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Table of Contents

Section page Acknowledgements

1 Setting 4 1.1 Location and Physical Characteristics 4 1.2 Geology 6 1.3 Climate 7 1.4 Local Species 9 Flora 9 Fauna 10 1.5 Parks and Environmentally Sensitive Areas 11

2 History 13 Important Dates 14

3 People 16 3.1 Population 16 3.2 Marital Status 23 3.3 Households and Families 24 3.4 Income 25

3.5 Education 27 3.6 Labour Force 29 3.7 Seniors in Harewood 30

4 Infrastructure 32 4.1 Water 32 4.2 Sewer 32 4.3 Stormwater 34 4.4 Solid Waste 34

5 Agriculture and Food Security 36 6 Housing 41 6.1 Current Building Permits 41

6.2 Affordable Housing 42 6.3 BC Assessment 43 6.4 Real Estate Sales 44

7 Current Land Use Regulations 45 7.1 Plan Nanaimo 45

7.2 Zoning 48 8 Recreation 49 8.1 Inventory 49

8.2 Community Survey 51 9 Walkability 52

10 Sources 56

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Maps Map 1: Boundaries of Harewood 4 Map 2: Census Tract Areas 16 Map 3: Comparison of Rental Housing 21 Map 4: Comparison of Income 26 Map 5: Comparison of Educational Attainment 28 Map 6: Affordable Housing 42 Map 7: Plan Nanaimo 47 Map 8: Parks and Trails 50

Figures

Figure 1: Climagraph of Nanaimo 7 Figure 2: Arbutus Tree 9 Figure 3: Colliery Dam Park 12 Figure 4: Buttertubs Marsh 12 Figure 5: Harewood Mine Workings 13 Figure 6: Vancouver Island University 15 Figure 7: Population Pyramid 17 Figure 8: Age Characteristics 18 Figure 9: Other Population Characteristics 19 Figure 10: Population 23 Figure 11: Marital Status 23 Figure 12: Marital Status Comparisons 23 Figure 13: Households 24 Figure 14: Families 24 Figure 15: Income 25 Figure 16: Education 27 Figure 17: Labour Force 29 Figure 18: Seniors in Harewood 30 Figure 19: Harewood Shopping 30 Figure 20: Activities for Seniors 31 Figure 21: Water Mains 33 Figure 22: Sewer Mains 33 Figure 23: Stormwater Mains 35 Figure 24: Permit Activity 41 Figure 25: Assessment 43 Figure 26: Real Estate Sales 44 Figure 27: Harewood Sub Area 44

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HAREWOOD COMMUNITY PROFILE

Vancouver Island University’s Geography 342: Urban and Regional Planning would like to

thank the Good Neighbour’s Committee for inviting us to participate in the development of this

Community Profile.

Caitlan Akins

Arash Borhan

Herkamal Brar

Philippa Burn

Kelsey Chandler

James (Bucky) Chisholm

Alysha Harris

Jennifer Henderson

Sarah Lamb

Jon Lodge

Darren Lucas

Cody Naples

Angie Nielsen

Emily Pallard

Phil Perrin

Meagan Sandford

BJ Seatter

Jay Valeri

Mary Wunderlich

Pamela Shaw

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SECTION 1 SETTING

1.1 Location and Physical Characteristics

The community of Harewood is

located in the City of Nanaimo

(the Harbour City) on the east

coast of Vancouver Island. The

City and the community of

Harewood are sited on lands

that are within the traditional

territory of the Snuneymuxw

First Nation, who have occupied

this area for thousands of years.

Harewood contains many of the

oldest buildings and structures

found within the City, and is

blessed with historic character

and style dating from before

the turn of the century.

In general, the boundary of this

community runs into Chase River

near Tenth St., west to the

Vancouver Island University, east to the railway tracks that separate this community from the

downtown core, and north to Third St. or Bowen Rd. These boundaries are loosely defined; as

is often true when speaking of a community, the boundaries of the community can differ

depending on the source of the information and the rationale for defining the boundary. Map 1

outlines the boundaries of Harewood as designated in Nanaimo’s Official Community Plan.

