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Home My WebLink AboutCSD-19-015 - Neighbourhood Places Program - Greening, Seating and ArtREPORT TO: CommunityandInfrastructureServicesCommittee DATE OF MEETING:June 17, 2019 SUBMITTED BY:Josh Joseph, Neighbourhood Development OfficeSupervisor 519-741-2200 x 7079 PREPARED BY:Jenna van Klaveren, Neighbourhood Development Office Associate, 519-741-2200 x 7083 WARD (S) INVOLVED:AllWards DATE OF REPORT: May 20, 2019 REPORT NO.:CSD-19-015 SUBJECT:Neighbourhood Places Program – Greening, Seating and Art _____________________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the three Neighbourhood Places Programs, including The Neighbourhood Greening Program,The Neighbourhood Seating Program and Neighbourhood ArtProgram, as outlined in report CSD-19-015, be approved. BACKGROUND: LoveMyHood – Kitchener’s first Neighbourhood Strategy – was approved by Kitchener City Council on February 27, 2017, through report CSD-17-008. The Neighbourhood Strategy recommendations encourages residents to take a lead role in making their neighbourhood great, with a commitment that City of Kitchener staff will help them every step along the way. It includes 18 action items in three areas of focus: Great Places, Connected People and Working Together. All 18 action items were requested by residents through one of the most comprehensive community engagement processes ever conducted by the City of Kitchener. Through a massive community engagement campaign for the creation of Love My Hood, 5,651 residents provided input in 3,942 hours of conversation. They requestedthat City staff make it easier for residents to lead popular improvements to public places, with less red tape and more support from the City. Responding to this need is Action Item #1, the Neighbourhood Places Program, which includes nine popular projecttypes: In ProgressPending Approval ProgramCompleted Community Gardens X Cul-de-sac Enhancements X Little Libraries X Neighbourhood Art X Neighbourhood Greening X Neighbourhood Public Seating X Neighbourhood Signage X Pop-up Markets X *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 5 - 1 Resident-led Traffic Calming X To date, the City’sresident-led trafficcalming program (INS-17-038),community garden program (INS-17079), and neighbourhood market programhave been successfully developed and implemented.Building fromthe success of these programs under the Neighbourhood Places Program, City staff have worked with the community to develop three new programs: resident-led art, resident led greening and resident-led public seating. REPORT: A common theme heard throughout the initial process for the Neighbourhood Strategy was the desire for more greening, public seating and art initiatives to help enhance neighbourhood spaces and encourage people to gather and make connections with one another. The City has supported a number of resident-led projects that have included components relating to neighbourhood greening, public seating and art. These projects include: Resident-led Art Project Year Funded Tessellation Gardens Art Installation 2014 Wilson Avenue Pool Mural 2016 Forest Heights Storage Mural 2016 Shantz Park Fairy Village 2016 Community Mural Project for Queensmount Bunker 2018 Sprucedale Community Gathering Rock Painting 2018 Portable Blacksmith Demonstration at Berlin Flea Market 2018 Beautifying Our Community Entrance Signs Painted Rock Garden 2019 Community Thoughts Art Installation 2018 Westmount Mural Paintings (In progress) 2019 Cameron Heights Graffiti Wall and Signage (In progress) 2019 Resident-led Greening Project Year Funded Iron Horse Trail Pollinator Garden 2016 Refresh My Outdoor Hood 2017 Laneway Edible Plant and Garden Improvement 2018 Pioneer Park Fire Hall Urban Farm and Food Forest 2019 Rockway Raised Bed Herb Garden (In progress) 2019 Loose Parts Bin in Argyle Park (In progress) 2019 Resident-led Public Seating Project Year funded Cherry Park Picnic Shelter 2017 Fred’s Benches 2018 Accessible Picnic Table and Math Wall at Morrison Park 2018 Forest Heights Food Forestry Benches 2018 Thomas Slee Park Seating 2018 *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 5 - 2 Public consultation during the development of the Neighbourhood Strategy, and the implementation of the above projects, have both shown that there isa demonstrable desire for resident-led greening, public seating and art projects. This was confirmed againmost recently during a community engagement workshop and the launch of three EngageWR surveys with a focus on resident-led greening, public seating and art. As part of the Neighbourhood Places program, by providing a wide range of project types under resident-led greening, resident-led public seating,and resident-led art, peopleare offered the opportunity to choose projects that matter most to them and decide how to shape the future of their neighbourhood places. Below are the specific project types under each program. Resident-led GreeningProgram There is a wide-range of resident-led greening projects that can be considered and implemented by residents. The main project areas that City staff have explored as a part of the launch of the resident-led greening program include: •Community Clean-ups: o Community clean-ups have occurred mainly during Earth Week and the month of March, April and May through the city’s Natural Areas Program. Through the resident-led greening program, this program will be expanded to accommodate for year-round clean-ups. The Region