Most Mono residents like their town just as it is, and want it not to lose sight of its agricultural roots, if recent surveys are an accurate representation.

A 14-point questionnaire, Visions of Mono 2025, prepared by the Mulmur Mono Citizen Coalition (MC2), was voluntarily completed by 120 at the Coalition’s booth at Mono’s Big Day Out.

The Coalition is holding a “Visioning Conference” May 8 in what it hopes will lead to longer-term thinking by town council and the community as a whole.

“We have Places to Grow (from now until 2031), but must politicians think in terms of their tenure of office,” said survey organizer Harvey Kolodny, who described the survey and conference as “one step along a journey” to longer-term planning.

Mr. Kolodny, a professor emeritus in U of T’s Rotman School of Management, said the support for agriculture was “bit surprising. We didn’t expect agricultural roots to be (so prominent an issue).”

He said there was a second survey at the Big Day Out. “At the other survey, right beside us, almost everyone said they like Mono the way it is.”

Mr. Kolodny said there might have been between 600 and 700 at the Mono event, but not all came past the Coalition’s booth. The 120 who did complete the questionnaire might have represented more than half those who dropped by.

Of the few who added comments, there were three calls for more road paving, one for a large motorcycle group, another for more wetlands, and one for passenger rail service to Toronto.

By far the greatest number of respondents, more than half, envisioned Mono as “a community with respect for its agricultural roots,” “a mixed intergenerational community with children, adults and seniors side by side,” and “a leader in environmental issues.”

Almost equally preferred were such as an emphasis on arts and culture, high speed internet access, and “a vibrant community with many voluntary organizations” as well as “a place where our children can see future for themselves.”

There was a curious difference of opinion among the responses, in which 37 wanted a self-contained community with places both to work and to live, but 33 sought “a residential only community with little commerce or industry.”

The latter was closely related to a call for “quiet weekend retreat to get away from Toronto.” Maybe horseback riding would be favoured in such

retreat. Fully 28 wanted

world-class centre for equine activity.”

Residential and equine would seem consistent with the 25 who wanted Mono as “a community within an expanded Greenbelt.”

Efficient public transportation for commuters to Greater Toronto Area was highly favoured, with 32 responses seeking passenger rail service.