Map 1: Boundaries of Harewood

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Harewood is a bustling community located at 49° 8′ 0″ N, 123° 57′ 0″ W o 10U W430701

N5442712 and is home to numerous amenities. Some of these amenities include a growing

university with a progressive master plan, shopping, restaurants, pubs, a drug store, super

markets, the Nanaimo Ice Centre (NIC) and the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre (NAC), as well as new

areas of residential development. In addition to the urban or built environment, there are also

several parks and ecologically sensitive areas located within the community boundaries. The

presence of parks and green spaces encourages the residents of Harewood to get out and enjoy

the outdoors, while building a sense of community cohesiveness.

This community is also home to numerous schools. There is a range of facilities including

primary, secondary and post secondary institutions. In June 2008, Gordon Campbell granted

university status to four colleges in British Columbia; one of the schools was Malaspina

University-College. The University-College was renamed Vancouver Island University, also

known as VIU (a fitting name for a hillside educational facility). The new designation has led to

plans for growth, increased enrollment, and a wider range of available courses and services. In

addition, there has been an increased interest from community members, agency

representatives, and university staff and faculty in creating new bonds between VIU and

Harewood to support each other and add to each other’s success.

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1.2 Geology

The geology of Vancouver Island can be explained with plate tectonics, the accretion of exotic

terranes, and fluvioglacial processes. Vancouver Island is part of the Wrengellia Terrane, which

is part of an ancient continent created during the breakup of the ancient supercontinents.

South Western British Columbia, Vancouver Island, and the Queen Charlotte islands have

geology that can be characterized by compressional tectonic stresses, associated

metamorphism and fracturing of old sea floor rocks and newer sedimentary units. Most of the

rocks in the Harewood area are between sixty-five and one hundred million years old. These

rocks include the Karmutsen and Quatsino formations (bedrock) and the Nanaimo Sediments,

which are composed of sandstones, other fine-grained sedimentary rocks, and conglomerates.

Fluvioglacial processes, as well as erosional deposition on submarine fans have deposited the

sedimentary rocks. Isostatic adjustments have caused many of these sedimentary deposits to

be exposed.

The Harewood Area also has a rich mining history. Coalmines, which operated in the area at the

turn of the century, provided a revenue base that allowed the community of Harewood to

flourish. Historic mine workings can be a cause for concern because of health risks and

challenges associated with development on the surface. One potentially useful application for

historic mine workings, known as geo-exchange, can be used to heat and cool new

developments in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner. Subsidence must be

considered anytime surface developments are situated on top of historic mine workings. The

collapse historic coalmines, which often practiced full recovery mining (removing all the coal

without leaving any for support), can be devastating. These subsidence events may happen

after extended periods of inactivity, or they may be triggered by seismic events.

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1.3 Climate

Climate refers to long-term

weather patterns. The Maritime

influenced climate on Vancouver

Island is moving towards a

Mediterranean designation with

cool wet winters, and warm dry

summers.

Nanaimo (and the community of

Harewood) is located in the

shadow of Mount Benson on the

east side of Vancouver Island. The Nanaimo area receives in excess of 1144mm of precipitation

each year, and is the mildest city in British Columbia. The annual temperature average for each

month is never below zero degrees Celsius, and the yearly temperature range is only fifteen

degrees. The lack of significant precipitation in the summer typically causes water shortages

near the end of the summer months. These patterns should be considered before any new

development, which utilizes large volumes of water, gets the go ahead in the Harewood area.

The hottest month of the Year in the Nanaimo area is August, and the coldest is January. The

average temperature in August is eighteen degrees Celsius, and the average temperature in

January is three degrees Celsius. These mild temperatures appeal to a wide demographic

making Nanaimo and Vancouver Island very desirable places to live and explore.

Several factors contribute to the climate patterns in and around the Nanaimo area. One

important factor is latitude. Nanaimo’s latitude is around forty-nine degrees north. This causes

the sun’s rays to strike the surface of the earth at an angle, decreasing insolation received at

the surface relative to the equatorial regions of the world. This lowers temperatures in the

Nanaimo area. The second contributing factor is the proximity of the ocean, which has both a

warming and a cooling effect. The high specific heat capacity of water allows the ocean to

remain warmer than land during the winter months and cooler in the summer. The presence of

Figure 1: Climagraph of Nanaimo (data averaged for 1990 to 2005)

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saturated air masses and weather systems moving in from the pacific provide plenty of

moisture and variations in weather throughout the year.

The following data represent the average temperature and precipitation of Nanaimo, B.C. from 1990 to 2005 (this information is also shown on the climagraph, above).