of Waterloowill continue to provide clean-up supplies, which will be distributed to participating groups through the city’s 14 community centre facilities. •Pollinator Projects: o Through continued collaboration by City staff, and in support of the City of Kitchener’s affiliation with Bee City Canada, residents can create their very own pollinator patches, wildflower meadows, naturalized landscapes or planter boxes to help to create a space in the city where bees, butterflies and other pollinators can thrive. •Wildlife Habitat Creations: o This project allows residents to install a wide-range of habitats in their neighbourhoods for birds, bees, butterflies and bats. Wildlife habitat projects could also complement pollinator restoration programs. With bat monitoring devices and other citizen science tools, residents can also help monitor the outcomes of their restoration projects. •Tree Planting Pilot Program: o LoveMyHood’s tree planting pilot aligns with Kitchener’s Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy as a way to increase community awareness, encourage community participation and ownership of the city’s urban forest. o City staff have partnered with ReepGreen Solutions to provide a Tree Planting Pilot Program in 2019 for both plantings on privately and publically owned properties. The five neighbourhood groups selected to take part in tree planting activities in city parks will also be provided with educational workshops and *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 5 - 3 consultations, as well as the opportunity to host a community gathering supported by the Neighbourhood Development Office. •Food Forests and Hedges: o Working with residents and building on past food forest projects, City staff will hold a series of events through 2019 to develop resources that will support the planting and stewardship of resident-led food forests and hedges on public and private lands. The goal of the work in 2019 will be to support projects in 2020 based on available funding and resources. •Citizen Science and Education Programs: o Residents can enhance their pollinator or wildlife habitat projects through citizen science and education programs, such as nature walks, ecological monitoring and nature play. These programs will be developed in response to a pollinator or wildlife habitat projects, the location of the project and with assistance from the City’s Natural Areas Program. •Storm-water Management Projects: o Storm-water management projects may include the installation of rain gardens, and bioswales by resident groups. Resident-led storm-water projects will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Selection Committees, with input on location, technical viability and design standards from Storm-water Management. Resident-led Public SeatingProgram There are two distinct streams of resident-led public seating: •Stream 1: Standard City-approved Seating Options o A list of pre-approved seating options have been developed for residents who are interested in selecting seating, such as picnic tables and benches, from the city’s list of standard products. These seating options will be installed and maintained by City staff. •Stream 2: ‘Build Your Own’ Seating Options o In some cases, residents may endeavour to build their own seating. For projects like this, LoveMyHood has introduced a new ‘Build Your Own’ option to allow residentsto propose creative project ideas while ensuring safety and maintenance standards are adhered to. o To help facilitate these kinds of projects, staff have developed a “Build Your Own” Project Checklist (on page 15 of the Neighbourhood Public Seating Guide attached as Appendix A). o This “Build Your Own” approach is a great example of staff and residents working together, and encourages flexibility for the creative ideas of residents. Resident-led Art Program There is a number of resident-led art projects that can be considered and implemented by residents. The main project areas city staff have explored as a part of the launch of the resident led art program include: *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 5 - 4 •Community Murals: o Community murals are paintings ranging in size and located in a neighbourhood space, such is on an unused wall, temporary hoarding or a concrete bunker. Community murals are intended to be graphic and vibrant and enhance a neighbourhood space. Through the LoveMyHood program, community murals will be done by residents and in some cases with the help of community-based artists. •Painted Rock Gardens: o Painted rock gardens can enhance neighbourhood entryways and parks through colourful designs and inspiring words. • Mosaics: o Mosaics are art installations made from smaller pieces of coloured glass, stone or other materials. Mosaic projects led by residents require the sourcing of reclaimed materials and the arrangement of the materials on a wall or other surfacein a neighbourhood space by residents. •Temporary Installations: o Temporary installations may be knitted creations, small art installations or other forms of interactive art designed and installed by residents in a neighbourhood space. To further support residents in leading greening, public seating and art projects, City staff are proposing a change to the existing Neighbourhood Places Program, as outlined below: Proposed Changes Rationale New Step-by-Step -Guide books will be resized to 5.5 x 8.5”. Guide Books -Included a condensed step-by-step checklist. -Includes details on project cost. -Includes details on maintenance requirements. -Includes details on lifespan of a project. -Includes information on the LoveMyHood process and the Single Point of Contact approach, solidifying LoveMyHood as a core service that involves all City staff in supporting resident-led projects. -Guide books will be a living document that will be updated to reflect project detail. