To understand existing conditions and local interests, and to identify improvement opportunities in the neighbourhood, the SNAP Team has undertaken rigorous technical analysis and extensive community engagement via events, surveys and one-on-one interactions with community members and groups.
Highlights from consultation and community engagement from the Action Planning stage include:
- Over 20 stakeholder groups were engaged in the West Bolton SNAP co-creation process
- Over 6% of households (164) participated in a neighbourhood survey in 2016 (confidence level over 95%)
- Over 900 engagement interactions were made with residents and stakeholders through events and surveys, representing input from over 10% of the residents.
THOUGHT LEADERS FORUM
On November 23, 2017, the SNAP Team hosted the Thought Leaders Forum to identify innovative integrated retrofits and project ideas specifically for West Bolton.
More than 50 local community members, school representatives, councilors and subject-area experts across different sustainability themes — including staff from Town of Caledon, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and Region of Peel — participated in the Forum, which was facilitated by Ascentia.
Participants moved through a series of activities to become familiar with the history of West Bolton, understand the current conditions and, finally, to come up with a refined vision and creative project ideas for the future of this neighbourhood.
By bringing together community representatives with in-depth understanding of local needs and opportunities, as well as subject-area experts with knowledge of cutting edge sustainability practices, the SNAP team piloted a new and speedy approach to identification of innovative projects and programs to inspire development of a SNAP for West Bolton.
Skid Crease provides a great overview of the event in this article for the Just Sayin’ Caledon blog.