Walkable Neighbourhoods: The Key to a Complete Community
October 23 2024
What would your life look like if you could walk to meet all your daily needs? Imagine living in a neighborhood where running errands, commuting to appointments, enjoying green spaces, and connecting with friends could all happen within a short, pleasant walk from your front door. This isn’t just an idealistic vision; it’s what defines a complete community—and it's more achievable than we might think, even in the suburban landscape of Etobicoke.
The idea of creating a pedestrian friendly, complete community is about much more than convenience. It’s about sustainability, health, safety, and connection. As cities across the globe face the dual challenges of climate change and urban sprawl, walkable neighborhoods are becoming essential for resilient and livable cities. Here in Etobicoke, this concept could be a game changer.
What Is A Complete Community?
A complete community is designed so that residents can meet most of their daily needs—such as groceries, healthcare, and social activities—within walking distance from their homes. It’s a community where streets are for people, not just cars, and where sidewalks and public spaces are designed to encourage walking, cycling, and gathering.
Imagine if you could walk to your nearest café, pick up groceries at a local shop, or take your kids to a nearby park, all without needing to drive. A complete community allows this lifestyle, offering shorter commutes, less reliance on cars, and a greater sense of freedom. Importantly, it also fosters a healthier environment by reducing traffic, improving air quality, and cutting down on carbon emissions.
Why Walking Matters For Etobicoke
Etobicoke is a diverse and vibrant area, but like many inner suburbs, it often relies heavily on cars for daily transportation. However, by rethinking how our communities are designed, we could transform this.
Walkability in neighbourhoods could bring numerous benefits:
Healthier Living: When walking becomes part of daily life, people naturally get more exercise, which improves physical health and mental well-being.
Lower Emissions: Walking instead of driving reduces traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, helping to fight climate change.
Connected Neighborhoods: Walkable streets encourage neighbors to engage with each other, building stronger, more supportive communities.
Support for Local Businesses: More foot traffic means more customers for local shops, cafés, and services, boosting the local economy.
Safer Streets: Well-designed, pedestrian-friendly streets slow down traffic and reduce the risk of accidents, making roads safer for everyone, especially children and seniors.
How We Can Make Etobicoke More Walking Friendly
Creating a more pedestrian friendly community isn’t just about adding sidewalks. It requires a comprehensive approach to urban design that prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists. To make this happen, we need to consider:
Mixed-Use Spaces: Encouraging the development of areas where homes, shops, services, and parks are close together, making it easy for people to access everything they need within their own neighborhood.
Traffic-Calmed Streets: Redesigning streets making them safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Public Transit Connections: Ensuring that public transit is accessible, frequent, and connects easily to walkable routes, so residents can rely less on cars for longer trips.
Your Role In Building A Complete Community
Communities are not changed overnight—they’re built through collaboration and community input. That’s where you come into all of this!
The Etobicoke Voice is collaborating with other local groups to assist local climate group, Etobicoke Climate Action to host a much needed community conversation and you are invited to be part of the conversation.
We’re hosting a public workshop to explore how together we can make these ideas a reality and your insights as local residents are needed to be heard. How can we improve walkability in our neighborhoods? What changes would make it easier and safer to walk to get your daily needs done? What is missing in your neighbourhood?
At the forum, we’ll have table discussions led by local facilitators where you can share your ideas on how to transform our streets and spaces into pedestrian-friendly environments. Whether it’s redesigning streets, expanding local amenities, or improving public transit, your input will help shape the future of our community.
Join the Conversation
If you’re passionate about creating a pedestrian friendly Etobicoke, join us on October 26 for the Etobicoke Public Forum on Climate Change: Complete Communities.
This is your opportunity to share your ideas, connect with others, and help build a vision for a more sustainable future.
Together, we can make our community safer, healthier, and more connected.
Please RSVP at this link if you would like to join us as seating is limited