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Temp.(°C) 2.3 4.1 5.7 8.4 11.8 15.1 17.5 17.6 14.4 9.6 5.2 2.8

Prec.(mm) 163.7 127.9 116.1 59.8 46.9 39.4 24.3 30 44 101.5 189.5 201.4

Data gathered from Environment Canada

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1.4 Local Species

Flora

The community of Harewood is situated in

a coastal temperate rainforest, which

receives an abundant amount of rain in the

winter months and moderate to scarce

precipitation in the summer. This allows

for a unique variety of vegetation and

biomass to flourish in this ecosystem.

Species such as the coastal Douglas Fir are

the most predominant, though other

varieties of organisms include the Western

Red Cedar, Madrone, Garry Oak, Salal, the

Oregon grape, and Manzanita (also known

as the arbutus). Flourishing beneath these

towering forests there are a number of

smaller vegetative species such as a variety

of mosses, lichens, shrubs, and flowering

plants.

Invasive Species

There are a number of invasive species that have intruded on the local ecosystem such as

Scotch Broom, English Ivy, Daphne, Giant Hogweed, and the Himalayan Blackberry. These are

sometimes harmful to the local flora and can dominate the landscape. A number of the native

species are at risk and endangered because of these invasive varieties.

Figure 2: Arbutus Tree

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Fauna

In the vicinity of the Harewood community a number of species inhabit the wilderness such as

deer, raccoons, and other small mammals. On occasion a black bear or cougar can be seen, but

this is a relatively populated and urban area. A variety of bird species are attracted to

Buttertubs Marsh Nature Reserve like blue herons, mallards, Canada geese, Ring-neck ducks,

hooded Mergansers, and the American Widgeon. At certain times of the year, some varieties of

salmon may be visible in the smaller tributaries of the Harewood Area. Other aquatic species

that inhabit the water systems are trout and small organisms such as insects.

Invasive Species

A few invasive animals exist in the area that may disrupt the balance in local ecosystems

including the American bullfrog, Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, Eastern Grey Squirrel, European

Starling, House Sparrow, and Black slugs.

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1.5 Parks and Environmentally Sensitive Areas

One of Nanaimo’s greatest assets is the many inner city green spaces and parks. These

preserved spaces allow for community enjoyment and enrich the space within the urban city

life. Most of these areas are designated around water features such as streams, rivers and

marshes. The Harewood Community has approximately 4-5 different designated park areas. In

fact, the city Nanaimo is known to be one of the cities with the most green-spaces in

comparison to urban development and population size in all of Canada.

Colliery Dam Park

A central focus in the Harewood Community lays the Colliery Dam Park, full of various trails,

water features, and vegetation. This is a vital communal gathering space in all seasons for the

Harewood area. In the summer it is a crowded swimming and picnic spot, and is a perfect

running/bike trail all year round. Recreation fishing also takes place here. This is a man-made,

multi-level water passage that encompasses two lakes and three dams in total.

Third Street Recreational Area

This park area is located off of Third Street and is adjacent to Jingle Pot Road. It encompasses

the Nanaimo Ice Centre, the Nanaimo Aquatic Center, the Serauxmen Sports Fields and running

track, and an ecological preservation area in between connected with an informative trail.

Buttertubs Marsh Conservation Area and Valley Oak Park

Buttertubs Marsh is a man-made park that is a designated bird sanctuary with a variety of bird

species. It is a 100-acre parcel of land with a 2.5 km loop trail that offers residents a forested

area that is like an oasis of nature within the city. At the present time, half of this wilderness

area is privately owned and could be subject to development if is not purchased and preserved

(NALT, 2006).

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Figure 3: Colliery Dam Park

Figure 4: Buttertubs Marsh

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SECTION 2 HISTORY

The community of Harewood was among the earliest of the European settled areas in Nanaimo,

following initial population concentrations surrounding the waterfront and harbor lands. The

name “Harewood” has been documented in common use as early as 1913 and referred to a

small mining village, named for the seventh son of the third son of the Earl of Harewood.

Today, the name Harewood is still used to refer to the neighborhood in south Nanaimo. It is

also used as a street name and as a name for some community amenities.

