These are neighbourhoods that have our basic needs nearby and are built for ‘intensification’, which means filling in the spaces that we already have within city limits. Basically, we can take the space currently for cars (roads, driveways, parking lots) and fill that in with things that we actually need like:
- Affordable housing of mixed types (apartments, townhouses, and detached homes) that address different needs of different people – growing families, students or seniors who want age in their own neighbourhood.
- More small local businesses in the neighbourhood (instead of big shopping centers made for big companies), so that money stays in the local economy and it’s easier to shop local
- And parks, community gardens and greenspaces
And all of this is on top of the health benefits of planning for people instead of cars:
- Less air pollution and related illnesses
- Less noise pollution
- Safer streets
- Protected farmland and water sources to brace for climate impacts
- Active lifestyles
- Less pavement means more heat control for the coming heat waves, especially in urban areas
- More social cohesion (people feel connected, feel like they belong, have social support networks and people are just plain nicer to each other!)
All of these things work towards social justice too, because the economic, health and accessibility issues created by planning for cars impacts marginalized populations the most.
Would people gather in their front yards with people instead of fenced-off backyards?
Would people treat each other better?
Would people use that extra space to grow food or plant pollinator gardens?
Would you have street parties?
Full on snowball or water gun fights on the street?
Picnic tables, public art, music, BBQs?
What could you have instead of a driveway?
Would people work together to build a street-long haunted house on Halloween? (That’s what I would do tbh).
When we can picture a community that centers health, equity and the environment, we can create those communities. Reimagining the places where we live now opens up paths towards what those places can be in the future.
I, for one, would love to know how all of you would redesign your street for living instead of driving, no matter what kind of street you live on!
Kelly, signing off.
P.S – I think of these blog posts as an ongoing discussion. You can share your comments below, on social media (links below!) or get in touch with me at kelly@simcoecountygreenbelt.ca.