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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSHCAC - 2015-02-05 - 2014 Neighbourhood Forum Debrief Neighbourhood Forum Safe & Healthy Communities Tuesday November 18, 2014 Rockway Golf Course, Kitchener Summary of Notes & Discussion th As promised at the end of our November 18 event, this document contains the compiled notes from our table discussions and group exercises from all pa still amazing that everyone made it out on such a snowy, bluster were so pleased that you came ready to engage. The purpose of the 1)share stories of success from each municipality (knowledge excha 2)envision a future (neighbourhood & municipal collaboration for aGREAT-er future) 3)create a Declaration of Possibility for neighbourhoods (articula The good food and great connections among participants seemed to and an even deeper examination of neighbourhoods and their relat neighbourhood leadership and capacity and how municipalities can neighbourhoods. The room was a mix of neighbourhood residents an staff that work with neighbourhoods. Kitchener & Waterloo were r from their respective Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committe represented by staff & residents of the various Cambridge Neighb What you asked for at the end of the forum summary of the Neighbourhood models in each of the three cities summary of the notes & discussion back to participants What you wanted to take away and Asking the same three questions (that were asked at this forum) Associations and community resident groups possibly in a larger forum next year. Considering having conversations about neighbourhoods with other your municipality What actions can your group work on over the next year 1 5 - 1 & package? Declaration of Possibility k all the ideas written on the note cards collected from the 5 will get you 25 exercise. They are grouped categories which is so interesting that all those 45 ideas could be boiled general groups! Table Discussion Notes Doug carefully transcribed all the handwritten notes from our table discussions (mixed tables at the beginning & distinct muni This data is provided in a raw format, without analysis or summa municipality group can review it and draw their own meaning, the recommendations from the discussion notes Attachments with neighbourhood documents from each municipality If you still have lingering thoughts that you would like to shar year, please feel free to contact any of the organizers. Doug McKlusky - doug.mcklusky@sympatico.ca Mike Farwell - radioguymike@gmail.com Laurie Strome - lestrome@uwaterloo.ca - d.m.farlow@rogers.com Colleen Cooper ccooper@regionofwaterloo.ca Joe-Ann McComb - joe-annm@kinbridge.ca Philip Mills - greenway@golden.net Juanita Metzger jmetzger@regionofwaterloo.ca groups take this work over the next year; it could lead to some again for your participation. On behalf of your organizing group, all the best for a year of e developments! 2 5 - 2 Declaration of Possibility for Safe & Healthy Neigbourhoods Our neighbourhoods are the places we call home and they can elic attachment and belonging within us. They provide us with the op favorite surroundings, neighbourliness, social connections, and Equally as important, our neighbourhoods are the building blocks attractive, creative, inclusive, and energetic places to live. healthy and thriving then our cities and communities are also sa We believe that neighbourhoods are great places to live when the elements: Places to gather and opportunities to meet Front porches on every house Formal and informal community gathering spaces Shops, parks, libraries and recreational facilities that are wal homes in the neighbourhood A sense of ownership for the neighbourhood The ability to walk to work Vibrant, flexible, local spaces Water taps and fountains in all parks Green spaces public spaces with trees/shade where people gather and children All youth have easy, walkable access to recreation programs and Neighbour to neighbour connections Inclusive, positive relationships Residents know their neighbours by name and feel comfortable app for assistance or social interactions Communication happens through a neighbourhood Facebook page, new signage at the entrance/exit to every street listing community e A sense of belonging for everyone Playful elements like little libraries, neighbourhood swings and Dedicated spaces to gather and encourage relationships Neighbourhood social action and participation Healthy and supportive relationships between the municipality, t service providers, and the community members Community involvement and service people working together for their neighbourhood Grassroots leadership 3 5 - 3 A small, community-based weekly vegetable market run by seniors students in the community Safe and welcoming meeting spaces Neighbourhoods that are planned for diversity Residents who value children and early childhood development Neighbours/ neighbourhoods watch out for one another All neighbourhoods are supported to be 10 out of 10! 