Building Community Solutions - Neighbourhoods

Building Healthy Neighbourhoods

One of the key priorities that arose out of the work done in Phase Two and Three of the Building Community Solutions project was a desire for residents to live in neighbourhoods that they considered "healthy."  Study Circle participants across the community expressed a desire for:

• Neighbourhoods where people work together to improve their neighbourhood

• Neighbourhoods where people felt safe

• Neighbourhoods were people care about and respect each other and the neighbourhood

• Neighbourhoods that are aesthetically pleasing, pedestrian friendly, and with green space and areas where people can meet.

With this feedback in mind the Building Community Solutions Steering Committee and partner agencies set out to develop a framework to guide Neighbourhood Quality of Life Planning in two unique neighbourhoods in Maple Ridge as described below. 

Social Sustainability

As previously noted, Post-Phase Three activities revolve around Neighbourhood Quality of Life Planning.  However, recognizing that the term Neighbourhood Quality of Life planning is rather nebulous, the Building Community Solutions group has set out guiding principles and established a clear planning process to help citizens understand the process and how it applies to their neighbourhood.

In 2005, the District of Maple Ridge Social Planning Committee adopted a Social Sustainability Framework that is being used by Building Community Solutions to guide the Neighbourhood Quality of Life Planning process.  This Social Sustainability framework focuses on seven core elements and five core values as shown in the diagram to the right. 

A detailed description of the Social Sustainability Framework as adopted by the District of Maple Ridge Social Planning Advisory Committee can be read here. The Greater Vancouver Regional District Social Sustainability Framework upon which our local Social Sustainability Framework can be viewed here.

What is Neighbourhood Planning?

Neighbourhood planning is an interactive, community based activity that engages local residents in making decisions about what they want to see happen in their neighbourhoods.  It is driven by community needs and desires and can be used to guide neighbourhood change.  The Neighbourhood Planning that Building Community Solutions is implementing focuses on neighbourhood assets and how these assets can be used to improve neighbourhoods. 

Neighbourhood planning has a great variety of benefits including:

• Relationship building starts conversations, helps neighbours get to know one another, increases the sense of security and belonging residents feel, creates a sense of common understanding and vision;

• Increases knowledge of neighbourhood assets and resources, and ways of protecting resources;

• Improves communication between residents, with local agencies, and with local governments;

• Creates a framework for positive change and action, with neighbours taking ownership of strategies, action plans, and decision making.

Neighbourhood planning focuses on viable, grassroots, inclusive planning processes that are action oriented.  Citizens are asked to create a vision, set goals, and develop a realistic action plan for neighbourhood improvement.  

Neighbourhood Quality of Life Planning

There are a number of Neighbourhood Planning models that could be used to guide Post-Phase Three activities.  However, after significant review, the Chicago New Communities Program - Planning Handbook and the A Guide for Developing Neighbourhood Plans (Winnipeg, Canada) have been selected as key reference documents.

The Neighbourhood Quality of Life Planning process adopted by Building Community Solutions focuses on the following activities:

Previous Building Community Solutions Phases:

• Startup / Pre-Planning

• Participant Recruitment (ongoing)

• Research (ongoing)

Post-Phase III Activities:

• Participant Recruitment (ongoing)

• Kick Off Event - introduce Quality of Life Planning model

• Neighbourhood Walkabouts - preliminary discussion of neighbourhood topics

• Visioning and Initial Strategies - begin thinking in terms of short-, mid-, long-term goals and means of achieving goals

• Strategy Fine Tuning and Prioritization - revisit means of achieving goals and identify short-, mid-, and long-term priorities

• Community Consultation on Priorities - present goals and strategies to larger neighbourhood group for discussion;

• Action Planning around Priorities - integrate feedback from Community Consultation into neighbourhood strategies and priorities and finalize action plan including roles and responsibilities of individuals and organizations

• Celebrate and Publish Neighbourhood Action Plans - celebrate and share what has been accomplished and what actions have been prioritized for the neighbourhood.