Economic Development Alliance

Releases Focus Groups Survey

DANBURY — Western Connecticut Economic Development Alliance has released its results from four focus group discussions conducted in 2011. Corporate business leaders, entrepreneurs, etc, participated in discussions about the region.

The Western Connecticut Economic Development Alliance (WCEDA) is a partnership of public and private sector citizens that was formed in 2010 to search for ways to enhance economic development initiatives throughout Western Connecticut.

The discussions were conducted through the generous efforts of Elizabeth Adams, economic development and community relations department at the Connecticut Light & Power’s Newtown office. The “Summary of Focus Group Findings for the Western Connecticut Economic Development Alliance” reports several key positive attributes about the region, including education, quality of life, resources, location, and workforce.

Affordable housing ranked high among the business community, and diversity is considered a key attribute for attracting and retaining young adults.

Challenging areas for most participants include a lack of a regional center; accessible transportation; lack of skilled manufacturing workforce; lack of advertising; and need for regionalization. young participants also point to a lack of nightlife and affordable housing as significant issues from their perspective.

WCEDA’s purpose for the study is to begin sampling attitudes toward branding the region and incorporate the findings into a larger effort to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS) for Western Connecticut.

The first focus group consisted of business leaders representing large businesses in the area. The second focus group consisted of business leaders representing small, private businesses in the area. The third focus group consisted of representatives of the region’s creative economy.

The fourth focus group consisted of young residents in the region ages 20 to 35. Interestingly, most had similar perceptions about Western Connecticut, although some groups did have differences relative to their sectors, age, or personal experiences.

A general theme that came out of all the focus groups is that the region is a lower-cost alternative to lower Fairfield County and offers the same benefits.

For more detailed information on survey results, visit www.hvceo.org/economicplan.php.