4 5 - 4 Group Discussion Responses The group responses are arranged in no particular order but simi together. Some groups finished all the questions, other groups s conversation and did not complete all the questions Common themes as to what we are doing well in Kitchener, Waterloo or Cambridg Responsiveness to residents needs Working together Connected systems between Grassroots volunteers in neighbourhood neighbourhoods and municipalities association How can we be encouraged to be Depth of community involved in your neighbourhood Service to the community All sites need residents to be aware and Space dedicated for neighbourhoods: participate use of schools is a challenge, depends People need to know where and how to on the principal! access space Space helps define a neighbourhood Encouragement of process is key to how Distinct neighbourhoods know that neighbourhoods develop and programs that neighbourhood looks like offered Having community centre, facilitation of Connection/know other people the use of the space Food draws people out Walkability makes a great neighbourhood Ways to communicate within a neighbourhood: Facebook, social media, Place making communication system Neighbourhood policing Connection to the community with Work together across associations special events Cambridge neighbourhood association Focus on engagement of broader meetings, Kitchener Neighbourhood perspectives summit Relationships within the neighbourhood $ investment Volunteers are a strength for all sites How can we make it happen 5 5 - 5 Conversation 1: What we are doing well with respect to Neighbourhoods in your Mu Kitchener All neighbourhoods are different Kitchener is physically appealing green space and neighbourhoods City staff supports Neighbourhood associations Responsiveness to resident needs and interests, adaptability and Support facilities offer recreational programming Good facilities rmally recognized by city, but others are not. NA generate revenue Recreational programs at community centres generates funds , i.e.: NA Summit problem, sharing of volunteers between existing NA and new one, Common projects i.e. making a skating rink and maintaining it Community partnerships between organizations, i.e. Street parties that enable people to get to know their neighbour Ongoing informal coming together events, such as potlucks, conce Little libraries are bringing people together Festival of Neighbourhoods Cherry Park Festival keeps growing Support groups that want to start community gardens Arts Night shift event, all kinds of arts installations annually Well run events in the core but need to expand to outlying areas Partnerships with agencies to offer more programs and space, fre offer programs Inclusion and belonging subcommittee of the Safe and Healthy com understand needs and how we can better engage (common issue iden space inside and out) and build inclusion Neighbourhood matching grants and inclusion grants Come together to address needs and support vulnerable people, e. the Cold Safe and Healthy Committees all cities and community volunteers 6 5 - 6 Waterloo Good leadership Decision making lens to assist decision making Waterloo Community HUB City has one staff person who supports those who are interested association Staff person designated to coordinating neighbourhood activities positive, with strong connection with the city and neighbourhood Most NA;s get some sort of $ from the city Grant opportunities are available: matching grant Cash grants are easier and for three years Neighbourhoods choose for themselves what they want to do Neighbourhood planning walkability, which encourages meeting neighbours and getting out Each NA operates differently Empowered to do what they want to do Some Neighbourhoods do not want to have any activities Homeowner and Neighbourhood associations People are the biggest strength in activities, non-participation Intention is to get more involved and engaged Great leadership of individuals Need people to express what they want to do and how to engage pe Need to work with resources we have Community outreach The Working Centre Partnership with House of Friendship and Regional Housing for co Accessibility for everyone is critical Kids are playing on the street Introducing students (university) to the neighbourhood Cambridge City of Cambridge provides funding for youth recreation and volu 8 staffed neighbourhood sites Participation at all levels: city staff, residents, volunteers, empowered neighbourhood Residents define what they want to do Relationship based 7 5 - 7 Neighbourhood are a reflection of what people want Community development approach Structured level system for developing growth, of neighbourhoods infrastructure to city staff Neighbours are connected to each other through monthly meetings, funding with city representation at these meetings Strong knowledge and communication with neighbourhoods Opportunity for training and hiring of residents, gain confidenc Bringing decentralized