Vive Le Village Éclectique

From Viviene Weitzner

General Comments:

I commend the advisory committee for the hard work that went into this document and the clarity of presentation. There are many aspects of the document I agree with and support.

However, perhaps because of my development background and work on environmental and social impact assessment, I am biased into thinking we need to look at Wakefield’s future from a more holistic perspective. As it stands, I find the document rather two dimensional – there is a focus on growth, visitors, vehicular management, zoning, recreation, conservation with a nod to some social issues. There is not enough emphasis on ‘quality of life’ issues for residents, or the social systems that need to be in place to maintain and improve the quality of life for Wakefielders as the village grows. Ideally, a plan for smart growth would explicitly consider also the stress that will be placed on our health care system, on our school system, on our daycare spaces, and on housing for seniors and young families among other issues, and work to strengthen these even as they stand now. Employment opportunities to stem out-migration of the village youth could also be a focus. Safety for our schoolchildren as they walk to school, and spaces for them to play, should also be front and centre alongside consideration to visitors to Wakefield and the needs of our seniors. We need to also celebrate diversity in Wakefield, and emphasize the living, vibrant and eclectic culture of the here and now alongside celebrating our heritage. While some of these suggestions and types of infrastructure might be outside of the ‘box’ that the law requires of a PPU, these are essential elements that if not considered in this document, need to be considered alongside it and referenced in this document. Perhaps the FunkE edge of Wakefield could push the envelope with regards to the usual PPU and include this in their plan, pushing up the bar towards more sustainable and holistic thinking for other PPU processes across Quebec.

On the environmental side, we need to go beyond thinking in terms of conservation, recreation and riparian management, to looking at how we can minimize our carbon footprint, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build into our planning energy efficiency considerations and incentives. We need to do our part for climate change. We also need to explicitly have a plan to encourage local procurement. In short, we need to emphasize and promote in the plan what some leading edge Wakefielders are already doing in their daily lives (thinking green, eating locally, minimizing carbon footprint, building or renovating with efficiency and ecological considerations at the forefront).

We need to integrate the above into the principles statements regarding smart growth and throughout the recommendations.


Specific Comments on the PPU

We need to suggest some concrete language to meet our FunkE mandate and for maximum uptake. In these comments I make some suggestions for consideration – and I also simply go through the document pointing out what I liked and making suggestions re what could be strengthened/changed.

Executive Summary

· The Wakefield is… paragraph needs funkifying. We need to emphasize not only that Wakefield is picturesque, but that it is vibrant, diverse, eclectic, home to artists, musicians, poets, yoga practitioners, young families, seniors and ordinary folk, a place to live and let live (maybe not all of that, but I think you get my drift…), that recognizes the importance of fair trade, encourages environmentally respectful lifestyles, and looks out for its current and future generations.
· The Purpose paragraph…: we need to include here statements regarding diversity, vibrancy, eclecticism…list in last sentence could be expanded to include the social systems that support the village and its growth (health care, educational system, housing), and expand the environmental concerns to include those outlined in my general comments (minimizing carbon footprint, encouraging local procurement, etc.).
· Report Overview: The key elements should include (perhaps under c) “Quality of life, well-being and cultural vibrancy” (the Plan would then elaborate on these in the body of the report as key elements, as per my general comments above re social systems, daycare, health care, educational system, employment, etc. )
· Administrative measures: elaborate the bullet “establishing construction/renovation incentive programmes” to include the following “that promote efficiency and minimize carbon footprints, as well as incentives to ensure commercial properties take into consideration access for differently abled people.” (IF that isn’t here, it should b somewhere)
· Conclusion: At the end of the second sentence add the following “celebrating diversity and well-being, and ensuring that services (health care, daycare, educational facilities, housing, etc) continue to meet the needs of residents.”