Harewood’s history revolves around the discovery of coal. Nanaimo had many coal mines

throughout the area. The Harewood mines were managed by Robert Dunsmuir for Dr. Alfred

Benson and Horace Douglas Lascelles (7th son of Earl of Harewood) when they was opened in

1875. The mines were closed 1894 and then operated again from 1902 to 1904. A new tunnel

was opened in 1917 and over the following six years (1917-1923), 769,500 tons of coal was

produced before the mine ceased operations.

Figure 4: Harewood Mine Workings (c. 1911)

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Important historical dates

1849- Coal is discovered in the Harewood area

1852- Governor James Douglas takes possession of the coal deposits from the HBC

1852- Population of Harewood 125 people

1859- 25,000 tons of coal had been shipped from Nanaimo

1860- area becomes known as Nanaimo, the area was previously known as

Wintuhuysen Inlet and then Colville before it was known as Nanaimo

1862- HBC sold its coal rights to Vancouver Coal Mining and Land Company(VCML)

1863- output was about 100 tons a day, it doubled by 1866

1874- Population of Harewood 1000, annual production of about 80,000 tons

1884- Robert Dunsmuir, buys out his partners of the VCML and renames it R.Dunsmuir

and Sons

1910- Robert Dunsmuir sells company to Canadian Collieries Ltd

1914- Harewood school opens

1922- Peak annual production of about 1,400,000 tons

1923- Harewood Mine closes for good

1940- PM Mackenzie King announces the military training center open in Harewood,

called Camp Nanaimo

1952- Nanaimo District Senior School opens in Harewood on former Camp Nanaimo

Grounds

1958- Harewood Mall opens

1968- Last mine in Nanaimo Closes

1969- Malaspina College opens its doors

1975- The City of Nanaimo amalgamates with Harewood, Departure Bay, Pleasant

Valley, Green Lake

2006- Nanaimo Ice center opens in Harewood

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Vancouver Island University is found

in Harewood and its roots can be

trace back to 1936 when Nanaimo

first opened a vocational training

school.

This school evolved into Malaspina

College, which opened in 1969. The

College was named after Captain

Alexandro Malaspina, who explored

Vancouver Island. In 1995, the

province of British Columbia

enacted legislation changing the

institutions name from Malaspina

College to Malaspina University -

College, which allowed the

institution to begin granting

academic degrees and college

diplomas.

Malaspina University College was

upgraded to a University under an

amendment of the University Act

and officially began operations as

Vancouver Island University on

Sept 1, 2008.

VIU has evolved into a dynamic,

internationally known university

supporting a student population in

excess of 18,000 full-and part-time

learners, including 1100

international students, over 1000

aboriginal students, and employing

over 2,000 faculty and staff.

Figure 5: Vancouver Island University

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SECTION 3 PEOPLE Statistics Canada divides the Harewood community into two census tracts (0014.00 and 0016.00). The

data discussed below refers to these two census tract areas.

Map 2: Census Tract Areas

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3.1 Population

The population pyramid divides all ages into 5 year groups. The two largest groups of people are from

35 to 60 and from 15 to 29. At the peak of these groups are those aged 45-49 and those aged 20-24. It

is difficult to compare numbers accurately from 2001 and 1996 because the groups are not divided into

5 year segments, and the areas of data collection are different. However, the indication is that there are

a large number of people close to retirement; indicating a large increase in the number of seniors in 15

to 20 years. The second trend is that there are a large number of young adults; that could result in an

increase in the number of babies and children over the same time period. The implication is that the

needs of these two groups will have to be balanced adequately.

Figure 7: Population Pyramid, Harewood combined census tracts 2006

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Figure 8: Age Characteristics 2006

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total population 11,875 92,361 4,113,487

0 to 4 years 645 (5%) 4,030 (4%) 201,880 (5%)

5 to 9 years 725 (6%) 4,690 (5%) 220,700 (5%)

10 to 14 years 760 (6%) 5,605 (6%) 257,025 (6%)

15 to 19 years 950 (8%) 6,285 (7%) 273,560 (7%)

20 to 24 years 1,155 (10%) 6,180 (7%) 265,905 (7%)

25 to 29 years 875 (7%) 4,645 (5%) 245,275 (6%)

30 to 34 years 710 (6%) 4,735 (5%) 254,757 (6%)

35 to 39 years 785 (7%) 5,710 (6%) 290,645 (7%)

40 to 44 years 840 (7%) 6,770 (7%) 334,835 (8%)

45 to 49 years 930 (8%) 7,565 (8%) 344,140 (8%)

