The link between arts programs and the social and mental development of children has been heavily researched. The clear result is that learning the arts increases the chance of success in future social and work-related endeavors (Torjman 2004 & Sheilds 2001). Children who live with poverty have a greater risk of dropping out of school due to circumstances in their lives. This can be combated by fostering hope and building their sense of self. Arts and music programs help children find their voice, build self-esteem and learn social skills that follow them through their lives and make them active members of their community.
Across Canada, child poverty is growing as funding for education is being cut (Maynes & Foster 2000). Due to the cutbacks, schools must restructure or even lose programs that are important to the healthy development of children. Programs meant to combat the effects of poverty are the most vulnerable as they are a low priority to educational policy-makers. This is due to the community’s inability to politically organize and make the policy makers aware of the programs needed (Maynes & Foster 2000). Also there has not been sufficient research done on behalf of the education board to determine which programs work and which do not (Levin 1995). The reliance of these programs on temporary funding also poses a threat to their existence as it makes it difficult to stage long-term intervention initiatives that are crucial to the healthy development of “at-risk” children. The education system needs to be reevaluated to recognize the validity of these programs which have, especially at the preschool level, proven most successful in aiding at-risk inner-city children (Maynes & Foster 2000).
People who live with poverty face many negative life events such as housing issues and violence. Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs” states that we have five levels of needs and cannot meet the needs of one level without fulfilling the needs of the previous level. The first level is basic physical needs such as hunger and thirst, the next is safety, then a sense of belonging, self-esteem and finally self-actualization (Myers 2004). When applying this model one can see why the inability to fulfill the initial levels of need would affect a student’s work. The child, their family and possibly even their community are stuck in the survival stages, and cannot take the steps needed to reach self-actualization. The community must become involved in the education process of children: to create a safe environment where children feel they belong, building their self esteem and realizing their potential. Arts programs jointly run by the community and schools are the perfect place to build this safe environment for children.
Programs in the arts promote creative thinking, problem solving and decision making skills. They also teach social skills such as conflict resolution, co-operative work and negotiation as well as personal skills such as perseverance, self-management and integrity. Children involved in the arts have higher levels of achievement in all studies and this can combat the disadvantages that some youth may have by helping them build social capital (Torjman 2004). Social capital is “the relationships, networks and norms that support collective action. It is created when people come together out of a shared purpose or goal that goes beyond individual benefits and incorporates the idea of connectedness” (Torjman 2004). At-risk children involved in the arts become more involved in community life as a result of the self esteem and social skills developed. These programs not only help them develop the skills necessary to learn a trade but also those needed to work with others.
A study done in a large urban school district in the American Midwest confirmed that music programs in school are successful as an intervention tactic for at-risk children. Through a combination of working in performance groups and being mentored by a music teacher, at-risk students’ self-perceptions of musical competence positively influenced their global self-worth. “For this study, the definition of at risk students was narrowed to those enmeshed in debilitating social, emotional, physical, academic, and economic difficulties…Global self-worth was used to indicate the extent to which the child likes himself or herself as a person, is happy with the way he or she is leading his or her life, and is happy with the way he or she is (Shields 2001).”
One successful program already underway in Canada is the ArtsSmarts program, founded in 1998 by The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. It focuses on teaching other subjects through the use of art (Torjman 2004). In their program, “…artists and educators, schools and communities collaborate to integrate the arts into the daily work of students studying core subjects… Whether it is history through drama, math through dance, or science through music, projects reflect locally-shaped themes that cover the requirements of the provincial curriculum, but also help students to understand who they are and where they are in the world (Retrieved 03/19/08 from http://www.artssmarts.ca/eng/about/).”
In Winnipeg’s inner-city, the surrounding communities and Canada as a whole, we need to look at the act of learning as a holistic rather than technical process. School is not just a place for children to learn trades but is also a safe place for them to find their voices, form identities and find hope for their futures. Children affected by poverty need this especially. A shift must take place in the dynamics of the relationship between the teacher, student, educational institute and community in order to create an environment where children can feel safe to grow and reach their full potential. Art programs are the way to facilitate this shift.
References:
Fanelli, L. & Klippel, N. (2001). Reaching Inner-City Youngsters through the Arts. Art
Education, 54(5), 38-44. Retrieved 03/13/08 from
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0004-3125%28200109%2954%3A5%3C38%3ARIYTTA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-7
Levin, B. (1995). Educational Responses to Poverty. Canadian Journal of Education,
20(2), 211-224. Retrieved 03/13/08 from
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0380-2361%28199521%2920%3A2%3C211%3AERTP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-A
Lipman, L. & Duku, E. (1998). Sports, The Arts and Community Programs: Rates and
Correlates of Participation. Hull, Quebec: Applied Research Branch of Human
Resources Development Canada. Retrieved 03/13/08 from
http://www.rhdcc.gc.ca/en/cs/sp/sdc/pkrf/publications/research/1998-001265/1998-001265.pdf.
Maynes, B. & Foster, R. (2000). Educating Canada’s Urban Poor Children. Canadian
Journal of Education, 25(1), 56-61. Retrieved 03/13/08 from
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0380-2361%282000%2925%3A1%3C56%3AECUPC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-%23
Myers, D. (2004). Psychology 7th ed. Holland, Michigan: Worth Publishers.
Sheilds, C. (2001). Music Education and Mentoring as Intervention for At-Risk Urban
Adolescents: Their Self-Perceptions, Opinions, and Attitudes. Journal of Research in
Music Education, 49(3), 273-286. Retrieved 03/13/08 from
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-4294%28200123%2949%3A3%3C273%3AMEAMAI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-2
Torjman, S. (2004). Culture and recreation: Links to well-being. Ottawa, Ontario: The
Caldonian Institute of Social Policy. Retrieved 03/13/08 from
http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/472ENG.pdf.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Issue of Homelessness
In a time where
Although there are no exact figures on how many people are homeless in
With cities throughout the country building more new houses than ever before, it seems odd that the number of people living below the poverty line would be increasing. But only one out of every 100 new homes that are being built in
Siloam Mission is a Christian humanitarian organization which has been in operation in some form or another since 1987. They provide meals, clothing, and counseling services to
The Main Street Project began in 1972 as a federally funded local initiatives project. It began as a response to the high volume of crisis situations on
The Main Street Project also has created a space for short term living assistance known as the Mainstay Residence. It is a supervised room and board environment that provides short term accommodation, meals and a stable environment for both men and women who are disadvantaged or homeless. They provide not only shelter, but counseling as well as substance abuse programming if needed.
I believe that there should be more programs available for training and educating those who are having difficulties finding and maintaining a job. By training them, it would give them the opportunity to obtain a job that could hopefully get them off of social assistance and out of subsidized housing. These types of social programs would benefit not only the individuals involved but society as a whole by reducing the unemployment rate, thus reducing social assistance costs and boosting the national economy. The construction of subsidized housing units is a government money pit and acts as a screen to the real issue of increasing homelessness throughout the nation.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/eiafacts/rental.html (retrieved March 20, 2008)
http://www.gvrd.bc.ca/homelessness/pdfs/FinalPlanUpdateReport.pdf (retrieved February 20, 2008)
http://www.siloam.ca/ (retrieved February 20, 2008)
http://www.gvrd.bc.ca/homelessness/pdfs/HomelessCount2005Bulletin.pdf (retrieved February 20, 2008)
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41169 (retrieved February 20, 2008)
www.mainstreetproject.ca (retrieved March 17, 2008)
Current Issues of Single Room Occupancy
In the early 1900’s medium size hotels along Winnipeg’s Main Street were often filled with visitors who came to Winnipeg by train. Over time fewer visitors used the train. In the late 70’s passenger trains were no longer used and the downtown hotels immediately became empty. Who was going to rent the rooms and keep the hotels in business?
The city of Winnipeg decided the hotel rooms could be used as Single Room Occupancy (SRO) for individuals who can not afford to rent an apartment.
SRO’s constitute the last housing resort before homelessness. Most SRO residents are single older men. The majority of SRO residents live on incomes which are well below the poverty line, (approximately 50% of the poverty line), these residents pay 50% to 75% of their income on housing (Antolin, 1989).
