OGDEN — What would it take to turn Ogden into a college town?
Top of Utah residents now have a chance to offer their comments.
As Ogden city and Weber State University officials continue to move forward on an initiative to turn the city into a college town and increase collaboration between the two entities, the city has released an online survey seeking input as part of the effort.
The survey is 12 questions long and asks about the survey taker’s attendance at university and city events, affiliation with the city and university, thoughts on what characteristics define a college town and how they receive information.
The survey also asks for specific suggestions on how to turn Ogden into a college town.
The city and the university have been working on the initiative since July. A 10-member team, with five representatives from the city and five from WSU, meets on a regular basis.
City officials say the project is a long-term one and will likely take 10 years to fully develop, but the city and WSU have already begun collaborating.
In June, a Damian Lillard draft day celebration was held at The Junction.
The former Wildcats basketball standout was selected sixth overall in the 2012 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
In September, the council adopted a joint resolution with WSU that aims to encourage the Top of Utah community to support the WSU football team.
During the 2012 season, each Friday before WSU’s Saturday home football games, the city hosted “Football Friday” events at The Junction. The tradition is expected to continue next year.
The city will soon open a mobile app lab at 2314 Washington Blvd., where it will team with WSU to develop mobile application software for such electronic devices as tablets, iPads, iPhones and other smartphones.
The lab will also feature a full WSU bookstore, the first off-campus store for the school.
The building is set to open sometime before the 2013 fall semester starts at WSU.
Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell said the city’s relationship with WSU will be a vital part of its economy in the future.
The city said the mobile app lab on its own is expected to create 750 jobs and generate up to $4.6 million in private investment over 10 years.
The online survey is available by going to the city’s website at http://www.ogdencity.com/ and typing “college town” in the search box.
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