50 to 54 years 840 (7%) 7,515 (8%) 320,115 (8%)

55 to 59 years 725 (6%) 7,035 (8%) 289,425 (7%)

60 to 64 years 500 (4%) 5,560 (6%) 215,590 (5%)

65 to 69 years 410 (4%) 4,355 (5%) 169,765 (4%)

70 to 74 years 380 (3%) 3,725 (4%) 143,630 (4%)

75 to 79 years 295 (3%) 3,315 (3%) 120,435 (3%)

80 to 84 years 190 (2%) 2,490 (4%) 89,925 (2%)

85 years and over 145 (1%) 2,150 (2%) 76,045 (2%)

Median age of the population

35.7 43.3 40.8

% of population aged 15 and over

82 84.5 83.5

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Figure 9: Other Population Indicators 2006

Immigrant status and period of immigration

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total population 11,860 91,295 4,074,385

Non-immigrants 10,070 76,670 2,904,204

Immigrants 1,575 13,930 1,119,215

Before 1991 1,170 10,640 605,680

1991 to 2000 295 2,000 335,695

2001 to 2006 105 1,285 177,840

Non-permanent residents

210 690 50,925

Generation status

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total population 15 years and over

9,735 77,040 3,394,910

1st generation 1,770 14,355 1,121,545

2nd generation 2,080 17,575 754,835

3rd generation or more

5,880 45,105 1,518,530

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Population Mobility - place of residence 5 years ago

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total population 5 years and over

11,225 87,260 3,871,915

Non-movers (same address five years ago)

4,835 (43%) 42,935 (49%) 2,067,790 (53%)

Movers 6390 (57%) 44,325 (51%) 1,804,125 (47%)

Lived within the same province or territory and municipality 5 years ago

3,810 (34%) 23,790 (27%) 904,705 (23%)

Lived within the same province, but changed municipality 5 years ago

1,755 (16%) 13,485 (15%) 528,500 (14%)

Lived in a different province or territory 5 years ago

495 (4%) 4,930 (6%) 164,715 (4%)

Lived in a different country 5 years ago

340 (3%) 2,120 (2%) 206,210 (5%)

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Map 3: Comparison of Rental Housing 2006

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Visible minority and aboriginal population characteristics

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total population 11,860 91,295 4,074,380

Total visible minority population

1,425 6,635 1,008,855

Chinese 170 1,310 407,225

South Asian 445 1,905 262,290

Black 90 395 28,315

Filipino 95 490 88,075

Latin American 35 155 28,965

Southeast Asia 385 740 40,685

Arab 25 80 8,635

West Asian 10 65 29,810

Korean 20 635 50,490

Japanese 70 525 35,060

Visible minority, n.i.e.

10 40 3,880

Multiple visible minority

65 275 25,420

Aboriginal identity population

1,065 5,295 196,070

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Harewood Nanaimo

Single 40% 31%

Married 37% 48%

There has been roughly a 6% growth

in the area from 2001 to 2006, but it is

difficult to determine if the trend has

continued since 2006. However due

to the improvements in the Harewood

shopping district, improvements to

the University, and long term trends, the indication is that the population will continue to grow over the

next 15-20 years. The median age of the two combined census tract areas is 35.7 years old.

3.2 Marital Status

There are more single people in the Harewood area than

the Nanaimo area as a whole. Therefore there are less

married couples and the implication is that Harewood

area needs to cater to the needs of the single individual.

Figure 12: Marital Status 2006 Comparisons

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total population aged 15 years and over

9,750 78,035 3,433,880

Never legally married (single)

3,955 23,890 1,102,395

Legally married (and not separated)

3,590 37,830 1,730,480

Separated, but still legally married

470 2,800 110,575

Divorced 1,175 8,065 285,860

Widowed 550 5,450 204,570

Figure 10: Population

0014.00 0016.00

Population in 2006 6305 5570

Population in 2001 5786 5339

Percent change (%) 9.0 4.3

Figure 11: Marital Status 2006

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3.3 Households and Families

The average household size is approximately 2.4 individuals and 54% of the population households have

no children. Overall there is a good mix of families but there are a large number of single people in the

area; this is likely due to the close proximity to the University. As mentioned previously there is a large

bubble of people that are between 15 and 29.

