The Smart Growth Community Steering Committee has begun the process of defining a framework to guide local decision making for how Niagara will accommodate its future growth needs.

By looking at an integrated approach to community planning, the Committee is embarking on a task that has broad implications for many sectors of the Niagara community.  Dick Halverson is a member of the committee.

Other questions to be considered are:  

• planning for the needs of an aging population; 

• positioning Niagara as an economic leader in Ontario and Canada; 

• meeting the future transportation and transit demands; 

• planning capital infrastructure; 

• valuing our natural and built heritage; 

• community social health; and more.

In communities across North America, there is a growing concern that current development patterns-- dominated by what some call "sprawl"--are no longer in the long-term interest of our cities, existing suburbs, small towns, rural communities, or wilderness areas.

Though supportive of growth, communities are questioning the economic costs of abandoning infrastructure in the city, only to rebuild it further out. They are questioning the social costs of the mismatch between new employment locations in the suburbs and the available work-force in the city. 

They are questioning the wisdom of abandoning "brownfields" in older communities, eating up the open space and prime agricultural lands at the suburban fringe, and polluting the air of an entire region by driving farther to get places. Spurring the smart growth movement are demographic shifts, a strong environmental ethic, increased fiscal concerns, and more nuanced views of growth. The result is a new understanding that urban growth, built on a belief in never ending oil, and global warming are related.

Smart growth recognizes connections between development and quality of life. It leverages new growth to improve the community. The features that distinguish smart growth in a community vary from place to place. In general, smart growth invests time, attention, and resources in restoring community and vitality to center cities and older suburbs. New smart growth is more town-centered, is transit and pedestrian oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses. It also preserves open space and many other environmental amenities. But there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution. Successful communities do tend to have one thing in common--a vision of where they want to go and of what things they value in their community--and their plans for development reflect these values.  Vision is what we need now.

In Niagara, in our humble opinion, there are several outstanding examples of Smart Growth principles at work.  Our two favourite are "The Village" in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and "Village on the Twelve" in St. Catharines. 

Cooltown Studios
An amazing site, rich in resources for building a vibrant community!!!

10 Smart Growth Principles:

• Create a mix of land uses - a mix of jobs, stores and homes make life more convenient

• Promote compact built form - this contributes to a sense of community as neighbours get to know each other, not just cars

• Offer a range of housing opportunities and choices - not everyone wants or needs the same thing

• Produce walkable neighbourhoods and communities - gets people out of cars and reduces gridlock

• Foster attractive communities and a sense of place - each community has unique features worth preserving

• Preserve farmland and natural resources - people understand and appreciate their connection to nature and the land

• Direct development into existing communities - take advantage of existing community assets

• Provide a variety of transportation choices - people need another way to get where they're going

• Make development predictable and cost effective - obstacles to implementing Smart Growth should be removed, and

• Encourage community stakeholders collaboration - plans developed with strong community involvement tend to get implemented