In 2006 Pikes Peak United Way invited more than 100 community leaders to join Vision Councils that would in turn address nine designated areas of importance to our community. These individuals were directly affiliated with the areas of interest, possessed a keen understanding of the issues and the data available, and had the ability to accurately assess their designated area’s current status. 

The result of their research: the first Quality of Life Indicators report published and distributed in September of 2007. The goal of the effort was positive action, to help community members prioritize and make educated decisions about which areas deserve investment of time, talent and resources.

A year after the initial roll-out, and with continued work by the nine Vision Councils, a second report has been published and is now available to the public. With over 100 different issues assessed, the Councils have begun to “star” indicators that deserve applause and “flag” those for concern. (It’s important to note that less than 20 indicators received flags.)

Areas receiving star applause include:

• Arts, Culture and Humanities – El Paso County ranks 36th out of 276 metropolitan areas in number of arts businesses per capita.  In 2007, American Style named Colorado Springs among the top 25 arts destinations for midsize cities.
  
• Water Consumption – From 2001–2004, daily water consumption dropped nearly 30 gallons per person and is currently hovering between 90 and 100 gallons. Even after restrictions were lifted in 2006, local residents continue to conserve in order to better ensure access to first use water or snowmelt rather than recycled water.
  
• Ozone Levels – Monitors indicate that a majority of days in our region are in the “Good” range, while no days fall lower than “Moderate”, meaning air quality is satisfactory and air pollution poses little or no risk.

On the other hand, a few of the areas flagged for increased attention and community action include:

• Literacy – With increased community involvement over the past year, third grade reading levels improved from 74% to 79%. However, approximately 1 in every 5 third graders in El Paso County still can’t read at a third grade level.
• Substance Abuse – 1 out of every 10 people in El Paso County has a drug and/or alcohol abuse problem. The state ranks 19% higher than the national average in per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages and ranks in the top five for illicit drug use, other than marijuana, yet spends the least on treatment, prevention and research compared to 46 other states.
• Suicide Rates – El Paso County’s teen (15-18 year olds) suicide rate ranks among the ten highest in the U.S.  In addition, nationally the state ranks 4th in elderly suicides, Colorado Springs exceeding the state average.

“If you ask people in El Paso County whether our quality of life is improving or declining, you will get a variety of answers,” says Howard Brooks, vice-president and chief operating officer of Pikes Peak United Way, a founding member of the QOL effort. “Individuals tend to measure it through the lens of their own experiences, or those of family and friends.”

Yet, quality of life factors are critical to a successful future.  “There are hundreds of examples of once desirable places to live that deteriorated because of controllable issues that local leaders did not recognize and address.,” says Brooks. “By examining what makes El Paso County great, we can bring people together around issues that count.”

It is important to note that the completed report makes a conscious effort to present only facts. Compiling the nine sections together gives a comprehensive overview, the data, or indicators rendering quantitative measures of the quality of community life.

Individuals wishing to review the 2008 Quality of Life Indicators report may do so online here or by stopping by the Pikes Peak United Way office at 518 North Nevada, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sponsors of the report include:  Ent Federal Credit Union, Economic and Civic Literacy Project,  Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, Fort Carson Sustainability and Environmental System (SEMS), Gay and Lesbian Fund, The Community Leadership Fund, and Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging in association with  Leadership Pikes Peak and Pikes Peak United Way.