Ward 4 Conversations: Community Safety & Wellbeing, April 17 – Meeting Summary

On March 20, 2021, I co-hosted a virtual meeting with community members and safety and well-being experts to identify top of mind safety concerns for citizens living, working and playing in Ward 4. This was the first in a series of three meetings. (Click here to view the Meeting Summary from this conversation).

On April 17, a second meeting took place where participants identified assets and barriers in the community that affect the way we can address top of mind safety concerns. The Meeting Summary below provides a summary of those assets and barriers.

Meeting #3 will be held on May 15, 2021 and will explore how we might come up with ideas,
activities and solutions to address these issues. Sign up for this meeting by visiting ward4safety.eventbrite.com

Top of mind safety themes from meeting 1:

• Supporting and creating positive relationships with houseless folks
• Safety and lighting in public spaces like parks and walking paths
• Unsafe traffic areas and community walkability
• Public transit safety for youth and new routes
• Addictions and mental health
• Neighbourhood cleanliness
• Property crime
• Community unity and getting to know your neighbours

Assets

Assets are things in the community (people, places or things) that can be seen as resources we
could use to help us address the safety and well-being themes listed above. Assets are often
times harder to see in the community as they are things we come across everyday but don’t
necessarily stand out. We often have to be creative to see assets in a new light. The following
are some of the assets highlighted by the community during our April 17th meeting.

Social agencies and community groups

• C5, community leagues, Africa Centre, Churches, Lovegood Food Boxes
• Abundant Communities
• Grants
• Mustard Seed programs that helps deliver meals to people in the community who need it
• Library and schools
  Community events
• Food brings people together
• Have leadership like churches to create welcoming places
• Free fun – simple ways to connect – doesn’t need to be elaborate engagement
• Holidays like Halloween
  Businesses
• Excess food can go to people in need
  Beautification
• Front Yards in Bloom program
• Long stretches of space with potential for activation (sidewalks and fencing)
• Christmas decorations
• Neighbourhood cleanups (not only clean, but connect with others), opportunity to build
  connections (pride, strength in every home)
  Relationships
• Neighbours who are there to look out for you
• Neighbour vigilance and neighbour connectivity
• Street level presence – neighbours active in their yards – get out and circulate with others
  and learn more about each other and the neighbourhood
  Patrol
• Community Patrol Society in Balwin Belverdere
• Neighbourhood Watch program

Technology and Communication

• Next door app can build connectivity
• Crime reporting is an asset that needs to be promoted and increased
  Amenities
• Playground gazebo, skating rink, community hall as gathering space
• Green shacks with active summer programs
• Belmont school pop up garden
  Government
• Accessible grant opportunities to support community building
• 311 can be a tool to connect folks to the right City resources to make ideas come to life
• NeighbourhoodResource Coordinators
• Neighbourhood Empowerment Team
• Neighbourhood Revitalization
• Community meetings convened by Councillors
  Residential Assets
• Lighting
• Block parents
• Residential video recording