Introduction:

Add to the second to last sentence of page 1… “the municipality….while recognizing and celebrating its diverse population and maintaining and strengthening essential services provided to ensure healthy and sustainable lifestyles (health, daycare, etc…)”

Vision:

I like the statement BUT I would add to the end of the second sentence “cultural harmony…and the well-being of its residents”

Background:

· Context (page 3): here we need to highlight our musical venues, artistic community etc alongside the references to our heritage…

Smart growth principles: (p.5)


We need to think hard about these! I would suggest:

· 1. “a walkable AND BICYCABLE village centre.”
· 4. “Preserve historic and cultural resources WHILE FOSTERING OUR CURRENT ARTISTIC AND MUSICAL COMMUNITY, AND CELEBRATING OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE AND FARMERS
· 5. foster a distinctive, DIVERSE, and attractive community with a strong IDENTITY and sense of place.”
· 6. add to end…AND THAT INCORPORATE EFFICIENCY AND ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS
· 9. Make development decisions predicable, fair, cost effective AND ENVIRONMNETALLY SOUND
· ADD 11. PROVIDE APPORPRIATE SERVICES TO ENSURE OVERALL COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
· ADD 12. FOSTER AND MAINTAIN A VIBRANT VILLAGE THAT CREATES DIVERSE EMPLOYMENT POSSIBILITIES FOR ITS YOUTH, SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES AND… (I am sure other FunkEs could add lots here…whatever you dream really!)


Pedestrian and Vehicular Circulation: (p.10)

In general, we really need to emphasize safe walking for our residents, particularly our seniors (and I was very happy to see a new cross-walk at the general store, as I have seen too many almost-accidents with seniors crossing there) AND our school children (rather than emphasizing our visitors). I would like to see safe trails and walking paths going to the school, and formalized UP school hill or UP Caves – these trails would be for both BIKING and Walking (I cringe when I see what kids need to do now with their bikes). The crossing near school lane (if that is formalized for school children use – we’re still waiting to hear) SHOULD be very specially marked as a school crossing zone (from the park), especially if a boardwalk is established that becomes the safe walking/biking route for children.

On Village growth and development (p. 12)

Spell out what we mean by sustainable’ in the first paragraph -- how do we define sustainable development in wakefield?!

Village Design Statement (p. 13)

This needs to be done VERY carefully… We need to build in flexibility in order to preserve our eclectic and funkE edge. We can’t do a Chelsea…. This design statement should include efficiency/ecological/access considerations, not simply aesthetics.

A Place for heritage (p. 15)

20. Tax abatements – “for rehabilitation -- INCLUDING TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY – of old buildings…”

21. (p.16). Perhaps the plaque system could be funkified to point out neat things about Wakefield that aren’t necessarily pointing out heritage of yore, but the culture and neat edgy aspects of wakefield of today…

p. 18. We need to add some more heading considerations here that would pull in our social systems, such as “A place for all generations, for wellness and education…”

the maps tell a lot and mostly I thought they were very well done:
-I like the sidewalks hugging the buildings
-I like the increased cross walks
-I like the traffic calming measures on gendron, and would consider doing some urgent traffic calming on Valley Drive where the rec centre is (NO ONE STOPS at the post-office crossroads)
-I like the buried wire idea
-I like the emphasis on trails (but again, we need to emphasize the safety of our school children and take appropriate measures re signage etc)
-I like the swimming area suggestion by the gen store
-I like the integration of the trail path with the seniors housing on Sully

BUT I RECOMMEND also integrating a childrens playground accessible to all children right by the Senior’s residence. Right now there is a playground by the 366 and Wakefield Heights and by the Rec Centre – nothing in the middle (aside from the school). Aplayground placed near the senior’s housing would add much joy to them, and provide families in the middle/downtown area with another play area.

-I don’t like any encouragement of motorized boats on the river – I wouldn’t have a dock for motorboat mooring; we’d be welcoming the seado’s that way!
-I don’t like the boardwalk at Kaffee 1870; it should be moved down to Geggie park, lnking the new beach area through to the park and up near the sheep)

Other:
- Any road planning and signage should take into consideration minimizing GHG emissions (I find the do not turn right at the bottom of Caves and Burnside incomprehensible and encouraging degradation of the environment and quality of life for with questionable benefits for residents on lower burnside considering the perversions the situation creates; i.e., people simply turn around and go down anyway)
- The conservation protection for the Vorlage area should be changed to PIIA