Last December I wrote about the Salvation Army Mega-Shelter that was approved by the City of Ottawa, it continues to be of interest. I had been lecturing there at the time and decided to attend the Council hearing and decision to approve this project. I’ve taken the time to stay in touch with several councillors, local residents and a business owner in the Vanier Neighbourhood, including an urbanist who wrote this latest feature titled “Salvation Army’s Proposed Emergency Shelter in Vanier.” This decision has been appealed by the Vanier community.
I believe we can learn a great deal from this decision and begin utilizing CPTED methodology to its fullest potential in cities across our country, including Victoria, BC where I reside. It’s meant to provide much more due diligence around risk factors and social impact on a project area, in this case one of the lowest income neighbourhoods in Ottawa. Completing a thorough CPTED assessment (supporting 2nd Generation concepts) prior to land use approvals also helps City Councillors make a more informed decision. In this particular case, a CPTED review was completed but it was not thorough and did not include any of the 2nd Generation principles. Can you imagine our leaders being able to make better decisions for the people they serve?
I’m sure you will find Dan’s article informative and of value. One thing I should add is that I met numerous Vanier residents last year and heard them speak to Ottawa City Council about their concerns with this project. I never once got the impression that residents or business owners were not compassionate or care about those with lived experience – they did. Their concern was that the community of Vanier had reached a “Tipping Point” and that this had not been considered in the planning process and approval of this project. This is what we refer to in 2nd Generation CPTED as Threshold Capacity.
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