services to the neighbourhood, i.e. emplo Youth leadership development cutting edge Provide strong after school programs for youth and it grows each Provide opportunities to connect i.e. moms/tots, 200 volunteers Funding: ROW, City of Cambridge, Foundations, United Way, Provi together on funding Neighbourhood Associations do outreach to people that may not be Newsletters to real estate agents Outreach newsletters, phone calls, website Funding model level 1,2,3 funding, but neighbourhood association has to find City funds associations by geographic location, divided into ass boundaries Porch parties Creating spaces for people that work Signs for people to drive slow Community gardens Silent Night Festival 8 5 - 8 Conversation 2: From Good to Great! If a miracle happened tomorrow what we would see in Kitchener: Connectedness better bus service all over the city Walkability no matter where you would have things to walk to coffee shops, bakeries, pubs, grocery stores etc. that are reflective of the u culture Kids walking to school Access to stewarded resources few barriers on how to access listening and responsiveness from staff Safe ways to walk and bike from one community to another bike lanes everywhere Better Planned Communities Organized events for people in neighbourhoods that promote engag will be less suspicious of each other Gatherings outside of organized sports Facilities, green garden day and night, community space in every Community space in every neighbourhood Multicultural perspective representative of the neighbourhood People playing in the streets, people on front porches and front People know each other and feeling of belonging Problem solving taking place in a positive way, citizen agency t mutual respect Neighbourhoods are built to facilitate connection and infrastruc Where are we on a scale of 1-10 towards this miracle in Kitchene Depends on where in the city you are, varies due to age, maturit composition, socio-economic, services, amenities. One group said 8/10, the other group said 3-5/10 How do we move closer to 10 in Kitchener? More coordination consistency with support More bike lanes More sidewalk in-fill Improved planning, mix of housing, not all high density Closing the gap between low and high income Planning for diversity a diverse community is more healthy Need to rethink some of our communities and what will we do to k stock, the built form needs to be dealt with 9 5 - 9 Avoid food deserts Focus on struggling neighbourhoods Better communication and trust will all people in neighbourhoods awareness Focus on new immigrant populations If a miracle happened tomorrow what we would see in Waterloo: - we have a place built and facilitated by neighbours taking ownership of open spaces neighbours involved in planning/building/improving parks spaces etc nership of neighbourhood i.e. porch parties People are outside using parks trails etc meeting their neighbours, space near by Neighbourhoods active and vibrant People working in their community People able to de-stress and turn the switch off Teach mindfulness in schools Neighbours who are mindful, with personal coping skills, build t Kids playing outside More public space More trees Gathering places in neighbourhoods benches, trees, safe and accessible Parks have amenities electrical/drinking water etc Computer access See police officers as community friendly resource officers, horse back officers, with easy community access Food trucks things come to neighbourhoods More open access at no cost to schools School boards more answerable to community, more like municipal Where are we on a scale of 1-10 towards this miracle in Waterloo Better than a 5-6 depending on the neighbourhood with a range of are low ones also 10 5 - 10 If a miracle happened tomorrow what we would see in Cambridge: Dedicated space to run more formal and reliable programming Programs capped by space People like trees more green space Safe community for all kids Multi-age groupings Neighbourhood resources groceries stores, space pads, markets, transit Neighbours need to see these neighbourhood resources More staff Continued work towards solutions and partnerships with funders, relationships City is very open and transparent which allows neighbourhoods to needs How do we connect with businesses more defined partnerships Where are we on a scale of 1-10 towards this miracle in Cambridg Depending on the issue of focus, as low as 1/10 (re: dedicated bu Shout outs of things that resonated in each Municipality Neighbourhood matching grant and inclusion grant Communication Facebook, newsletters Night Shifts animating the streets, Nuite Blanch Kitchener Citizens Porch Party music Maximize use of all facilities recreation centres, schools, churches Everyone plays a role formal and informal Community gardens (63) Produce markets 6 or 7 formal and informal Little libraries Monthly meetings of Neighbourhood organizations Connected community groups for sharing Children playing on the streets brings parents together 11 5 - 11