In Winnipeg there are 772 SRO rooms and 1000 residents. The residents of SRO have a roof over their head to keep them warm and dry. Residents are not required to pay a damage deposit on their SRO and many residents can say they were part of a community (Distasio, 2005).
SROs have their share of problems; many residents do not have access to a private bathroom, instead they are obliged to share with multiple people on their floor. The residents are not protected by any tenant acts, and could be thrown out of their suite without a month’s notice. The Property Use Code for the SROs is legally CMHBH - Beverage Hotels (Winnipeg Property Assessment, 2007) and does not fall within tenant /landlord regulations. Without any tenant / landlord regulations, the resident could be forces onto the streets with no where to go.
Another serious problem has recently risen in the last few years. Soon the residents living in the SRO suites will no longer be able to live in the hotels because owners have been slowly selling their properties to investors who will renovate the buildings and transform them into middle class condominiums (Distasio, 2005).
Manitoba Housing Authority (MH) is an option for residents who used to live in SROs but there is a lengthy waiting list. Individuals who are applying must have a good rental history with Manitoba Housing Authority and income restrictions may apply. People who live in MH must pay one month rent prior to moving in and they must pay an additional charge for their electric bill (Public Manitoba Housing Authority, 2007). Many individuals living in SROs have a very limited budget and M.H. may not be affordable for them. In other words people who are forced to leave their SROs have limited opportunity to find housing.
Residents in other Canadian Cities who live in SROs are being pressured to move too. The governemt of British Columbia has made the initiative to protect the hotels and their tenants from developers. The Provincial Government announced on April 2, 2007 they will spend $80 million to buy eleven SRO hotels in Vancouver and Victoria, and fund more supportive housing units on the Lower Mainland. Government ownership of the SRO hotels means tenants will not be evicted by developers (CBC New.ca “pledged to target homelessness in B.C.” 2007).
Ontario has made improvements in the laws passed to protect tenants in SRO hotels.
In the passed, zoning regulations were not properly addressed in detail. These regulations were different in each of the former cities in the ‘Greater Toronto Area’. The city of Toronto needed to regulate all the SROs in a single system. In a process the city of Toronto combined the licenses in rooming houses from the separate cities. The cities had previously administered SROs individually and functioned under different regulations and procedures (Social Housing Strategies, 2004). Combining systems has enhanced Ontario’s ability to help protect SROs. Ontario drafted legislation to protect rental housing from demolition and conversion by extending the security of the tenure rights to the residents who are living in the hotels (Antolin, 1989).
Another option is to build small SRO’s for people who currently live in the existing hotels. The Tom Hom Group (THG) has designed new affordable SRO+ housing units for people in the United States. The housing units are approximately 350 square feet, and can offer residents some amenities. Community Catalysts Housing Alliance has partnered with THG to build affordable housing in San Diego. Community Catalyst is a nonprofit group serving individuals’ with disabilities training and other support services, including employment and housing (Moward, 2007).
Funding from the BC government along with new legislation in Ontario and design firms like THG have all helped to protect residents who live in SROs. Winnipeg and the Manitoba provincial government have the opportunity to evaluate the success of these and other projects in order to work towards protecting hotels, and hence the residents residing therein, to better their communities.
Matt
Sources:
Antolin, M. M. “Single Room Occupancy housing.” 1989 http://www.ihpr.ubc.ca/media/Antolin1989.pdf retrieved 25, 2008
CBC New.ca “pledged to target homelessness in B.C.” 2007, http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/04/03/bc-housing.html retrieved 25, 2008
Distasio, J. “Beyond a Front Desk: The Residential Hotel as Home.” 2005, http://ius.uwinnipeg.ca/wira_publications.html retrieved 26, 2008
Moward, M. “Tom Hom Group Partners with nonprofit Developer.” (2007), San Diego Business Journal, June 2007. retrieved February 26, 2008
Public Manitoba Housing Authority: Manitoba Family. 2007, http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/housing/mha.html retrieved 25, 2008
Social Housing Strategies: City of Toronto Rooming House Issues and Future Options. 2004, http://www.toronto.ca/housing/pdf/rooming_house_finalreport.pdf retrieved March 17, 2008
Winnipeg Property Assessment. 2007. http://www.winnipegassessment.com/AsmtPub/ retrieved 26, 2008
The city of Winnipeg decided the hotel rooms could be used as Single Room Occupancy (SRO) for individuals who can not afford to rent an apartment.
SRO’s constitute the last housing resort before homelessness. Most SRO residents are single older men. The majority of SRO residents live on incomes which are well below the poverty line, (approximately 50% of the poverty line), these residents pay 50% to 75% of their income on housing (Antolin, 1989).
In Winnipeg there are 772 SRO rooms and 1000 residents. The residents of SRO have a roof over their head to keep them warm and dry. Residents are not required to pay a damage deposit on their SRO and many residents can say they were part of a community (Distasio, 2005).
SROs have their share of problems; many residents do not have access to a private bathroom, instead they are obliged to share with multiple people on their floor. The residents are not protected by any tenant acts, and could be thrown out of their suite without a month’s notice. The Property Use Code for the SROs is legally CMHBH - Beverage Hotels (Winnipeg Property Assessment, 2007) and does not fall within tenant /landlord regulations. Without any tenant / landlord regulations, the resident could be forces onto the streets with no where to go.
Another serious problem has recently risen in the last few years. Soon the residents living in the SRO suites will no longer be able to live in the hotels because owners have been slowly selling their properties to investors who will renovate the buildings and transform them into middle class condominiums (Distasio, 2005).
Manitoba Housing Authority (MH) is an option for residents who used to live in SROs but there is a lengthy waiting list. Individuals who are applying must have a good rental history with Manitoba Housing Authority and income restrictions may apply. People who live in MH must pay one month rent prior to moving in and they must pay an additional charge for their electric bill (Public Manitoba Housing Authority, 2007). Many individuals living in SROs have a very limited budget and M.H. may not be affordable for them. In other words people who are forced to leave their SROs have limited opportunity to find housing.
Residents in other Canadian Cities who live in SROs are being pressured to move too. The governemt of British Columbia has made the initiative to protect the hotels and their tenants from developers. The Provincial Government announced on April 2, 2007 they will spend $80 million to buy eleven SRO hotels in Vancouver and Victoria, and fund more supportive housing units on the Lower Mainland. Government ownership of the SRO hotels means tenants will not be evicted by developers (CBC New.ca “pledged to target homelessness in B.C.” 2007).
Ontario has made improvements in the laws passed to protect tenants in SRO hotels.
In the passed, zoning regulations were not properly addressed in detail. These regulations were different in each of the former cities in the ‘Greater Toronto Area’. The city of Toronto needed to regulate all the SROs in a single system. In a process the city of Toronto combined the licenses in rooming houses from the separate cities. The cities had previously administered SROs individually and functioned under different regulations and procedures (Social Housing Strategies, 2004). Combining systems has enhanced Ontario’s ability to help protect SROs. Ontario drafted legislation to protect rental housing from demolition and conversion by extending the security of the tenure rights to the residents who are living in the hotels (Antolin, 1989).
Another option is to build small SRO’s for people who currently live in the existing hotels. The Tom Hom Group (THG) has designed new affordable SRO+ housing units for people in the United States. The housing units are approximately 350 square feet, and can offer residents some amenities. Community Catalysts Housing Alliance has partnered with THG to build affordable housing in San Diego. Community Catalyst is a nonprofit group serving individuals’ with disabilities training and other support services, including employment and housing (Moward, 2007).
Funding from the BC government along with new legislation in Ontario and design firms like THG have all helped to protect residents who live in SROs. Winnipeg and the Manitoba provincial government have the opportunity to evaluate the success of these and other projects in order to work towards protecting hotels, and hence the residents residing therein, to better their communities.
