Geog 322 Fall 2010

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Table of Contents

Section page Acknowledgements

4

1 The World Café 1.1 Assignment 1.2 What is a World Café?

5 5 5

2 Youth and Parks

8

3 Community and Schools

9

4 Sustainability

11

5 Safety and Transportation

12

6 Commercial Uses and Development

13

7 Health Centre

14

8 All Participant Session

16

9 Conclusion

18

Appendix 1: Current Land Use Regulations 19 Plan Nanaimo

Zoning

Appendix 2: Recreation Inventory 23 Appendix 3: Workshop Survey 25

Appendix 4: Comment Sheet Summary 27 Appendix 5: Press Release 28

Appendix 6: Advertisement 29

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HAREWOOD WORLD CAFÉ

Vancouver Island University’s Geography 322: Geographic Communication would like to thank

the Good Neighbours Committee for inviting us host “Let’s Talk Harewood” – a community

meeting held on November 17th, 2010.

Rebecca Augustyn Alex Beall Herkamal Brar Kevin Calder Kelsey Chandler Louis Chapdelaine James (Bucky) Chisholm Alysha Harris Griffin Hopkins Steven Hunter Michelle Ickringill Alannah McNish Cody Naples Andrea Orantes Erin Philip Doug Rash Ryan Riddle Allie Tompkins Tim Wickman Charlie York Pamela Shaw

A special thank you to Steven Beasley, MA Geography Student from the University of Victoria for his involvement in this World Café.

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SECTION 1 THE WORLD CAFÉ

1.1 Assignment On behalf of the Good Neighbours Committee, Geography 322: Geographic Communication (Vancouver Island University Geography Department) conducted a community workshop in the Harewood Neighbourhood. The purpose of the workshop was to identify the issues most critical/important to the community at a neighbourhood level. The findings of the workshop are intended to be used as part of a neighbourhood planning process currently underway at a community, grassroots level. The class determined that a World Café format would be suitable for the form and desired outcomes of the discussions. While there are other public consultation methods that could have been used, it was anticipated that a format that allowed for deep, intense conversations would be effective for discussing the issues important to the community.

1.2 What is a World Café? A “World Café” is a public consultation method developed by consultants Juanita Brown and David Isaacs.1 It is a technique for facilitating in-depth conversations on a range of issues important to a group, and encourages the group to quickly move toward consensus or ideas on collective action. The seven principles of World Café are:

Set the context Create hospitable space Explore questions that matter Encourage everyone's contribution Cross-pollinate and connect diverse perspectives Listen together for patterns, insights, and deeper questions Harvest and share collective discoveries.

Process To achieve these principles, Geog 322 interviewed Dr. Anne Leavitt, Dean of Social Sciences, a resident of Harewood, and a facilitator of a recent community event in the community. This earlier event was a community meeting intended to draw out priorities in the community. Dr.

1 http://www.theworldcafe.com/

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Leavitt provided a summary of the meeting to Geog 322, and the class used this information to develop the topics for discussion at the Harewood Workshop.2 The class organized the venue as shown below:

2 It is noted that the event was called the Harewood Community Workshop instead of the Harewood World Café in the press release and advertisement, as it was determined that the term “World Café” might not be meaningful to potential participants.

Coffee/treats prepared by VIU’s Baking Program

10 Tables – one for each topic area

identified. The tables were

consolidated into the topic areas

identified in this report as the

workshop progressed

Entrance

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An airphoto, zoning map, and cadastral base map were donated by the City of Nanaimo, and a representative from the City Recreation and Parks Department provided neighbourhood parks mapping. Each table contained:

A notepad for the facilitator

Poster boards for illustrating ideas Felt pens

Handout maps of Harewood

Paper/pens for participants

Flowers in a small vase (to present a “café” appearance for the venue)

Table topic sign

Surveys

There was also a draw box for the surveys, and participants who entered the draw had the opportunity to win t-shirts, bowling passes, VIU notebooks and accessories, and a first aid kit. Students in Geography 322 were responsible for opening and closing the meeting, explaining the process to participants, facilitating at each table, and acting as note takers for the event. At the tables, the facilitators explained that the purpose of the meeting was to identify issues that should be addressed in the Neighbourhood Plan. If discussions lagged at the tables, the facilitators were prepared to re-initiate the discussions with the following questions:

What's important to you about this issue?

What do you see as the future?

Is this what you would want to see happen?

What if the status quo (group may discuss what that is) is maintained?

What are we doing (or not doing) that is vital to reaching a desired future?

What question, if answered here today, could make the greatest difference to the issue we're exploring?

At the outset, it was intended that there would be three 25 minute conversations, separated by 5 minute refreshment breaks. At the event, the students determined a better option was two sessions followed by a plenary session. The students also reported back on the findings at the end of each session. The following outlines the topics of discussion and the comments made by participants at the

World Café.

