This presentation provides research results and selected action items from the Community Mapping and Photovoice research projects conducted in St. James Town. SJT Initiative Working Group www.wellesleyinstitute.com Follow us on twitter @wellesleyWI

1. Community Voices
From Evidence to Action
St. James Town Initiative:
Neighbourhood and Health
By
SJT Initiative Working Group :
SJT Residents for a Healthier Neighbourhood
City Hall Presentation
November 13, 2008
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Participants Representing City Hall Departments
Names Title
1. Pam McConnell Councillor
2. Angela Stea Planner, City Planning
3. Brian Waterman Supervisor, Regent Park South Community Centre, Parks Forestry &
Rec
4. Cathy Tersigni Community Health Officer, Toronto Public Health
5.Chris Brillinger Executive Director, Social Development, Finance & Administration
6. Fiona Skurjat Supervisor, Investigation Services, Municipal Licensing and Standards
7. Gerry Martell Manager, Operational Support, Solid Waste Management Services
8. Glenn Gustafson Executive Assistant to Councillor McConnell
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2. Participants Representing City Hall Departments
Names Title
9. Kim Quade Labour Market Manager, Downtown Toronto Social Services
10. Mark Hawkins Supervisor, Parks, Parks Forestry and Recreation
11. Nancy Evans Operating Unit Manager, Toronto Community Housing Corporation
12. Rosemary Foulds Policy Development Officer, Shelters Support and Housing
13.Sean McIntyre Constituency Assistant to Councillor McConnell
14.Shari Kamali Manager, Downtown Toronto Social Services
15.Susan Kitchen City Planning
16.Tona Robis Director, Downtown Toronto Social Services
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Members of the SJT Working Group
www.sjtinitiative.com
Names
1. Uttam Makaju
2. Aklima Halkampi
3. Antonio Garcia
4. Renuka Traja
5. Grace Wang
6. Sailaivsan Vettivelu
7. Gene Lara
*8. Brian Eng
* 9. Erin Moriarty
*10. Nasim Haque
* Wellesley Institute Staff
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3. SJT Initiative Project Site
North St. James Town : Basic Data
Demographics
Population: 14,666 (25 -30,000)
Area: 0.23 km²
Density : 64,636 people/km²
Newcomers : 64%
37% arrived b/w 2001-2006
66% 1st Language not Eng or French
48 different languages
Dwelling 100% rental
18 aging high rise buildings (10-35 floors)
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SJT Initiative
• Five year Community-Based Health Research & Action Project of
Wellesley Institute
• Focuses on neighbourhood characteristics and health of
newcomers
• Collaborates with residents and grassroots organizations
in capacity building, research planning, and program
development efforts
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4. SJT Initiative
1. Utilizes various participatory methods to:
a) Provide learning opportunities to participants
b) Produce useful information that can be used for and
by the community
2. The outcomes of research are expected to help:
a) Enhance the potentials of community members
b) Mobilize residents to advocate for positive social change
c) Inform policy
d) Contribute to the knowledge base of urban health
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SJT Initiative: Community Voices
• Today’s presentation are the true voices of residents who
participated in the projects
• The photos and hand drawn maps are original
• The captions on each photograph are actual quotes
extracted from participants photo stories – reviewed &
finalized by the participants
• The photos were taken in summer/ fall of 2007
• The Community Mapping Project was completed earlier this year
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5. St. James Town Initiative: Neighbourhood & Health
COMMUNITY VOICES
RESULTS from 3 Participatory Research Processes
• Study conducted by SJT newcomer residents
• Explored neighbourhood characteristics and its effect on
health through:
1. Photo Voice – taking photos and writing stories
2. Community mapping- sharing experiences by
drawing the neighbourhood and participating in
interviews
3. Concept mapping-working together to understand the
relationships between the ideas captured in the Photo
Voice project to define the important themes and
issues in the SJT neighbourhood that impact our health
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SJT Residents at Work
at the Wellesley Institute
Sorting the Photo Voice Photos Examining the Relationships in
the Concept Map
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6. St. Jamestown Initiative
Dissemination of Information
- March 20, 2008: Community Forum and Expo at Rose Avenue Public School
- 300 visitors attended
- Launched SJT Initiative website (www.sjtinitiative.com)
- Average hit (April October 2008) = 22,000 hits/month
Toronto City Hall Photo Exhibit
September 23-26th 2008
SJT Working Group at City Hall Audience examining one of
the poster displays
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7. St. James Town Initiative: Neighbourhood & Health
COMMUNITY VOICES
• “Concept Map” is a computer software program. We
used this participatory process to categorize the
Photo Voice results and summarize the findings
The ten themes uncovered using Concept Mapping:
1. Society
2. Sense of Pride
3. Attractions
4. Green Space
5. Lack of Maintenance and Improvement
6. Environment
7. Improvement for Health
8. Safety
9. Education
10. Need Social Support and Protection
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Photo Voice and Concept Map: A Planning Tool
Ten – Cluster Solution Concept Map
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8. The opening of the library and community centre has brought a sense
of optimism to an area known for drugs, guns and violence. Finally,
we have something in our neighbourhood that we can flaunt
with pride. 15
The time and effort that goes
into maintaining this waterfall
should also go into the rest of
St. James Town as well. Making
St. James Town look beautiful and
clean would make residents feel
good about themselves.