Matt
Sources:
Antolin, M. M. “Single Room Occupancy housing.” 1989 http://www.ihpr.ubc.ca/media/Antolin1989.pdf retrieved 25, 2008
CBC New.ca “pledged to target homelessness in B.C.” 2007, http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/04/03/bc-housing.html retrieved 25, 2008
Distasio, J. “Beyond a Front Desk: The Residential Hotel as Home.” 2005, http://ius.uwinnipeg.ca/wira_publications.html retrieved 26, 2008
Moward, M. “Tom Hom Group Partners with nonprofit Developer.” (2007), San Diego Business Journal, June 2007. retrieved February 26, 2008
Public Manitoba Housing Authority: Manitoba Family. 2007, http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/housing/mha.html retrieved 25, 2008
Social Housing Strategies: City of Toronto Rooming House Issues and Future Options. 2004, http://www.toronto.ca/housing/pdf/rooming_house_finalreport.pdf retrieved March 17, 2008
Winnipeg Property Assessment. 2007. http://www.winnipegassessment.com/AsmtPub/ retrieved 26, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Downtown Disinvestment: Is Winnipeg a Lost Cause?
Winnipeg is a unique case in Canada in that it is a city with a very high concentration of heritage buildings in the downtown central business district (CBD). Fortunately, multiple factors have contributed to these buildings remaining in the CBD, one of which is that Winnipeg is a “slow growth” city in comparison to other Canadian cities. Today, downtown Winnipeg largely retains the unique “Chicago of the north” distinction while downtowns in similarly-sized cities such as Edmonton, Alberta have changed drastically. What are the forces that have combined in Winnipeg to result in such a unique national case, and how do the cities approach their unique development situations?
Winnipeg’s attitude concerning CBD development is largely a result of the city’s slow growth patterns. In the latest released Canadian census (2001), Winnipeg’s population was 619,544, up 0.2% from 618,477 in 1996. This slow rate of growth has been focused on the suburban areas of the city, slowly draining people away from the downtown area. From 1881 to about 1918, the Exchange District was under construction and Winnipeg was booming in terms of population, architectural and economic growth. Winnipeg was the third largest city in Canada and was home to the Canadian grain industry, finance, and manufacturing businesses until a few events brought the city’s rapid growth to an end: World War One and the Great Depression closed many downtown businesses, and the opening of the Panama Canal in 1913 created a new shipping route that bypassed Winnipeg. Many areas of the downtown have since fallen into disrepair and neglect, the result of decades of disinvestment. The1980s brought an increased effort by the City of Winnipeg to promote the rebirth and revitalization of downtown as both a residential and commercial destination, which is still a main focus today.
Winnipeg’s Plan 2020 states that downtown revitalization should be one of the city’s top priorities, and that the City will aid the downtown area by promoting development, encouraging downtown living, promoting a safe and exciting downtown, celebrating heritage, encouraging accessibility, integrating parks and green spaces, and promoting “high standards of urban design”. CentrePlan furthers the document by providing more detail to the policies laid out in Plan 2020. In recent years many new buildings have been constructed including the MTS Centre, additions to the Forks, the new Manitoba Hydro building, and renovations to the Millennium Library; but some organizations remain focused on the upkeep and revitalization of the city’s heritage buildings.
CentreVenture Development Corporation was created in 1999 by Winnipeg’s City Council in an effort to undertake the goals outlined in CentrePlan. The city felt it was important to combat the increasing detrimental effects inhibiting the downtown area such as increased crime, arson, increasing building vacancies and declining property values. CentreVenture now promotes itself as an “advocate and catalyst for business investment, development and economic growth in downtown Winnipeg”, and encourages new venues, public space, and development of underused downtown space.
Heritage Winnipeg is a non-profit organization dedication to the “restoration, rehabilitation and preservation” of Winnipeg’s architectural environment. It was established in 1978 by the municipal, provincial and federal governments and is an independent organization that works to protect downtown buildings that are threatened by demolition or neglect. The organization is responsible for the National Designation of the Exchange District, seeking UNESCO (World) Designation and the Heritage Tax Credit for heritage properties. However, organizations and the government are not the only supporters of a revitalized downtown – the public has also shown interest and concern. The Facebook group “Protect the Heritage Buildings of Winnipeg from Demolition by Neglect”, with 954 members recognizes that the historic downtown environment is an important aspect of Winnipeg’s character, and makes the city unique within Canada. The members of the group may not have degrees in architecture or city planning and have no direct gain from the preservation of the buildings, but are still advocates for protection of what makes the city unique.
In contrast, Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904 (compared to Winnipeg’s 1873), and has experienced an extremely high growth rate in the last few decades. The city’s population (excluding the metropolitan area) bounced from 616,306 in 1996 up 8.1% to 666,104 in 2001. The rapid growth of Edmonton has had numerous effects on the city, which began with the oil boom in 1947. In the 1950s the city’s population grew rapidly from 149,000 to 269,000, and continued to grow. Alberta is still experiencing rapid growth due to the oil industry, and is a “rich” province in comparison to Manitoba – naturally allowing the City of Edmonton to tear down older buildings and start from scratch.
The city is currently planning a revitalization of the historic “Downtown East” district, into “The Quarters Downtown” – marketed as “a vibrant, healthy community comprised of four quarters, each with its own character, activities and feel, structured around a unique linear park system”. The plan includes breaking up the existing grid into a more “walkable” organization, although to make space for this buildings will likely face demolition. Although the city seems to be more conscious of heritage buildings today, this was not always the case. “The Quarters Downtown” displays the revitalization efforts that a “rich” city can afford, though similar undertakings in Winnipeg would not be feasible.
Compared to Edmonton, Winnipeg’s situation has the beginnings of a success story. Government, organizations and citizens have pulled together in order to preserve and reinhabit parts of the city that, if they existed in Alberta, would probably have been demolished years ago. Winnipeg’s slow growth and financial “lacking” can be acknowledged as a blessing for the city, allowing historic areas like the Exchange District to remain – although demolition of other historic buildings in the city is a constant threat.
Word count: 954
Sources
CentrePlan: Working Together for Winnipeg’s Downtown. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/pdf_files/1vis_strat.pdf
CentreVenture Development Corporation. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.centreventure.com/
City of Edmonton Historic Resource Management Program. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_379_214_0_43/http%3B/CMSServer/COEWeb/infrastructure+planning+and+building/Historic+Resources/
Heritage Winnipeg. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.heritagewinnipeg.com/
Lost Buildings of Edmonton. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:http://www.epl.ca/EPLPhotoBuildings.cfm
Plan Winnipeg 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://winnipeg.ca/cao/pdfs/plan_2020.pdf
Planning, Property and Development, Heritage Conservation. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://winnipeg.ca/ppd/historic/historic.stm
Statistics Canada. Retrieved March 14, 2008 from:http://www.statcan.ca/
Virtual Heritage Winnipeg. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.virtual.heritagewinnipeg.com/
Winnipeg’s attitude concerning CBD development is largely a result of the city’s slow growth patterns. In the latest released Canadian census (2001), Winnipeg’s population was 619,544, up 0.2% from 618,477 in 1996. This slow rate of growth has been focused on the suburban areas of the city, slowly draining people away from the downtown area. From 1881 to about 1918, the Exchange District was under construction and Winnipeg was booming in terms of population, architectural and economic growth. Winnipeg was the third largest city in Canada and was home to the Canadian grain industry, finance, and manufacturing businesses until a few events brought the city’s rapid growth to an end: World War One and the Great Depression closed many downtown businesses, and the opening of the Panama Canal in 1913 created a new shipping route that bypassed Winnipeg. Many areas of the downtown have since fallen into disrepair and neglect, the result of decades of disinvestment. The1980s brought an increased effort by the City of Winnipeg to promote the rebirth and revitalization of downtown as both a residential and commercial destination, which is still a main focus today.
Winnipeg’s Plan 2020 states that downtown revitalization should be one of the city’s top priorities, and that the City will aid the downtown area by promoting development, encouraging downtown living, promoting a safe and exciting downtown, celebrating heritage, encouraging accessibility, integrating parks and green spaces, and promoting “high standards of urban design”. CentrePlan furthers the document by providing more detail to the policies laid out in Plan 2020. In recent years many new buildings have been constructed including the MTS Centre, additions to the Forks, the new Manitoba Hydro building, and renovations to the Millennium Library; but some organizations remain focused on the upkeep and revitalization of the city’s heritage buildings.
CentreVenture Development Corporation was created in 1999 by Winnipeg’s City Council in an effort to undertake the goals outlined in CentrePlan. The city felt it was important to combat the increasing detrimental effects inhibiting the downtown area such as increased crime, arson, increasing building vacancies and declining property values. CentreVenture now promotes itself as an “advocate and catalyst for business investment, development and economic growth in downtown Winnipeg”, and encourages new venues, public space, and development of underused downtown space.