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SECTION 2 YOUTH AND PARKS

Comments made on the topics of youth in the community and parks include:

• Not enough public spaces for kids; more free activities/recreational spaces for everyone

• Centennial park needs improvement: skate park, BMX track, trails, etc

• Safety improvements through better lighting and “eyes on street”

• Parks underutilized (Robbins Park on Park and 5th?)

• Easier access to parks for seniors and people with disabilities

• Walkway/trail around Barsby and Harewood Centennial Park

• Parking along Seventh Street is problematic and unsafe; need to preserve a trail so people aren’t forced to walk in the street; some sort of barrier between parking area and field/trail

• Connect Georgia Ave and Barsby School with trail/bike path!!!

• Parks & Rec and School District need to work together; formal partnership and Recreational Programmer in schools

• More programs and facilities for youth between 13 and 18; skate park and BMX areas are long overdue

• Distance to recreational facilities? Is it actually an issue?

• $1.5 million in City budget for parks re-development; focus on Harewood Centennial, if the right location

• Potential partnership between City and Nanaimo District Lacrosse Association to provide covered/heated/lit lacrosse box that could be used for basketball/markets/community events

• Everyone loves the water park!

• More green spaces and playgrounds

• Preserving the natural state of Colliery Dam Park; if trees need to be removed for water line upgrades, must replace with new trees; maintaining fishing access for community (very important); boardwalks so that accessible to lots of people; lighting if possible, although not intruding on beauty of park.

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SECTION 3 COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS

Comments made under the topics of Community Involvement and Schools include:

• Harewood school needs to be revitalized, perhaps as health centre or Boys and Girls Club – action needed soon due to vandalism and degrading condition of building

• Community Association needs increased involvement

• Positive impacts of VIU and need for student housing

• Too many student parking on streets

• Something needs to be done with the empty lot on 4th Street

• Future impact VIU could have on the community

Harewood School - any combination of:

1. Community Centre

2. Health Centre

3. Boy’s and Girl’s Club

4. Studio Space

5. Community Kitchen: nutrition education (not soup kitchen)

6. Parent Education Centre

7. Trade School

8. Affordable housing

Current issues of future development:

1. Parking

2. Cost of renovations (elevator, asbestos, lead paint, leaky roof, etc)

3. Earthquake safe?

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Community:

1. More communication (bulletin boards, meeting place, newspaper, community centre, communication between current groups)

2. Representation of the smaller neighbourhoods within Harewood

3. More Affordable housing

4. Street lights for safety

5. Community events! (Music festival, Harewood Days etc)

6. Neighbourhood watch.

7. 4th St. vacant lot as possible location for new community centre, boys and girls club etc.

VIU as a neighbor:

1. Seen as positive, however parking remains an issue with cars now spilling into the neighbourhood.

2. Long-term relationship utilization of university programs (dental, nursing, trades, culinary)

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SECTION 4 SUSTAINABILITY

Comments made under the topic of sustainability include:

• Sustainability encompasses everything

• More community gardens in Harewood – promotion and inclusivity.

• Need for local economy and local jobs (food/energy) plus better transportation options

• Densification/infill development supplemented by green space

• Public use of SD land in 500 block of 4th

• Community centre, event venue, gardens, multiple-use

• Future ALR zoning for remaining farmland?

• Community nucleus – not commercially focused, services: all demographics, INCLUSIVE

• Community Identity without branding, highlight heritage, distinctive neighbourhood characteristics (ex. Victoria neighbourhoods with trees, benches, floral baskets, art etc. specific to the area), gateways to Harewood (not specific to signage, tasteful, timeless, simple)

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SECTION 5 SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION

Comments made under the topics of Community Safety and Transportation include:

• Lack of transit access and unsafe bus stops

• No bus running on 4th Street

• Need for transit hub in Harewood to facilitate easy movement into and out of neighbourhood

• Improved transit frequency

• School zone issues: no pull offs for drop off/pick up, signs disregarded

• Walkability issues: sidewalks, paths, safety concerns

• Safety of individuals who are now forced to wait for transit in un-safe conditions

• Proper “facilities” for those waiting for buses

• Princess Royal School and Old Victoria Road are apparently grungy and unsafe areas.

• Lack of lighting and bus shelters also increase the uneasy feel felt by transit users.

• The painted sidewalks do not provide safety for walkers and bike users

• Traffic flow on Wakesiah has to improve especially as population increases. University, Pool, NDSS and the freeway exits create too much congestion for Wakesiah.