Figure 13: Households 2006

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total private households

4,940 38,800 1,643,150

Households containing a couple (married or common-law) with children

950 8,700 432,420

Households containing a couple (married or common-law) without children

1,270 12,890 486,040

One-person households

1,390 10,775 460,580

Other household types

1,330 6,440 264,105

Average household size

2.4 2.3 2.5

Figure 14: Families 2006

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total number of census families

3,315

26,775 1,161,420

Average number of persons in all census families

2.7 2.7 2.9

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3.4 Income

The Harewood area has a larger percentage of low income individuals as defined by Statistics Canada

when compared to Nanaimo as a whole at 21.0% for Harewood in 2006 vs. 12.3% for the City. The

median income of the neighbourhood is also lower than the same indicator for the City at $18,818 vs.

$23, 762.

Figure 15: Income 2006

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total private households 4,940 38,800 1,643,150

Median income in 2005 - All private households ($)

36,131 47,401 52,709

Median income in 2005 - Couple households with children ($)

60,112 74,458 79,509

Median income in 2005 - Couple households without children ($)

48,502 59,092 63,969

Median income in 2005 - One-person household ($)

18,700 24,358 27,773

Median income in 2005 - other household types ($)

35,404 39,896 47,266

Income status of all persons in private households (counts)

11,710 89,465 3,978,215

% in low income before tax - All persons

29.15 16.6 17.3

% in low income after tax - All persons

21 12.3 13.1

Total persons 15 years and over with income (counts)

9,270 73,410 3,230,565

Median income ($) 18,818 23,762 24,867

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Map 4: Income 2006

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3.5 Education

Figure 16: Education 2006

Harewood Planning Area

Nanaimo British Columbia

Total population 15 years and over

9,740 77,035 3,394,910

Less than grade 9 2,525 (26%) 15,265 (20%) 675,345 (20%)

Grades 9 to 13 3,010 (31%) 22,080 (29%) 946,645 (28%)

Trades certificate or diploma

1,355 (14%) 10,525 (13%) 368,355 (11%)

Other non-university education

1,470 (15%) 13,915 (18%) 565,900 (16%)

University 1,365 (14%) 15,250 (20%) 838,660 (25%)

The analysis of education in the area is mixed. There are more people with education less than grade 9

than the rest of Nanaimo and less people with university education; which corresponds to the lower

income bracket. However there are more people with education from grade 9 to 12 and more people

with trades or diplomas when compared to Nanaimo or British Columbia.

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Map 5: Educational Attainment 2006

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3.6 Labour Force

There is a higher labour force than Nanaimo as a whole with 66% compared to 62%. Of that labour

force more people are employed than the whole of Nanaimo however the unemployment rate is higher

than the rest of Nanaimo. This data corresponds to the income levels and education levels of the area

indicating a relationship where less education results in employment in more volatile avenues, resulting

in lower income levels overall. The labour force is strong in Harewood but jobs are needed to keep that

labour force employed.

Figure 16: Labour Force 2006

Harewood Planning Area Nanaimo British Columbia

Total population 15 years and over

9,740 77,035 3,394,910

In the labour force 6,430 (66%) 47,595 (62%) 2,226,380 (66%)

Employed 5,815 (60%) 44,255 (57%) 2,092,770 (62%)

Unemployed 610 (6%) 3,340 (4%) 133,615 (4%)

Not in the labour force

3,310 (34%) 29,440 (38%) 1,168,525 (34%)

Unemployment rate

9.5 7.0 6.0

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3.7 Seniors in Harewood

Who are the Neighborhood Seniors?

In 2006 11% of the population in

Harewood was 65 years and older.

However, 26% of the 2006 population

was ages 45-64, this means that in

the next 20 years 26% of the

population that already exists in

Harewood will be seniors. This

excludes the potential increase from

out of province senior migration and

immigration.

Harewood has one main commercial

complex. This appears to have

ambulatory access and a segregation of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, which is suitable for populations

of seniors. The mix of shops and services requires careful analysis to ensure it meets the needs of the

changing population. This complex would be a natural focal point for a seniors’ centre.

Figure 18: Age Cohorts in Harewood 2006

Age cohort # %

0-4 300 5

5-19 1195 21

20-24 465 8

25-34 695 12

35-44 820 15

45-54 875 16

55-64 580 10

65+ 645 11

Figure 19: Harewood Shopping

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Public transit will also be an issue for the neighbourhood in the coming years. Handi Dart exists on a

fairly limited basis. Traditional public transit (a bus once an hour) is not always the most practical

solution for the growing number of senior citizens. A senior’s transit service that is specially equipped

should be considered for this neighbourhood.