Heritage Winnipeg is a non-profit organization dedication to the “restoration, rehabilitation and preservation” of Winnipeg’s architectural environment. It was established in 1978 by the municipal, provincial and federal governments and is an independent organization that works to protect downtown buildings that are threatened by demolition or neglect. The organization is responsible for the National Designation of the Exchange District, seeking UNESCO (World) Designation and the Heritage Tax Credit for heritage properties. However, organizations and the government are not the only supporters of a revitalized downtown – the public has also shown interest and concern. The Facebook group “Protect the Heritage Buildings of Winnipeg from Demolition by Neglect”, with 954 members recognizes that the historic downtown environment is an important aspect of Winnipeg’s character, and makes the city unique within Canada. The members of the group may not have degrees in architecture or city planning and have no direct gain from the preservation of the buildings, but are still advocates for protection of what makes the city unique.
In contrast, Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904 (compared to Winnipeg’s 1873), and has experienced an extremely high growth rate in the last few decades. The city’s population (excluding the metropolitan area) bounced from 616,306 in 1996 up 8.1% to 666,104 in 2001. The rapid growth of Edmonton has had numerous effects on the city, which began with the oil boom in 1947. In the 1950s the city’s population grew rapidly from 149,000 to 269,000, and continued to grow. Alberta is still experiencing rapid growth due to the oil industry, and is a “rich” province in comparison to Manitoba – naturally allowing the City of Edmonton to tear down older buildings and start from scratch.
The city is currently planning a revitalization of the historic “Downtown East” district, into “The Quarters Downtown” – marketed as “a vibrant, healthy community comprised of four quarters, each with its own character, activities and feel, structured around a unique linear park system”. The plan includes breaking up the existing grid into a more “walkable” organization, although to make space for this buildings will likely face demolition. Although the city seems to be more conscious of heritage buildings today, this was not always the case. “The Quarters Downtown” displays the revitalization efforts that a “rich” city can afford, though similar undertakings in Winnipeg would not be feasible.
Compared to Edmonton, Winnipeg’s situation has the beginnings of a success story. Government, organizations and citizens have pulled together in order to preserve and reinhabit parts of the city that, if they existed in Alberta, would probably have been demolished years ago. Winnipeg’s slow growth and financial “lacking” can be acknowledged as a blessing for the city, allowing historic areas like the Exchange District to remain – although demolition of other historic buildings in the city is a constant threat.
Word count: 954
Sources
CentrePlan: Working Together for Winnipeg’s Downtown. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/pdf_files/1vis_strat.pdf
CentreVenture Development Corporation. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.centreventure.com/
City of Edmonton Historic Resource Management Program. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_379_214_0_43/http%3B/CMSServer/COEWeb/infrastructure+planning+and+building/Historic+Resources/
Heritage Winnipeg. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.heritagewinnipeg.com/
Lost Buildings of Edmonton. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:http://www.epl.ca/EPLPhotoBuildings.cfm
Plan Winnipeg 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://winnipeg.ca/cao/pdfs/plan_2020.pdf
Planning, Property and Development, Heritage Conservation. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://winnipeg.ca/ppd/historic/historic.stm
Statistics Canada. Retrieved March 14, 2008 from:http://www.statcan.ca/
Virtual Heritage Winnipeg. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.virtual.heritagewinnipeg.com/
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Downtown Revitalization - Make Housing Priority #1
Winnipeg’s downtown has been crumbling for over half a century. Fortunately, things are looking better and much has been accomplished over the past decade. Recent attempts to revitalize Winnipeg’s historic downtown core have been successful. Winnipegger’s now have more reasons to go downtown with places like the MTS Centre and CanWest Global Park. These new attractions compliment many other attempts that have been taking place since the 1960’s. A brief list of previous revitalization efforts include: The Centennial Concert Hall and Museum, The downtown weather protected walkways, Portage Place, The Forks and most recently, Waterfront Drive. Almost all attempts have been successful in their own right, but none have been able to provide the synergy needed to revitalize downtown Winnipeg as a whole.
The salient problem with trying to revitalize downtown Winnipeg, is that it is so large. At roughly three squared kilometers, Winnipeg’s downtown is similar in size to Philadelphia and San Francisco who both boast metropolitan populations of over five million. In comparison, there are roughly 13,000 people that live downtown Winnipeg, which is less than 2 percent of the metropolitan population. Such a large area with so few people contributes to perceptions of crime, and has left many buildings underused and prone to decay.
There are attempts being made to bring people back downtown to live. Unfortunately, these attempts fail to provide a range of housing options and prices. Most of the downtown residential units that have been completed are priced over the $200,000 dollar mark, which is out of reach to the average Winnipegger. Some feel that housing is the key to filling the gaps that still exist between previous revitalization efforts. Jane Jacobs (1961) writes that to generate exuberant diversity in the city’s streets and districts, “there must be a sufficiently dense concentration of people, for whatever purposes they may be there. This includes dense concentration in the case of people who are there because of residence” (p.151). To take Jacob’s theories further, housing in downtown Winnipeg would act as a primary use or something that draws people downtown at all times during the day. Having people around all day causes secondary diversity or things that locate themselves around the primary use because it is always bringing people to the area. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.
The current Heart of Gold Plan to revitalize several key areas of Winnipeg’s downtown fails to completely address the housing issue. Instead, focus is given to security, parking and public destinations. The Heart of Gold plan is innovative but cannot compete against the other proposals when attempting to entice people to live downtown. Winnipeg currently has several new subdivisions in the works, including a new proposal for the Charleswood area, all of which are on the periphery of the city. How can a downtown plan that neglects to make housing the number one priority compete against the suburban majority? There is hope however.
Other North American cities have been successful in revitalizing their downtown areas by focusing on housing. Philadelphia is one of many cities that have reversed the pull to the periphery, creating or refurbishing almost two thousand dwellings downtown since 1997. This recent housing boom was assisted in part by a government created 10-year tax abatement program that allows a ten-year reprieve on the development or improvement of housing. The program could save residents thousands over the ten year period and has aided in keeping money in the downtown area. The program has worked so well that it has helped act as a catalyst for other initiatives. Since there are people living downtown, focus is now being put into revitalizing blighted commercial corridors, reclaiming the centres of urban life and providing downtown residents with better places to go. Philadelphia is living proof that revitalization through housing can work.
Winnipeg could take a lesson or two from these successes. If revitalization is to occur, housing should be given more priority in downtown Winnipeg. Incentives such as those offered in Philadelphia could make housing more competitive when compared to suburban options in Winnipeg. Downtown housing can build on the foundations already established by previous revitalization attempts, filling in the gaps that still persist throughout the downtown fabric. Winnipeg deserves a vibrant, livable downtown where people want to be. Making downtown a neighbourhood with actual inhabitants will give downtown a voice and make Winnipeg a better place for everyone.
By Andrei Friesen
Sources:
Commercial Corridors Plan. Retrieved March 7, 2008 from:
http://www.lisc.org/philadelphia/infill/infill_corridors.pdf
Heart of Gold Plan. Retrieved February 26, 2008 from: http://www.centreventure.com/PDF/Heart%20of%20Gold%20Plan%20Executive%20Summary.pdf
Jacobs, J. 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Vantage Books.
Kives, B. Welsh, M, A. (2006, May 3-4). Winnipeg City Summit Handout. Winnipeg
Free Press.
Philadelphia Tax Abatement Program. Retrieved March 8, 2008 from: http://www.phillyimc.org/en/node/45119
Planning, Property and Development. Secondary Plans. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from: http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/planning/Secondary_Plans/What_is_SecondaryPlan/SecondaryPlanMap(2005).pdf
Photo Sources
Winnipeg. Retrieved March 19, 2008 from:http://www.oc.edu/academics/arts_sciences/music/images/winnipeg.jpg
Philadelphia. Retrieved March 19, 2008 from: http://www.websiteevolution.org/2006/images/philadelphia.jpg
The salient problem with trying to revitalize downtown Winnipeg, is that it is so large. At roughly three squared kilometers, Winnipeg’s downtown is similar in size to Philadelphia and San Francisco who both boast metropolitan populations of over five million. In comparison, there are roughly 13,000 people that live downtown Winnipeg, which is less than 2 percent of the metropolitan population. Such a large area with so few people contributes to perceptions of crime, and has left many buildings underused and prone to decay.