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 5 - 5 ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Strategic Priority:Safe & Thriving Neighbourhoods Strategy: 3.1: Give citizens the tools and opportunities to play an active leadership role in creating great neighbourhoods and fostering a stronger sense of community belonging. Strategic Action:#NB1 Neighbourhood Strategy FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: It is anticipated that, combined, the resident-led greening, public seating and art programs will have minimal impacts in terms of financial resources. Each project will be evaluated on a case by case basis for funding opportunities, to assist neighbourhoods with the overall implementation of these initiatives. The existing Neighbourhood Matching Grant and Neighbourhood Placemaking Challenge Grant is a key funding tool for these projects, which has the added benefit of leveraging volunteer hours and community contributions to match the City’s financial contribution. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Through a massive community engagement campaign for the creation of Love My Hood, 5,651 residents provided input in 3,942 hours of conversation. Staff heard from a diversity of residents, such as neighbourhood associations, schools, faith communities, cultural clubs, sportsteam, youth and seniors groups. Staff engaged residents at parks, pools, splash pads, bus stations, soccer games, events and shopping centres all across the city. INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council/committee meeting. CONSULT – In addition to the consultation for the Neighbourhood Strategy, a Community Engagement Workshop was held at Catalyst 137 in November 2018 for further consultation on resident-led greening, seating and arts projects. With over 50 residents in attendance, staff from a wide-range of departments were provided feedback on what tools, level of support and information should be provided to best assist residents in leading these types of projects. Three follow-up surveys on resident-led greening, seating and art have been published on a dedicated EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Program page to gather more insight on the tools, information and level of support residents require when leading these projects in their neighbourhoods. These survey results can be found in Appendix B. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO Community Services APPENDICES: Appendix A: Neighbourhood Places Program Guide Books – Art, Greening and Public Seating Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood PlacesPrograms Surveys *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 5 - 6 .... ... ......... ........................ ...................... ......................... ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................................................ - - 5 - 7 - - - 5 - 8 - - - - - 5 - 9 - 5 - 10 - 5 - 11 - - - - - - -- - 5 - 12 5 - 13 5 - 14 - - - - - - - - - - 5 - 15 ... ......... ........................ ...................... .......................... ......................... ................................ ................................ ................................................................ - - 5 - 16 - - - 5 - 17 - 5 - 18 - - - 5 - 19 - - - - - - -- - - - 5 - 20 - - - - - 5 - 21 - - - - - - - - 5 - 22 - - - 5 - 23 - 5 - 24 - 5 - 25 - - - - - - - - - - - 5 - 26 ... ......... ........... ........................ ...................... ......................... ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................................................ - - 5 - 27 - - - - - 5 - 28 - -- - - - - 5 - 29 - - - - - - - 5 - 30 - 5 - 31 - - - - 5 - 32 - - 5 - 33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 - 34 - 5 - 35 - - - - - - - - - - - 5 - 36 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Art Survey Responses 5 - 37 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Art Survey Responses 5 - 38 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Art Survey Responses 5 - 39 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Art Survey Responses 5 - 40 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Art Survey Responses 5 - 41 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Art Survey Responses 5 - 42 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Art Survey Responses Icon Images Included in Survey: /ƚƭƷ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below there is 1 dollar sign symbol out of 5 dollar sign symbols, which represents a project that is low in cost. \[ĻǝĻƌ ƚŅ ağźƓƷĻƓğƓĭĻ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below are 4 wrench symbols out of 5 wrench symbols, which represents a project that requires a high level of maintenance \[źŅĻƭƦğƓ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below are 2 clock symbols out of 5 clock symbols, which represents a short lifespan of a project. 