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9. Community Voices
• There are many strengths and opportunities in our
neighbourhood
• We appreciate the few improvements that have been
initiated this summer
• However, a lot more needs to be done
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Community Voices
Today we specifically want to call your attention on four
main issues:
1. Green Space and Park Maintenance
2. Recycling and Garbage
3. Building Maintenance and Safety
4. Bicycle Storage
• We strongly believe that these issues can be addressed with
little effort and minimal cost & in the long term will save
government money by helping SJT residents maintain their
physical and emotional health
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10. Partial results are being presented here complete results are
available on our website www.sjtinitiative.com
1. GREEN SPACE
AND
PARK MAINTENANCE
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Public spaces can build social wealth. The parks we have are not well-
maintained and do not show care. This neglect is transmitted to people who
live here. Like the squirrel, isolated and depressed people can deteriorate and
develop sickness. They become a liability to the health system. We need
well-maintained parks and public spaces to be a healthy community. 20
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11. “Out of Frame”
This bench does not have a seat and it has been this way since last summer.
This is a very busy place as people come here for relaxation, walking, and
leisure talk with each other. If such resources are not well maintained,
we cannot be proud of anything. 21
This dead pigeon had been out in the park for several days. We do not want
policy makers to write endless lists of bylaws that supposedly guarantee us a
clean environment. What we need is enforcement by inspectors who
will make sure the bylaws are upheld by the landlords. 22
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12. So in a neighbourhood where a lot of gang plays, and crime and
other bad things happen and if a school is located in the middle of
everything would that be a safe place to send your child ?
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Community Mapping Project: View of a Participant
When we first came here, we had very high expectations because we were
coming to Toronto…but it is not good. Nobody takes care of the surroundings. On
apartment terraces, you cannot see flowers. People are always storing things
there. It is ugly. I can find gardens near my building, but they are not managed
nicely. There is a lot of garbage here. We need a disciplined way of
managing the parks and gardens. Beautiful things are important to me.
Surroundings are important - they make me smile and relax, so I can go
with a smiling face. 24
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13. Main Points : Green space and Park Maintenance
1. We need well-maintained parks & public spaces to be a
healthy community
2. There are broken benches, phone booths and playground
equipment
3. Aesthetics and cleanliness of the neighbourhood are
very important to us
4. We need to ensure that bylaws are enforced and
upheld by the landlords
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2. GARBAGE
AND
RECYCLING
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14. This garbage container is full. The garbage bag needs to be changed
before it is filled. We also need separate bins for recycling,
otherwise the environment will be polluted.
27
This garbage dump is situated in the middle of many housing units where
residents’ balconies are in close proximity, exposing them to rodents, germs,
and other agents that can harm their health. If higher income families
occupied these buildings, would such a health hazard be present ? 28
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15. Trash always has germs, and is contaminated. Diseases can
spread if garbage is kept around and isn’t removed
immediately.
29
There is a lot of litter visible in St. James Town. This is a major problem
because it carries a lot of bacteria and is hazardous to health. Residents
deserve to breathe clean, fresh air and live in a pleasant
environment. 30
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16. It is surprising how much of this garbage is actually recyclable. If the proper recycling
facilities existed, the amount of garbage going out of the building would be
lessened. In the long run, this would represent a cost savings to the building and contribute
to positive environmental impact. 31
Main Points : Garbage and Recycling
1. Garbage is a serious problem in the neighbourhood
2. There are not enough garbage containers in public
spaces nor are they emptied frequently enough
3. Garbage containers are situated in the middle of many
housing units where residents’ balconies are in close
proximity, exposing them to health hazards
4. There needs to be separate bins for recycling
32
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17. 3. NEIGHBOURHOOD SAFETY
AND
BUILDING MAINTENANCE
33
Unlit alleys such as the one seen in the picture in my opinion may
invite unwanted criminal activity. A few years ago this very entrance was a
site for a crime investigation. A young teenage boy was exiting the subway and
heading home after work and was brutally murdered. He was a resident of the
St. James community. 34
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18. There is not a single day that all the elevators are working. Sometimes we get
stuck in the elevators and it is a major inconvenience, especially for seniors.