There are attempts being made to bring people back downtown to live. Unfortunately, these attempts fail to provide a range of housing options and prices. Most of the downtown residential units that have been completed are priced over the $200,000 dollar mark, which is out of reach to the average Winnipegger. Some feel that housing is the key to filling the gaps that still exist between previous revitalization efforts. Jane Jacobs (1961) writes that to generate exuberant diversity in the city’s streets and districts, “there must be a sufficiently dense concentration of people, for whatever purposes they may be there. This includes dense concentration in the case of people who are there because of residence” (p.151). To take Jacob’s theories further, housing in downtown Winnipeg would act as a primary use or something that draws people downtown at all times during the day. Having people around all day causes secondary diversity or things that locate themselves around the primary use because it is always bringing people to the area. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.
The current Heart of Gold Plan to revitalize several key areas of Winnipeg’s downtown fails to completely address the housing issue. Instead, focus is given to security, parking and public destinations. The Heart of Gold plan is innovative but cannot compete against the other proposals when attempting to entice people to live downtown. Winnipeg currently has several new subdivisions in the works, including a new proposal for the Charleswood area, all of which are on the periphery of the city. How can a downtown plan that neglects to make housing the number one priority compete against the suburban majority? There is hope however.
Other North American cities have been successful in revitalizing their downtown areas by focusing on housing. Philadelphia is one of many cities that have reversed the pull to the periphery, creating or refurbishing almost two thousand dwellings downtown since 1997. This recent housing boom was assisted in part by a government created 10-year tax abatement program that allows a ten-year reprieve on the development or improvement of housing. The program could save residents thousands over the ten year period and has aided in keeping money in the downtown area. The program has worked so well that it has helped act as a catalyst for other initiatives. Since there are people living downtown, focus is now being put into revitalizing blighted commercial corridors, reclaiming the centres of urban life and providing downtown residents with better places to go. Philadelphia is living proof that revitalization through housing can work.
Winnipeg could take a lesson or two from these successes. If revitalization is to occur, housing should be given more priority in downtown Winnipeg. Incentives such as those offered in Philadelphia could make housing more competitive when compared to suburban options in Winnipeg. Downtown housing can build on the foundations already established by previous revitalization attempts, filling in the gaps that still persist throughout the downtown fabric. Winnipeg deserves a vibrant, livable downtown where people want to be. Making downtown a neighbourhood with actual inhabitants will give downtown a voice and make Winnipeg a better place for everyone.
By Andrei Friesen
Sources:
Commercial Corridors Plan. Retrieved March 7, 2008 from:
http://www.lisc.org/philadelphia/infill/infill_corridors.pdf
Heart of Gold Plan. Retrieved February 26, 2008 from: http://www.centreventure.com/PDF/Heart%20of%20Gold%20Plan%20Executive%20Summary.pdf
Jacobs, J. 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Vantage Books.
Kives, B. Welsh, M, A. (2006, May 3-4). Winnipeg City Summit Handout. Winnipeg
Free Press.
Philadelphia Tax Abatement Program. Retrieved March 8, 2008 from: http://www.phillyimc.org/en/node/45119
Planning, Property and Development. Secondary Plans. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from: http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/planning/Secondary_Plans/What_is_SecondaryPlan/SecondaryPlanMap(2005).pdf
Photo Sources
Winnipeg. Retrieved March 19, 2008 from:http://www.oc.edu/academics/arts_sciences/music/images/winnipeg.jpg
Philadelphia. Retrieved March 19, 2008 from: http://www.websiteevolution.org/2006/images/philadelphia.jpg
Child poverty in Canada: A cross-comparision of Manitoba and British Columbia
On November 24th, 1989 the House of Commons unanimously passed a resolution to eliminate childhood poverty by the year 2000. Nearly two decades have passed since this resolution was made and child poverty in Canada is no closer to being eliminated than it was in 1989. This blog serves to examine the state of child poverty in two provinces that have had some of the highest child poverty rates in recent years, Manitoba and British Columbia. Further, this blog will touch on some of the characteristics of low-income groups, including family structure in relation to child poverty in the cities of Winnipeg and Vancouver. However, it should be noted at this time that studies of child poverty differ greatly between provinces and between municipalities, which complicates the task of cross-comparison and, among other things, undoubtedly enables the problem of child poverty to persist.
Although there is no official measure of poverty in Canada, a family is generally determined to be living in poverty if the household’s annual income falls below the Low Income Cut-off (LICO) poverty line, established by Statistics Canada. This poverty line is calculated for both pre-tax and after-tax annual incomes. Annual incomes are then adjusted to reflect the family size (e.g. number of adults and children in a dwelling) as well as the population of the area (e.g. <> 500 000).[1]
The percentage of families living below the poverty line has been fairly high in the past twenty years for both Manitoba and BC. Overall, Manitoba has consistently ranked above 20% for child poverty since 1989 and has frequently placed 5% or more over the national child poverty rate within that same period. The only year when Manitoba fell below the twentieth percentile was in 2004 when the rate fell not even a full percent below this mark.[2] Comparatively, the child poverty rate of BC has fluctuated within a few percent of the national rate over the years. However, since 2002, the child poverty rate for BC has jumped to the highest provincial standing (20.9% in 2005).[3]
In both Manitoba and BC, children from lone-parent, female-headed households are more likely to live in poverty than any other type of family structure (Manitoba 50.2%,[4] BC 48.1%).[5] On a positive note, the poverty rates for children in this type of family structure have decreased below 1989 levels in both provinces. Unfortunately, though the percentile of lone-parent, female headed households living in poverty has decreased the gap of poverty has increased. On a national level, the average female lone-parent, low-income family would need $9,200 more per year in order to reach the poverty line for this family type (National Report Card, 2007, p.2).[6]
For both Manitoba and BC the majority of low-income households with children are concentrated in the inner cities of both Winnipeg and Vancouver. These areas are characteristic not only of low-income, single parent households, but of higher concentrations of low-income immigrant families as well as low-income aboriginal families. Minority groups such as these face a number of social inequalities that often segregate them as low-income classes. In fact, census figures show that Aboriginal children have a poverty rate that is almost twice as large as for non-aboriginal children.[7]
One of the greatest barriers to overcoming poverty is finding employment that offers a living wage; a wage at which an individual working full-time, full-year would be able to obtain necessities in life without assistance and would generally maintain a good quality of life. For BC it is estimated that at least half of the provinces poor children live in families where at least one person had some full-time, full-year employment.[8] Similarly, in Manitoba nearly 60% of all poor children live in families where the combination of workers in the household had a full-time job for the full year.[9] Despite growing economies in both provinces having a full-time, full-year job is no guarantee of a liveable income.
Many low-income families rely on assistance from governments and other sources to supplement their income. An annual study of food bank users across Canada entitled Hunger Count 2007 found that 47% of food bank users in Manitoba and 36% of food bank users in BC were children.[10] For Vancouver, this translates to approximately 1/3 of food banks clients in the city being children, which equals an estimated 7500 children and youth a week.[11] The study also revealed that in Manitoba there was an increase of immigrant families seeking food assistance,[12] not at all surprising since new immigrants are two to three times more likely to experience poverty than those who were born in Canada.[13]
As mentioned earlier, information on child poverty in Canada lacks general cohesion between different levels of government. In particular, the absence of information on this issue from municipal governments is a cause of concern for it shows a general disregard and unwillingness to tackle child poverty at this level. Indeed, both Winnipeg and Vancouver could take lesson from some of their fellow Canadian cities who have met the child poverty challenge. Just one such example is the City of Hamilton, which is working on drafting a poverty reduction plan for the city.[14] In saying this I do not mean to imply that these two cities have not attempted to reduce child poverty, nor do I wish to imply this of the two provinces. Clearly, however, the issue has not been resolved and therefore other tactics are necessary. Perhaps one of the first steps should be a true assessment of child poverty at the municipal level.
[1] Canadian Council on Social Development, The Canadian fact book on poverty 2000, chapter 2: Working definitions of poverty, 15.
