Guelph Civic League
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Better Ways
May 03, 2006
Best Practice: Complete Communities, the Better Way To Build a City
Sprawl is dead. Well, not quite. Frustratingly, it's still the most common form of new development in most North American cities. But now we know better. There are many emerging visions of how new developments can be designed for the future. A glowing handful are noted in this e-bulletin. Take a few minutes to read about four cities who illustrate truly inspiring examples of what's possible if there's political will.
What's the best alternative to sprawl? They are being called “complete communities ” and “lifestyle centres. ” They mix residences, shopping, recreation, and workplaces in a density that makes sense for people and the environment. They are better for people because they are more convenient and livable. They are better for the future because they depend less on car traffic and they use resources like water and transport more efficiently. They also cost less to operate and maintain than suburban sprawl, which, without question, will cost all of us much more in future taxation than we realize.
At the heart of all these new complete communities are downtowns, either small ones or serious-sized commercial centres. A vital downtown is essential to all great cities. Only cities lacking vision let their downtowns fade away.
Guelph's city council, sadly, has not made our downtown a priority. Peter Hamtak, a Ward Six councillor, perpetually refuses to support investment in downtown. He is the most extreme. But the same sentiment runs through this council. Councillor Maggie Laidlaw, sums it up in her recent letter to the Mercury.
In 2005, the Toronto firm urbanMetrics completed a study for revitalizing downtown Guelph with a new management structure within city hall and by removing barriers to investment. It went nowhere fast. A February 7 workshop was cancelled due to the multiple firings of city staff, including the staff member managing the project. At the end of May, a Toronto consultant will attempt to explain in a workshop for council how leading cities elsewhere have invested profitably in their downtowns. It is hoped that by late summer city staff will present council with a plan for investing in Guelph's downtown.
Needed: citizen input.
What You Can Do:
Read how four cities have made (or plan to make) their downtowns economic engines and cultural centerpieces. Then tell members of the Guelph City Council
that they have dragged their feet long enough. It’s time to build the
infrastructure that will make our downtown a place where business
people want to increase value and citizens want to be. And to consult
citizens starting now.
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