You can imagine how this problem affects our health. Properly maintained
living spaces are essential for well-being. 35
This pool is always closed. If the pool was fixed, kids could get
exercise and would have an activity to do instead of roaming the
neighbourhood. Other pools are too far away. This pool should be
fixed so it can bring fun and life back to the community. 36
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19. Community Mapping Project: View of one of the Participant
The Bleeker St. basketball court is not a safe or healthy place for kids. That’s
where older kids hang out with younger kids and smoke and sell drugs. They
shouldn’t be doing this with younger kids around. I think this is a bad role model. 13, 14 year
old kids hanging out with 20 year olds… what’s that all about? Younger kids look up to older
kids and respond to peer pressure. That’s why younger teens are getting into trouble with the
law and stuff like that. 37
Main Points : Neighbourhood Safety and
Building Maintenance
1. The elevators are consistently broken. It is a major
inconvenience and health hazard especially, for seniors
2. The pool is always closed. This is one of the few
resources in the neighbourhood for physical activity
3. There are a number of places in the neighbourhood
where people do not feel safe to walk because of poor
lighting and known criminal activities
4. A number of the play areas for children and youth are
not safe because of negative behaviors
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20. 4. BICYCLE STORAGE
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Bikes are an important transportation tool for many residents of St. James
Town. The few bike racks in St. James Town are not well maintained,
so bikes are locked on fences, trees, and even garbage cans, all over
the neighbourhood. They are prone to theft and vandalism. 40
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21. Bicycles are a primary mode of transportation in St. James Town. Our
neighbourhood needs to have special bicycle rooms or sheds in
each building. Maybe even a monitor to prevent stealing.
41
It would be good to have an awareness program regarding how we
can make our community environment clean. We have to inform
people about how garbage can spread disease if we do not manage it
properly. 42
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22. Main Points : Bicycle Storage
1. Bicycles are a primary mode of transportation for
many residents of St. James Town. Currently, there
are no safe bicycle storage spaces in the
neighbourhood
2. Bicycles are a clean mode of transportation but if
bicycles are damaged or stolen while locked up,
residents will not be able to use this
transportation alternative
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5. RECOMMENDATIONS
44
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23. RECOMMENDATIONS
I. Green Space & Park Maintenance
1. To encourage seniors and families to use the limited
green space available in the neighbourhood, we
recommend that broken park benches and public
infrastructure are repaired and that more benches are
provided
2. To remind and encourage residents to take care of
neighbourhood parks and open public spaces, we
recommend the installation of signs
• No feeding the pigeons
• Keep parks clean
• Do not walk on the grass
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Contd.. RECOMMENDATIONS
II. Recycling and Garbage
1. To support Toronto becoming green, we suggest the
implementation of a recycling program in St. James Town. To
initiate this action we recommend that the city place recycling
bins in:
• each building
• public spaces, and
• on road sides
2. To reduce smells and pests in large garbage collection bins,
we suggest the re-installation of these bins in protected
enclosures
3. To make tenants aware of their responsibilities and
benefits of maintaining cleanliness in the neighbourhood,
arrange public awareness programs
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24. Contd.. RECOMMENDATIONS
III. Neighbourhood Safety & Building Maintenance
1. To facilitate the use of available open spaces and to discourage
negative activity in the neighbourhood we recommend the installation
and replacement of lights throughout the neighbourhood
2. To alleviate the stress of residents and increase safety (for example:
decreasing medical response time by emergency personnel) ensure
the building elevators are in working order
3. To encourage residents of all ages to be physically active, we
recommend the limited resources available in the neighbourhood
are well maintained and expanded
• two existing swimming pools be kept in working order
• construct more recreation facilities and opportunities in the
neighbourhood to meet the population’s needs
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Contd.. RECOMMENDATIONS
IV. Bicycle Storage
1.To promote SJT residents’ preference for using bicycles as
means of local transportation, we recommend that
immediate measures be taken to:
• Provide safe bike storage space in each building
• Construct bike racks throughout the neighbourhood
with ample lighting to discourage vandalism and theft
• Remove all broken locked bicycles from fences and
existing bicycle racks
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25. 49
50
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