Have you filled out the survey yet? If you haven’t been notified about the Capital Crossroads Public Input Survey, or just haven’t gotten around to taking it, we encourage you to visit www.capitalcrossroadsvision.com. Under the “survey” tab, you’ll find the opportunity to help shape the future of Greater Des Moines and Central Iowa.

Several local organizations are supporting the Capital Crossroads project, and the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines and the Greater Des Moines Partnership are providing assistance from staff members.

Three local leaders head up the effort: Polk County Supervisor Angela Connolly, Community Foundation President J. Barry Griswell and Cara Heiden, co-president of West Des Moines-based Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

They’re asking the public to evaluate our community on a number of measures. How available are venture capital and working capital? Do business owners know where to go for assistance?

The survey asks about infrastructure, training opportunities and the quality of education for children. It considers public services and quality of life.

Finally the survey invites each participant to define our most important challenge and our top opportunity, and to “share your vision for the future of Greater Des Moines and Central Iowa.”

In short, the people behind Capital Crossroads are trying to get a handle on just about everything that determines the character of a region and its future. They have a lot of data collating ahead of them.

It’s ambitious and basic at the same time. It’s an effort to put everything together in one cohesive summary, but based on opinions rather than quantitative data.

In the end, though, people’s opinions are what define a community. Numbers matter, but perceptions decide who moves in and who moves out.

We applaud the project, and urge our readers to participate.