Harewood contains mostly single family dwellings, as well as a few scattered sections of town homes as

multi-family dwellings. Housing targeted specifically for seniors will be required in the coming years.

How to Plan for Seniors

Currently, there is no official committee of seniors in the Harewood area. A Seniors’ council or

committee would be an outstanding contribution to the neighbourhood. Issues such as safety and

development might be topics that would be addressed with the assistance of the committee. If a

committee is to be created then a “place” is to be defined as an icon to senior participation in the

community. A senior’s centre would be an ideal landmark, and physically confirm a committee location.

This would produce motive, a “place” for seniors to go to and congregate in Harewood. A seniors

committee (once established) could operate a radio station for senior citizens in the Harewood area.

Continuing, a more practical approach might be a senior’s news hour on a local television station.

Prepare for the

coming grey

tsunami!

Figure 20: Activities for Seniors

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SECTION 4 INFRASTRUCTURE

4.1 Water

The residents within the Harewood community are provided water by the South Nanaimo Rider

Watershed. As well, under the City of Nanaimo, Harewood residents are included in the Water

Supply Strategic Plan.

Water distribution is provided for all Harewood community stakeholders by the City of

Nanaimo which owns and operates their water system and can be seen in Figure 21. All

residential and commercial properties have the capacity to be hooked up to the City of

Nanaimo’s water distribution system.

4.2 Sewer

The residents of the Harewood community rely on the Regional District of Nanaimo for sewage

treatment and disposal. There are two treatment facilities; one on Hammond Bay Road and the

other on Jackson Road.

Figure 22 shows a map of the sewer mains. Every house connected to the sewer system must

pay the sewer user fee. The majority of the system within Harewood borders is city owned with

only a few lines privately owned, located west of Wakesiah Avenue. This infrastructure has lines

as old as 1959 and as new as 2008. The older pipe is built mainly with Asbestos cement and the

more recent projects use Polyvinylchloride. The entire Harewood community is under the

Chase River catchment.

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Figure 21: Water Mains

Figure 22: Sewer Mains

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Figure 23: Stormwater Mains

4.3 Stormwater

As seen in Figure 23, there is an extensive system of storm drains to the east of Wakesiah

Avenue to collect water in the Harewood community.

4.4 Solid Waste

Garbage and Recyclables collection is a service provided by the City of Nanaimo to single-family

dwelling units of the Harewood Community. Under the “Garbage and Recyclables collection

Bylaw 2009 No. 7089”, the residents of Harewood have the following services provided to

them;

Section 9.1: Garbage shall be collected once each service period on the same day each week

according to the add-a-day system.

and;

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Section 10.1: Recyclable materials shall be collected once every second scheduled garbage

collection during and on the same day as the scheduled garbage collection.

The residents of Harewood can receive a garbage and recyclable collection schedule by visiting

the City of Nanaimo website. Residential property owners must pay for basic garbage collection

and recycling services. Private businesses in the Harewood community must arrange and pay to

have their garbage and recycling collected or can choose to self-haul.

The Nanaimo Regional District operates a landfill site located south of the city at 1105 Cedar

Road, Nanaimo, B.C.

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SECTION 5 AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY

The Harewood area has little to no agriculture land at present, although it does have many

different food security organizations and groups that are continually working towards

improving the neighborhood through sustainable food solutions. Some of these organizations

include:

Nanaimo Food Share

Nanaimo Community Gardens

Nanaimo Community Kitchens

Food Link Nanaimo

7 to 10 Club

Loaves and Fishes

All of these organizations are working together to create a community that will thrive together

through food security.

Nanaimo Food Share

Nanaimo Food Share is an organization that helps all people in the community from all age

groups. They are a group committed to help people develop the skills they need to increase

food security, build community, and be self-sufficient. Through their programs, workshops, and

community networks, their aim is to educate and empower by sharing not just food -- but also

information, resources, workloads, and new opportunities. Some of the programs that are

offered by Food Share are:

Good Food Box is a once a month produce box that helps the community stretch their

food dollar.

Gleaning is a program that matches those with excess produce with those who can

make good use of it.

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Growin on up! Is a weekly drop-in nutrition and food/life skills program aimed at young

moms and their children.