• Improvements to already exiting walkways

• Improved lighting = sense safety especially important for senior citizens

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SECTION 6 COMMERCIAL & INFILL DEVELOPMENT

Comments made under the topics of Commercial Development and Infill Development include:

• Boys and Girls Club needs a new facility, ideally in a better location

• Harewood School in need of revitalization

• More sidewalks needed to improve walking safety

• Banking services and entertainment options needed

• Grants to supporter smaller scale housing options and infill development

• Focus on small, family business and no big box development

• Keep Harewood affordable

• Venue – Place to rent for bands/comedy

• Amenities for senior citizens

• Space for ladies get together – fundraising

• Work with private developers to interject a Harewood perspective

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SECTION 7 HEALTH CENTRE

Comments made under the topic of a Health Centre include:

• Large need for health clinic and currently no such facility exists

• Need for doctors, paramedical, and holistic services

• Possible solution: VIU health centre

• Current wellness facilities are expensive and underutilized (pool and rinks); the schools need to be using facilities more

• Need for recreation facilities (e.g.: tennis courts, b-ball courts, fields) and sporting groups (soccer clubs, ball games, etc)

• Need for nutrition facilities and supports

• Community gardens and incorporation of more healthful food in schools

• Playgrounds with proper lighting

• Health Clinic needed including different professionals such as wellness center, nutritionist, holistic/natural path, physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractor. Maybe join together in one center but not offer every specialty every day.

• VIU could use health clinic for practicum

• VIU offers health services but people need to know more about it- get the word out

• Food box weekly

• Safety of foods to schools

• Ladysmith special needs make sandwiches for elementary schools

• Schools not using facilities such as the pool and the skating rink because of the high costs

• VIHA making it difficult to have health services and proper nutrition programs in schools- need to make a change, involve the school district

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• VIU students forced to have medical plan, but there is nothing available in the area to use this plan

• Physical activities and sports groups not using Harewood fields

• Facilities like the basketball courts are run down, and tennis courts needed, and more affordable activities for all ages

• Need enough parks for kids to play in

• Evening activities

• Community gardens for teaching gardening skills and nutrition

• Information about sports, facilities, and health services need to get out to the people

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SECTION 8 ALL PARTICIPANTS SESSION

The final session of the Workshop was a plenary “all participants session” where all attendees

and students pulled their chairs into a circle and engaged first in a general discussion, followed

by a check around the circle. The facilitators asked the participants to identify their top two

issues for the community, with the following results:

• Sidewalk improvements: lighting, extended into older areas, greater advocacy on

sidewalks needed

• Improved communication about programs and facilities

• Learn from best practices of other community associations

• Need for community centre and to preserve Harewood School through renewal and re-

tasking

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SECTION 9 CONCLUSIONS

Given that the focus of the session was on issue identification, the comments received from

participants are presented as received and were not further manipulated to imply consensus on

any particular topic. However, the Health Centre was most frequently identified as a key issue,

followed by transportation, infill, and facilities for youth.

An underlying theme to much of the discussion was the value placed on the “community” –

from comments received, it appear that this word pertains both to the strong sense of

community participants felt existed in Harewood, to pride in the community, and to a sense of

protectionism around maintaining the spirit and identity of Harewood.

It is recommended that future sessions be held to develop the key issues identified into policies

and actions that can be achieved at a neighbourhood planning level.

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APPENDIX 1: CURRENT LAND USE REGULATIONS

The Harewood area currently has 2275 occupied dwellings with 40% built before 1970 (2006

Census).

Plan Nanaimo

As can be seen on the map, Harewood is designated largely as “Neighbourhood” and the Plan

encourages “Corridor” development on the main arteries.

The new Plan Nanaimo includes a modified framework of goals which are:

Goal One Manage Urban Growth by focusing urban development within a defined

Urban Containment Boundary.

Plan Nanaimo Land Use Designations

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Goal Two Build a More Sustainable Community by creating urban nodes and corridors

that support higher densities and a wider range of amenities and services than found in

the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Goal Three Encourage Social Enrichment whereby Nanaimo is considered a socially

sustainable community that nurtures a caring, healthy, inclusive and safe environment,

and which empowers all of its citizens to realize their aspirations.

Goal Four Promote a Thriving Economy through efforts to grow and diversify the local

economy from the current tax base, affording opportunities for residents and

businesses, while staying within the capacity of the natural environment.

Goal Five Protect and Enhance our Environment by looking after Nanaimo’s natural

diversity of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems in the course of land use and

development.

Goal Six Improve Mobility and Servicing Efficiency by creating greater accessibility and

more opportunity for safe and convenient movement around the city by transit, cycle

and on foot.

Goal Seven Work Towards a Sustainable Nanaimo which is the critical goal for moving

from “planning to action”. Nanaimo strives to meet the vision of the Plan to build upon

the strengths of the city and work to improve those areas where changes in economic,

social, environmental conditions would create a stronger, more effective, sustainable

city.

Policies for neighborhood planning in Plan Nanaimo include:

The neighborhood designation provides for lower density residential areas along with

parks and open spaces, schools, and local service centers supporting residential

neighborhoods.

