For years North Americans have been choosing houses and neighbourhoods that fuel urban sprawl.  These neighbourhoods generally encourage inefficient and inactive transportation by car.  The resultant excessive emissions contribute to poor local air quality and climate change. By contrast, a neighbourhood which encourages more active and sustainable transportation will lead to decreased emissions, more physical activity and financial benefit.

The public often perceives intensification as negative development. Intensification, or smart growth, actually helps address the negative impacts of urban sprawl by utilizing and improving existing infrastructure, increasing housing options, encouraging mixed land uses and increasing green space.  Intensification helps create liveable cities which provide a high quality of life.

The 'Complete Streets' movement is an important part of intensification.  Complete streets offer efficient and safe access for all users where pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and bus riders of all ages and abilities are able to safely navigate the streets.

Many North American cities continue to adopt complete streets policies and ideals when planning future development. Click on the picture links in this website to show what complete streets can look like - www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/community/transformations/index.asp

It is estimated that the population of the Golden Horseshoe will increase by 3.8 million people in the next twenty five years.  The City of Hamilton and Ontario’s Places to Grow Act, recognize that managing this growth in an environmentally and economically sustainable fashion is essential.
The City of Hamilton is now seeking information from residents regarding its Official Urban Plan - www.hamilton.ca/newurbanop

Green Venture offers Complete Streets for Liveable Cities presentations to get people thinking about how they can help create a more vibrant Hamilton.  Success stories from other Canadian cities show how proper land use planning can improve quality of life and encourage active and sustainable transportation.  Some things that planners should consider when designing neighbourhoods can be found at www.dailythingscount.ca/profresources.html

Below, you can find a Neighbourhood Checklist.  This is a tool you can print and then go out and audit your neighbourhood's completeness.

To book a 30 minute presentation for your group or to find out where one is scheduled to happen please call Green Venture at 905-540-8787 ext 114 or click the Contact Us button.

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Neighbourhood Checklist.pdf	60.36 KB