[2] Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 5.
[3] First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, BC Campaign 2000: 2007 Child Poverty Report Card, 5.
[4] Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 7.
[5] First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, BC Campaign 2000: 2007 Child Poverty Report Card, 7.
[6] Campaign 2000, 2007 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada, 2.
[7] Ibid., 4.
[8] First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, BC Campaign 2000: 2007 Child Poverty Report Card, 12.
[9] Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 11.
[10] Canadian Association of Food Banks, Hunger Count 2007, 25.
[11] Metro Vancouver’s Vital Signs 2007, Regional indicators by population group: Children, 25.
[12] Canadian Association of Food Banks, Hunger Count 2007, 25.
[13] Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 10.
[14] Ibid., 10.
Bibliography
Metro Vancouver’s Vital Signs 2007. 2007. Regional Indicators by Population Group: Children. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www.vancouverfoundationvitalsigns.ca/?q=node/4#children.
Canadian Council on Social Development. (2003). The Canadian Fact Book on Poverty 2000, chapter 2:Working Definitions of Poverty. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2000/fbpov00/chapter2.pdf
First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition. 2007. BC Campaign 2000: 2007 Child Poverty Report Card. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www.firstcallbc.org/pdfs/EconomicEquality/3-2007%20report%20cards.pdf.
Social Planning Council of Winnipeg. 2007. 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card. retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://www.campaign2000.ca/rc/pdf/MB_childpovertyreport2007.pdf.
Campaign 2000. (2007). 2007 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www.campaign2000.ca/rc/rc07/2007_C2000_NationalReportCard.pdf.
Canadian Association of Food Banks. (2007). Hunger Count 2007. Retrieved March 20th, 2007 from http://www.winnipegharvest.org/HungerCount%202007.pdf.
Other Works Consulted
City of Vancouver. 2003. Community web pages downtown: Community statistics census data. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/Census2001/Downtown03.pdf.
City of Vancouver. (2003). Local area statistics – maps: Average household income (in 2000 $) and Single Parent Families. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/Census2001/local.htm.
Statistics Canada. Composition of Family Income for Lone-parent Families with Children Under 18 Years of Age and Lone-parent with Earnings, for Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Income/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CMA&View=1b&Code=0&Table=5b&StartRec=126&Sort=2&B1=Family5&B2=Spouse2.
Statistics Canada. 2008. Community Profiles: Vancouver, British Columbia Census Metropolitan Area. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=933__&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=vancouver&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=.
Although there is no official measure of poverty in Canada, a family is generally determined to be living in poverty if the household’s annual income falls below the Low Income Cut-off (LICO) poverty line, established by Statistics Canada. This poverty line is calculated for both pre-tax and after-tax annual incomes. Annual incomes are then adjusted to reflect the family size (e.g. number of adults and children in a dwelling) as well as the population of the area (e.g. <> 500 000).[1]
The percentage of families living below the poverty line has been fairly high in the past twenty years for both Manitoba and BC. Overall, Manitoba has consistently ranked above 20% for child poverty since 1989 and has frequently placed 5% or more over the national child poverty rate within that same period. The only year when Manitoba fell below the twentieth percentile was in 2004 when the rate fell not even a full percent below this mark.[2] Comparatively, the child poverty rate of BC has fluctuated within a few percent of the national rate over the years. However, since 2002, the child poverty rate for BC has jumped to the highest provincial standing (20.9% in 2005).[3]
In both Manitoba and BC, children from lone-parent, female-headed households are more likely to live in poverty than any other type of family structure (Manitoba 50.2%,[4] BC 48.1%).[5] On a positive note, the poverty rates for children in this type of family structure have decreased below 1989 levels in both provinces. Unfortunately, though the percentile of lone-parent, female headed households living in poverty has decreased the gap of poverty has increased. On a national level, the average female lone-parent, low-income family would need $9,200 more per year in order to reach the poverty line for this family type (National Report Card, 2007, p.2).[6]
For both Manitoba and BC the majority of low-income households with children are concentrated in the inner cities of both Winnipeg and Vancouver. These areas are characteristic not only of low-income, single parent households, but of higher concentrations of low-income immigrant families as well as low-income aboriginal families. Minority groups such as these face a number of social inequalities that often segregate them as low-income classes. In fact, census figures show that Aboriginal children have a poverty rate that is almost twice as large as for non-aboriginal children.[7]
One of the greatest barriers to overcoming poverty is finding employment that offers a living wage; a wage at which an individual working full-time, full-year would be able to obtain necessities in life without assistance and would generally maintain a good quality of life. For BC it is estimated that at least half of the provinces poor children live in families where at least one person had some full-time, full-year employment.[8] Similarly, in Manitoba nearly 60% of all poor children live in families where the combination of workers in the household had a full-time job for the full year.[9] Despite growing economies in both provinces having a full-time, full-year job is no guarantee of a liveable income.
Many low-income families rely on assistance from governments and other sources to supplement their income. An annual study of food bank users across Canada entitled Hunger Count 2007 found that 47% of food bank users in Manitoba and 36% of food bank users in BC were children.[10] For Vancouver, this translates to approximately 1/3 of food banks clients in the city being children, which equals an estimated 7500 children and youth a week.[11] The study also revealed that in Manitoba there was an increase of immigrant families seeking food assistance,[12] not at all surprising since new immigrants are two to three times more likely to experience poverty than those who were born in Canada.[13]
As mentioned earlier, information on child poverty in Canada lacks general cohesion between different levels of government. In particular, the absence of information on this issue from municipal governments is a cause of concern for it shows a general disregard and unwillingness to tackle child poverty at this level. Indeed, both Winnipeg and Vancouver could take lesson from some of their fellow Canadian cities who have met the child poverty challenge. Just one such example is the City of Hamilton, which is working on drafting a poverty reduction plan for the city.[14] In saying this I do not mean to imply that these two cities have not attempted to reduce child poverty, nor do I wish to imply this of the two provinces. Clearly, however, the issue has not been resolved and therefore other tactics are necessary. Perhaps one of the first steps should be a true assessment of child poverty at the municipal level.
[1] Canadian Council on Social Development, The Canadian fact book on poverty 2000, chapter 2: Working definitions of poverty, 15.
[2] Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 5.
[3] First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, BC Campaign 2000: 2007 Child Poverty Report Card, 5.
[4] Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 7.
[5] First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, BC Campaign 2000: 2007 Child Poverty Report Card, 7.
[6] Campaign 2000, 2007 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada, 2.
[7] Ibid., 4.
[8] First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, BC Campaign 2000: 2007 Child Poverty Report Card, 12.
[9] Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 11.
[10] Canadian Association of Food Banks, Hunger Count 2007, 25.
[11] Metro Vancouver’s Vital Signs 2007, Regional indicators by population group: Children, 25.
[12] Canadian Association of Food Banks, Hunger Count 2007, 25.
[13] Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 10.
[14] Ibid., 10.
Bibliography
Metro Vancouver’s Vital Signs 2007. 2007. Regional Indicators by Population Group: Children. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www.vancouverfoundationvitalsigns.ca/?q=node/4#children.
Canadian Council on Social Development. (2003). The Canadian Fact Book on Poverty 2000, chapter 2:Working Definitions of Poverty. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2000/fbpov00/chapter2.pdf
First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition. 2007. BC Campaign 2000: 2007 Child Poverty Report Card. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www.firstcallbc.org/pdfs/EconomicEquality/3-2007%20report%20cards.pdf.
Social Planning Council of Winnipeg. 2007. 2007 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card. retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://www.campaign2000.ca/rc/pdf/MB_childpovertyreport2007.pdf.
Campaign 2000. (2007). 2007 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www.campaign2000.ca/rc/rc07/2007_C2000_NationalReportCard.pdf.
Canadian Association of Food Banks. (2007). Hunger Count 2007. Retrieved March 20th, 2007 from http://www.winnipegharvest.org/HungerCount%202007.pdf.
Other Works Consulted
City of Vancouver. 2003. Community web pages downtown: Community statistics census data. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/Census2001/Downtown03.pdf.
City of Vancouver. (2003). Local area statistics – maps: Average household income (in 2000 $) and Single Parent Families. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/Census2001/local.htm.
