrails For more information please contact one of the study team s project managers: Oxford County Peter Winn, P.Eng. Project Engineer Public Works Department Oxford County 21 Reeve Street, P.O. Box 1614 Woodstock, ON N4S7Y3 T: 519 539 9800 ext. 3194 E: pwinn@oxfordcounty.ca MMM Group Limited Jay Cranstone, OALA, CSLA Senior Landscape Architect, Associate Landscape Architecture & Urban Design MMM Group Limited 582 Lancaster Street West Kitchener, ON, Canada N2K 1M3 T: 519 743 8134 ext. 2336 E: cranstonej@mmm.ca You will automatically be re directed to the study web page upon exiting this questionnaire. Page 13