5 - 43 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Art Survey Responses o reminds me of the good in the world. Art in my neighborhood reminds me of the good in my neighborhood. I would love to see art that represents or has symbols from local organizations. Even if it felt a little like advertising. I think it would be nice, for example, to see art about local soup kitchens, or art collectives. I love the mural of the old water tower from my childhood. Even though it's now been torn down, I love to see it as a reminder of my city's history. o The icons are helpful overall but don't give specific info. For example, what is a 5 clock timespan look like o love to see more painted murals downtown especially in alleyways like Goudies Lane. They add so o o While I love city art projects and murals I feel like they are often the target of graffiti and vandalism. Residence planning such projects would need help from the city to understand what type of projects are o ject. Having an easy way to browse through other people's experiences helps with planning, execution, and even developing and 5 - 44 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Greening Survey Responses 5 - 45 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Greening Survey Responses 5 - 46 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Greening Survey Responses 5 - 47 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Greening Survey Responses 5 - 48 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Greening Survey Responses 5 - 49 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Greening Survey Responses Icon Images Included in Survey: /ƚƭƷ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below there is 1 dollar sign symbol out of 5 dollar sign symbols, which represents a project that is low in cost. \[ĻǝĻƌ ƚŅ ağźƓƷĻƓğƓĭĻ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below are 4 wrench symbols out of 5 wrench symbols, which represents a project that requires a high level of maintenance \[źŅĻƭƦğƓ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below are 2 clock symbols out of 5 clock symbols, which represents a short lifespan of a project. 5 - 50 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Greening Survey Responses o the specifics of it were missing. For example, 1 dollar bill out of 5 means it was not costly, but does that mean it was a $100 project or a $1000 project? People may not interpret it the same way. o ith symbols on previous page, a definition might help with the wrench, since people wouldn't intuitively associate it with greening or art projects. o It would be good to identify areas most in need first. (i.e. empty boulevards, where things would be really noticed and welcomed). o It would be great to receive maintenance, financial support after the initial project is complete. o Could you advertise this program on-site? E.g. a project on the Spurline is advertised on the Spurline, with info about the project and the program (and how to start your own initiative). 5 - 51 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses 5 - 52 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses Seating options used for Survey Question 1: Standard Bench: Naturalized Seating: Standard Accessible Picnic Table: Custom-built Seating: - Standard benches w arms to enable older adults or those transferring from a mobility aid, such as a 5 - 53 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses o d meet their neighbors, but I think that's unlikely. I would use it, although rarely, and I don't want to misleadingly o 5 - 54 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses 5 - 55 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses 5 - 56 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses 5 - 57 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses 5 - 58 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses 5 - 59 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses Icon Images Included in Survey: /ƚƭƷ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below there is 1 dollar sign symbol out of 5 dollar sign symbols, which represents a project that is low in cost. \[ĻǝĻƌ ƚŅ ağźƓƷĻƓğƓĭĻ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below are 4 wrench symbols out of 5 wrench symbols, which represents a project that requires a high level of maintenance \[źŅĻƭƦğƓ ƚŅ ğ tƩƚƆĻĭƷʹ For example, below are 2 clock symbols out of 5 clock symbols, which represents a short lifespan of a project. 5 - 60 Appendix B: EngageWR Neighbourhood Places Resident-led Public Seating Survey Responses o Really excited to have this consultation. Definitely want to work with the City, but do not want to lose the opportunity to work with neighbours. Project should remain true to the desires of citizens and not enfolded into a process that ends the project because it isn't part of a menu-option design. Projects shouldn't be 'if' o owned/maintained property including the downtown o o o o families (who frequently stop for snacks, or to tie shoes etc.), and seniors who like to walk but need to stop o Currently there is only 1 but it would be beneficial to have benches installed near the sports fields for people walking on the dike to have a seat to be able to watch games. The benches would also be a great resting o Would like benches installed on the dike in Bridgeport for resting spots and to be able to watch games at the sports fields. o A website containing approved design templates (e.g. for a picnic table) would make standardizing community-built projects easier. o I have some particular places in mind for where public seating should go. Does that fit in to the city's consultation process? 5 - 61