Development in neighborhoods will be characterized by a mix of low density residential

uses and may include detached and semi-detached dwelling units, secondary suites,

special needs housing, mobile homes, duplexes, triplexes, quadruplexes and

townhouses.

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Residential densities from 10 to 50 units per hectare, in two to four storey building

forms, will be supported in neighborhoods.

Commercial Centers – Neighborhood designations are supported within neighborhoods,

and as identified through the neighborhood planning process.

Local service centers provide small scale commercial and community services within

neighborhoods.

These service centers are permitted in locations on a collector road and within a walk

able distance for neighboring residents.

The development or redevelopment of lands within existing Neighborhood designated

areas shall consider the surrounding context, including architecture, scale, densities, and

lot and lane configuration, when creating innovative designs which fit a variety of

housing forms and enhance the livability of the area.

Parks and open space shall form an integral component of the land base in

neighborhoods. Trail connections and sidewalks will encourage safe pedestrian

movement throughout the neighborhoods.

The infill of residential lots is encouraged and will be designed to complement existing

neighborhood character including the ground oriented nature of existing housing.

Ecological features, such as steep slopes, watercourses, riparian areas, significant trees,

and environmentally sensitive lands are recognized as attributes of the site, and

development shall proceed only where the impacts on these features are minimized and

can be mitigated.

A clustered housing design approach to development is encouraged to protect

environmentally sensitive features, steep slope and hazard lands, and provide for open

spaces in neighborhoods.

Steep slope properties included in Development Permit Area 5 may be considered for

additional density, in exchange for the preservation of open space, so long as the overall

density of the site does not exceed that allowed within the Neighborhood designation.

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The integration of higher density forms of ground oriented residential housing shall be

encouraged on major roads and within and adjacent to Commercial Centers

Neighborhood.

This Plan supports the development of a mix of residential options for all demographic

categories and levels of affordability across the city. However, isolated residential

developments, which are secured and gated as stand alone housing, are not supported

in the Neighborhood designation.

Home-based business secondary to the principal residence will be encouraged provided

that such businesses are compatible with existing adjacent uses and the environment.

Historic structures, places and trees will be identified and preserved in neighborhoods

throughout the city.

Existing neighborhood plans are adopted as part of plan Nanaimo. Neighborhood plans

prepared in the future will also be adopted as part of plan Nanaimo and will complement the

vision, goals, objectives and policies established within this Plan.

Zoning Bylaw and other Regulations

Under Bylaw 1000, the area is zoned mostly as residential, with some pockets of commercial

zoning and parkland. Other important regulations include those for heritage buildings.

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APPENDIX 2: RECREATION AND PARKS

Inventory

Existing recreational facilities in the Area

Bowen Park Complex - 500 Bowen Road

Caledonia Park - 110 Wall Street

Harewood Activity Centre - 195 Fourth Street

Harewood Centennial Park - 740 Howard Avenue

Nanaimo Aquatic Centre - 741 Third Street

- length swimming, diving boards, wave pool, aquatic fitness courses including core strength aquatics, cardio splash and burn, and moving body fitness classes.

- fitness gym open daily. - Availability of an aquatic personal trainer.

Nanaimo Ice Centre - 750 Third Street

- everyone welcome skating - seniors hockey club - adult scrub hockey - adult leisure skate - parent and tot skating - glow in the dark skating - rec skate

Nearby parks and trails

Colliery Dam

Morrell Sanctuary

Buttertubs Marsh

Parkway trail and bike routes through the community.

Robins Park - 620 Park Avenue

Rotary Gateway Park - 630 Trans Canada Hwy

Serauxman

Harewood Centennial

Gyro Wentworth

Bowen West.

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Parks and Trails

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APPENDIX 3: WORKSHOP SURVEY

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Appendix 4: Comment Sheet Summary

ISSUE IDENTIFIED COMMENT

[BLANK] Blow up Harewood School

Harewood School It would serve as the solution to many of the issues being presented

today. It could house health services, youth activities, community

kitchens, community events, etc. I think revitalization is the answer.

Development of Park @ Centennial 1. Skate Park; 2. Lacrosse Building; 3. More parking – none on street 4.

Trail on Georgia – to connect them.

[BLANK] Centennial Park is a good place for a skate park.

Park

Sidewalks/Community Hall

Revitalize Old Buildings Sidewalks, bike paths.

Sustainability Harewood, build close to downtown has many of the same issues

around sustainability – i.e. appropriate densification; development of

efficient and workable public transportation; walkability.

Sustainability I like the idea of a community hub – be it a well-used community centre,

a community garden or both adjacent to one another. It could come

close to an area that gets higher density redevelopment.

Sustainability Boulevard gardens (city property); community “hubs” – park benches,

coffee shops-common meeting ground; community gardens

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Appendix 5: Press Release

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Appendix 6: Advertisement