Progress of the George Town Land Use and Population Survey

23rd Nov - present: The George Town Land Use and Population Survey is underway

After three weeks of training for the data collectors, in which two pilots were successfully conducted, the 24 data collectors were out in full force for the survey proper. Progress was largely unhampered and smooth, with most of the residents giving full cooperation (only 5% were unwilling to speak to our men & women in blue). It has been really encouraging for the residents and businesses of George Town to contribute to our data, which will help us in identifying key areas of strategic intervention for the GTGP and which hopefully will be used by the local authorities as part of Penang's heritage management plans. As at the time of writing, most of the 25 zones have been covered in George Town and 80% of the data have been entered online. Cross-checking on the collected data will commence in the second half of January. There will also be another survey on the itinerant street stalls in George Town that will be from January to February 2010.

20th & 21st Nov - Pilot of George Town Land Use and Population Survey Study

The pilot was conducted over 2 days by 20 pembanci – a mix of USM students and local residents - in the area bounded by Jalan Sungai Ujong, Jln Dr Lim Chwee Leong, Lebuh Carnavon and Lebuh Kimberley (see map & picture below).

The 100% sweep by the data collectors, captured over a period of 4.5 hours, in the area resulted in 235 completed survey forms comprising of:

• Businesses (103)
• Residence (52)
• Associations (11)
• Hotels (2)
• Education (1)
• Vacant (33)
• Unable to survey (33)

Only a handful of businesses were uncooperative. There was also a Star reporter and photographer tagging along and capturing shots of our pembanci in action. See the report here.

Priscilla Dielenberg from The Star interviews Dr. Matt Benson, the lead researcher for the George Town Land Use and Population Survey

Data collectors collating information at Ole Asia Café off Lebuh Kimberley

13th-14th Nov: Pre-pilot of GTLUAPS Study

Pre-pilot survey was conducted on the 13th & 14th November, where 3 data collectors in uniform and ID tags were surveying the area between Jalan Transfer and Jalan Penang, from Jalan Burma to Jalan Hutton, and towards Jalan Argyll.

On 13th Nov, they surveyed for about 4.5 hours. In total 81 survey forms were completed, comprising: 35 businesses, 11 residents, 4 associations, 29 vacancies and 2 hotels. Around 60% were aware of the survey, mainly through the letter drop notices which were given out by the data collectors 2 days ago.

On 14th Nov, nearly 60 forms were completed by 3 data collectors over the course of 3 hours. All businesses and residents were very co-operative with the exception of 2. In total, over 140 survey forms completed in 2 days of work.

In sum, co-operation in the community (at this pre-pilot stage) has exceeded expectations.

Some snapshots from the pre-pilot:

Pembanci preparing for the pre-pilot (top and bottom sets)

Pembanci surveying their task for the afternoon