Statistics Canada. Composition of Family Income for Lone-parent Families with Children Under 18 Years of Age and Lone-parent with Earnings, for Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Income/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CMA&View=1b&Code=0&Table=5b&StartRec=126&Sort=2&B1=Family5&B2=Spouse2.
Statistics Canada. 2008. Community Profiles: Vancouver, British Columbia Census Metropolitan Area. Retrieved on March 20th, 2008 from http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=933__&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=vancouver&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=.
The Medias Portrayal of Crime in the Inner City
in'ner-cit'y: n. A general term for impoverished areas of large cities. The inner city is characterized by minimal educational opportunities, high unemployment and crime rates, broken families, and inadequate housing.
-American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy
As the definition above might suggests, most people have a negative view towards the condition of inner cities communities. In addition to being associated with poverty, crime, and deterioration, the term inner city is often defined as being located in central areas of a city, and to areas with a high population rate of minorities. In general they are often seen as undesirable places to live or visit. This negative view is not just seen in Winnipeg, but in cities throughout North America. One of the reasons why this is problematic is because it implies that, by comparison, outer cities, or suburbs are safe, rich, white, and desirable places to live. It can be argued that Winnipeg’s extensive amount of suburban sprawl can partly be contributed to not just the physical condition of Winnipeg’s inner city communities, but also to people’s distorted assumptions of them. Some think that the media has inappropriately caused this distortion, which is what I will discuss in this blog.
While statistically, Winnipeg’s, as well as the majority of other North American inner cities do experience a higher rate of crime, and other disturbances, the problems are not necessarily as sever as broadcast news programs would have us believe. It is no secret that the media tends to over sensationalize newscasts, a study conducted by the FBI helps to illustrate this point. They determined that, even though crime rates dropped 9.4% between 1991 and 1996, the amount of American’s that viewed crime as “the most important problem facing the nation...grew from only 1% in 1990 to 52% in 1994” (Green Leigh & Ross 2000). This was due to the increased amount of airtime devoted to the issue. The saying that if it bleeds, it leads has become a popular slogan for many broadcast journalists. This is done in order to gain more viewers, which in turn increases ad revenue.
The media in U.S. cities like Detroit have, in some cases even staged inner city conflicts. This was the case during the 1967 Detroit riots. In addition to staging filmed news segments, the Kerner Report, which was issued to explain the causes of the riots, found that, in many instances, the media reported unsubstantiated rumors as fact that added to the panicked and fearful atmosphere of the time, which added fuel to the rioting. The same study concluded, “that the disorders, as serious as they were, were less destructive, less widespread, and less a black-white confrontation than most people believed” (History Matters 2006). In my opinion, this negative, and distorted representation of the Detroit riots by the media has played a small, albeit relevant role in causing the current impoverished state of inner city Detroit neighborhoods that we see today. I base this partially on the fact that thousands of people began to flee Detroit shortly after the riots (Headlee 2007). For a modern account of the riots, click here.
In the book, In Urban Nightmares: The Media, The Right, and the Moral Panic, author Steve Macek states that the medias distorted communication of inner city crime has created an irrational fear of inner city environments (2006). While there is often disagreement about whether the media has a left or right wing political agenda, most critics do agree that the media is influenced by a deeply imbedded culture of racism, and discrimination against the poor. A 2003 report by Frances Henry, and Carol Tator found that the medias discussion of members of racial minority groups were restricted to a “limited number of themes (which were) immigration, crime (in particular racialized crimes such as rioting, drug busts, and violence-related offences), cultural differences as a function of “inner city decline,” unemployment, and poverty” (Henry & Tator 2003). In the U.S. African Americans, and Hispanics are more often the ones being marginalized, while in Winnipeg, and in Canada in general, I believe that it tends to be Aboriginals. This negative painting of minority racial groups, and to the impoverished as well, often effects peoples perception of the inner city because a large proportion of these groups reside within in. Adding to the problem is that racial minorities, and the poor living in the inner city typically do not have a voice, or any control over how the mass media portrays their communities. This means that images of inner cities are developed by outsiders that may not have a true understanding of the community.
Allowing over dramatized, and inaccurate perceptions of inner city communities to persist is dangerous because it encourages increased deterioration to occur. If people believe that an area is unsafe they will be less likely to invest, visit, or live within that community which will only compound existing problems. In order for Winnipeg’s inner city to experience long lasting improvements their needs to be a shift in the general publics opinion of it. In order for that to happen, local media will need to communicate a more positive depiction of the resources, and potential that exists within the city’s core communities.
Sources:
Deconstructing the “Rightness of Whiteness” in Television Commercials, News, and Programming by Dr. Frances Henry and Ms. Carol Tator (Retrieved February 26, 2008) http://pcerii.metropolis.net/generalinfo/info_content/Final Report - Henry, Frances.pdf
History Matters. “The Communications Media, Ironically, Have Failed to Communicate”: The Kerner Report Assesses Media Coverage of Riots and Race Relations (Retrieved March 17, 2008) http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6553
Planning, Urban Revitalization, and the Inner City: An Exploration of Structural Racism by Catherine L. Ross and Nancey Green Leigh (Retrieved February 26, 2008) http://www-md3.csa.com.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/ids70/view_record.phpid=2&recnum=2& logm= 2&log=from_res&SID=b c61ee2b880cc25903032edd637b98e2&mark_id=search%3A 2%3A0%2C0%2C
Riots Rocked Detroit 40 Years Ago Today by Celeste Headlee (Retrieved March 17, 2008) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12257718
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition (Retrieved February 26, 2008) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inner city
Urban Nightmares: The Media, The Right, and the Moral Panic Over the City by Steve Macek (February 26, 2008) http://www.popmatters.com/pm/books/reviews/5035/urban-nightmares-by-steve-macek/
Friday, February 22, 2008
How do we deal with Youth Involvement in Gang Activities?
Youth involvement in gang related activities is a topic that frequents the Winnipeg media, whether it be a story of a youth killed in yet another gang feud or the tale of young males taking a hot car to their court assigned anti-car theft counseling. Ultimately, news briefs such as theses serve to scare those foreign to the inner city. In Winnipeg, the city’s solution to youth gangs caters to the notion that firstly, the city is experiencing a recent ‘wave’ of youth violence and that secondly, this stems partly from insufficient police presence in Winnipeg’s inner city. Youth involvement in gang activities is not a recent development, but rather the result of deeper social inequalities, such as poor or no housing, family or community support.
In Winnipeg one of the latest policies to deal with youth involvement in gangs has manifested in Operation Clean Sweep. This near-sighted policy attempts to deal with violent youth in the inner city by providing more police presence in Winnipeg’s West End. Since it conception, Clean Sweep has reportedly contributed to the recovery of illegal weapons, narcotics, cash, and has lead to hundreds of arrests. Certainly, this project has been successful in terms of increasing police quotas, but there is little to suggest that Clean Sweep has been successful in discouraging illicit activities in the area.
Winnipeg is not alone in taking the police intervention approach to discouraging youth gangs. Three units within Vancouver’s Police Department are dedicated to dealing with youth gangs. These are School Liaisons, Youth Services and Gang Crime. Each of these units operates by a specific mandate. School Liaisons focus on community awareness and gang prevention initiatives within schools, such as peer mentoring. However, a significant part of their duty is to also send intelligence of gang activities to the Youth Services and Gang Crime units who are mandated to deal primarily with enforcement issues (National Forum on Youth Gangs, 1999, p. 11). Similarly to how Operation Clean Sweep increases police presence on the streets of Winnipeg, Vancouver’s tri-unit force merely increases police presence in schools.
At the 1999, National Forum on Youth Gangs, sixteen youth delegates, representing organizations from British Columbia (841-KOZ), Winnipeg (Teen Talk) and Montreal (Centre des jeunes l’escale 13/17) gave a presentation on their perspective of youth and gang activities. The youth gave recommendations to the Forum participants, which consisted of representatives from government, police, community service agencies and research institutions. These recommendations aimed at addressing the needs of youth at various stages in gang involvement. The delegates stressed that youths at risk of involvement in gang activities or who are currently involved with gangs should have services that are important to them, like peer mentoring and skill learning.
Programs should aim at reaching out to high risk youths and not assume that youths will seek out these services. Those individuals who are involved with a gang need to have reliable support systems that will limit the harm of their lifestyles, such as access to safe houses and anonymous health care (National Forum on Youth Gangs, 1999, p. 7). Youth gang members must have information on how to leave a gang, when they choose to do so. Most importantly, once a youth decides to leave a gang they must have access to reliable support services to assist them in doing so, such as access to safe, quality housing, education, employment and positive social settings.
The article Housing for Aboriginal Youth in the Inner City of Winnipeg explores the affects of the welfare system and homelessness on aboriginal youth. Although the article does not specifically address youth and gang activities, it does shed light on the destitute existence many inner city youth face. Undoubtedly, the social support of the gang structure, including protection from the elements and rival gangs, can be very appealing to homeless youth who have little to no support from their relatives or the welfare system.
Data from 30 interviews conducted with males and females age 13 to 21 were compiled and classified into six themes: temporary living, sense of safety, being in control, support networks, future goals and taking care of others. All of the youth stated that for some length of time, whether it was for hours or for years, they had been homeless. Perceptions of homelessness varied also, but most described a state of living in extreme poverty and lacking the basic necessities of life, including quality shelter. For many, the perception of homelessness was created in part by an unsafe atmosphere, such as a land lord harassing them for rent, or when living with an abusive loved one.
A lack of independence was also described as a major contributor to the state of homelessness. Many youth had been forced into a living arrangement where they were taken advantage of by a friend or relative. One interviewee described being manipulated into a role of servitude through childcare and house cleaning so that she could have a temporary place to stay. For those youth that had started to turn their life around, support networks were identified as one of the most important resources they used. In terms of organized support services, like community centres, a common wish was that these facilities advertised more, since many only heard about them through word-of-mouth. Youths’ also expressed a wish to help out others in similar situations to themselves. However, it was mentioned that a willingness to help one’s self is the only way to create everlasting change.
In conclusion, it is obvious that opinions on the best approach to ending youth involvement in gang activities vary greatly. Often, those who occupy stations of authority – police, politicians, community service groups – tend to favour a police intervention method, which increases police presences and resources in areas deemed ‘affected’ with youth gang activity. Opposed to this approach and in favour of a community based method are often those very youth affiliated at one time or another with gang activities. Though events such as the National Forum on Youth Gangs have brought these opposing viewpoints together in the past, in places such as Winnipeg it appears to have had little affect on currently policies. Perhaps, the ideological shift in policies necessary to properly address youth involvement in gang activities will have to wait until the mainstream public is better informed of the underlying problems to this issue and not simply the violent outcomes.
References
Brown, Jason, Dilly Knol, Sonia Prevost-Derbecker, & Kelly Andrushko. (2007). Housing for Aboriginal youth in the inner city of Winnipeg. First Peoples Child & Family Review. Vol. 3, No. 2, Special Issue, pp. 56-64. retrieved February 21 st, 2008, from http://www.fncfcs.com/pubs/vol3num2 /Brown_Knol_Derbecker_Andrushko_pp56.pdf.
Solicitor General of Canada, Department of Justice, and the National Crime
Prevention Centre. (1999). National forum on youth gangs. retrieved February 21 st, 2008 from http://www.youngthugs.ca/pdf/forum.PDF.
In Winnipeg one of the latest policies to deal with youth involvement in gangs has manifested in Operation Clean Sweep. This near-sighted policy attempts to deal with violent youth in the inner city by providing more police presence in Winnipeg’s West End. Since it conception, Clean Sweep has reportedly contributed to the recovery of illegal weapons, narcotics, cash, and has lead to hundreds of arrests. Certainly, this project has been successful in terms of increasing police quotas, but there is little to suggest that Clean Sweep has been successful in discouraging illicit activities in the area.
Winnipeg is not alone in taking the police intervention approach to discouraging youth gangs. Three units within Vancouver’s Police Department are dedicated to dealing with youth gangs. These are School Liaisons, Youth Services and Gang Crime. Each of these units operates by a specific mandate. School Liaisons focus on community awareness and gang prevention initiatives within schools, such as peer mentoring. However, a significant part of their duty is to also send intelligence of gang activities to the Youth Services and Gang Crime units who are mandated to deal primarily with enforcement issues (National Forum on Youth Gangs, 1999, p. 11). Similarly to how Operation Clean Sweep increases police presence on the streets of Winnipeg, Vancouver’s tri-unit force merely increases police presence in schools.
At the 1999, National Forum on Youth Gangs, sixteen youth delegates, representing organizations from British Columbia (841-KOZ), Winnipeg (Teen Talk) and Montreal (Centre des jeunes l’escale 13/17) gave a presentation on their perspective of youth and gang activities. The youth gave recommendations to the Forum participants, which consisted of representatives from government, police, community service agencies and research institutions. These recommendations aimed at addressing the needs of youth at various stages in gang involvement. The delegates stressed that youths at risk of involvement in gang activities or who are currently involved with gangs should have services that are important to them, like peer mentoring and skill learning.
Programs should aim at reaching out to high risk youths and not assume that youths will seek out these services. Those individuals who are involved with a gang need to have reliable support systems that will limit the harm of their lifestyles, such as access to safe houses and anonymous health care (National Forum on Youth Gangs, 1999, p. 7). Youth gang members must have information on how to leave a gang, when they choose to do so. Most importantly, once a youth decides to leave a gang they must have access to reliable support services to assist them in doing so, such as access to safe, quality housing, education, employment and positive social settings.
The article Housing for Aboriginal Youth in the Inner City of Winnipeg explores the affects of the welfare system and homelessness on aboriginal youth. Although the article does not specifically address youth and gang activities, it does shed light on the destitute existence many inner city youth face. Undoubtedly, the social support of the gang structure, including protection from the elements and rival gangs, can be very appealing to homeless youth who have little to no support from their relatives or the welfare system.
Data from 30 interviews conducted with males and females age 13 to 21 were compiled and classified into six themes: temporary living, sense of safety, being in control, support networks, future goals and taking care of others. All of the youth stated that for some length of time, whether it was for hours or for years, they had been homeless. Perceptions of homelessness varied also, but most described a state of living in extreme poverty and lacking the basic necessities of life, including quality shelter. For many, the perception of homelessness was created in part by an unsafe atmosphere, such as a land lord harassing them for rent, or when living with an abusive loved one.
A lack of independence was also described as a major contributor to the state of homelessness. Many youth had been forced into a living arrangement where they were taken advantage of by a friend or relative. One interviewee described being manipulated into a role of servitude through childcare and house cleaning so that she could have a temporary place to stay. For those youth that had started to turn their life around, support networks were identified as one of the most important resources they used. In terms of organized support services, like community centres, a common wish was that these facilities advertised more, since many only heard about them through word-of-mouth. Youths’ also expressed a wish to help out others in similar situations to themselves. However, it was mentioned that a willingness to help one’s self is the only way to create everlasting change.
In conclusion, it is obvious that opinions on the best approach to ending youth involvement in gang activities vary greatly. Often, those who occupy stations of authority – police, politicians, community service groups – tend to favour a police intervention method, which increases police presences and resources in areas deemed ‘affected’ with youth gang activity. Opposed to this approach and in favour of a community based method are often those very youth affiliated at one time or another with gang activities. Though events such as the National Forum on Youth Gangs have brought these opposing viewpoints together in the past, in places such as Winnipeg it appears to have had little affect on currently policies. Perhaps, the ideological shift in policies necessary to properly address youth involvement in gang activities will have to wait until the mainstream public is better informed of the underlying problems to this issue and not simply the violent outcomes.
References
Brown, Jason, Dilly Knol, Sonia Prevost-Derbecker, & Kelly Andrushko. (2007). Housing for Aboriginal youth in the inner city of Winnipeg. First Peoples Child & Family Review. Vol. 3, No. 2, Special Issue, pp. 56-64. retrieved February 21 st, 2008, from http://www.fncfcs.com/pubs/vol3num2 /Brown_Knol_Derbecker_Andrushko_pp56.pdf.
Solicitor General of Canada, Department of Justice, and the National Crime
Prevention Centre. (1999). National forum on youth gangs. retrieved February 21 st, 2008 from http://www.youngthugs.ca/pdf/forum.PDF.
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