HomeGrown is a 30-week program designed to provide youth with the skills, tools, and

support they need to gain hands-on work experience in the small scale agriculture,

horticulture, and local food sectors.

Scratch is a valuable 8 week food/cooking skills program for youth in grades 8-10.

Kids Get Cooking is an after school and summertime hands-in healthy cooking program

aimed at city kids.

Summer Lunch Munch Provides nutritious lunches and nutritional information to kids at

inner city parks during the holidays.

WeFeast is the "Woman's Entrepreneurial Food Enterprise and Skills Training" program.

Supports low-income women to develop micro-enterprises in the food industry.

The Nanaimo Food Share is located at:

Food Share Center, 271 Pine St.

Nanaimo Community Gardens

The Nanaimo Community Gardens Society (NCGS) recognizes that a sustainable food system is

the foundation of a healthy community. To work with people to grow more food in the region

because growing food locally is vital to a healthy community and environment. Their programs

and services get individuals and families active in growing, sharing, buying and eating local

foods. They envision our community abundant in food, and our culture and economy respectful

of our dependence on the earth’s resources for survival.

The Community Gardens work in collaboration with individuals, agencies and government to

get more food grown, shared, and purchased locally. And recognizes that sustainable food

production is a vital part of creating a healthy community in which all people have access to

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nutritious food, clean water, pure air and bio-diverse green spaces. Some of the Programs that

the Nanaimo Community Gardens have are:

Gleaning

Learn to grow

Sharing Backyards

Many Workshops for all ages

They are located at:

Food Share Center, 271 Pine St.

Nanaimo Community Kitchens

Nanaimo Community Kitchens became a Society in 1993. It is a place where participants build

skills, knowledge, friendships, and self-esteem while preparing low-cost healthy meals. A

community kitchen is a place where a group of people can get together on a regular basis to

cook healthy, nutritious, meals. It is a place where everyone participates. Within the groups,

participants have a great time, get to create new friendships, and learn the tools to stretch their

food dollars. The quantity of food that is prepared is divided among group members to take

home. The Community Kitchens are participant driven, with each group deciding how their

kitchen operates. They believe that food has always had the power to bring people together.

Some of the programs that the Nanaimo Community Kitchens have are:

Bellies to Babies and Beyond: 10 week cooking and skill building program for pregnant

women and parents of infants. Child minding provided.

Cooking Out Of The Box: Cooking session based upon contents of monthly Good Food

Box of fruits and vegetables. Three locations.

Community Kitchen Cooking Groups: Nanaimo Community Kitchens offers to facilitate

groups of 3-5 individuals to meet regularly to prepare meals to feed their families.

Participants pay a yearly membership fee of $1 and learn how to stretch their food

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dollar, try new recipes, and meet new people.

All of the programs are offered at one for their three locations:

Food Share Center, 271 Pine St

Women's Center, 285 Selby St

Princess Royal Family Center, 360 Irwin St

Food Link Nanaimo

Food Link Nanaimo Society is a non-profit networking agency that provides communication

support for local food organizations and growers, businesses, educational institutions,

governments, and the local community. They are one of five VIHA Food Security Hubs on

Vancouver Island, and are connected to provincial and national food networks through BC Food

Systems Network and Food Secure Canada.

With the industrialization of our food supply, food issues are becoming increasingly important.

This is why Food Link believes that food sovereignty is foundational to building healthy

communities. The goal for this organization is to create meaningful opportunities to improve

access to a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food supply. Food Link Nanaimo focuses on

engaging the community in dialogue and increasing collaboration, reflection, and action. They

recognize that everyone in the Harewood community and beyond, including consumers, food

producers, and policy makers, want to get involved with food and sustainability issues.

Food Link covers Nanaimo and the surrounding area, from Port Alberni to Yellow Point. They

have created a place for our community to connect with local food resources, encourage

networking and collaboration, and celebrate all the great work we are doing to live locally and

sustainably.

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Working Towards

Support the development of a local and regional food charter and a land and food

systems strategy

Explore the possibility of a food policy council

Facilitate education of new leadership in the broader community, and develop an

educational model to increase individual community capacity

7-10 Club Society Nanaimo

The Nanaimo 7-10 Club Society was started in 1985 by a group of 12 people from differing faith

backgrounds who came together to feed hungry children in the city. Since then, the 7-10 Club

has served more than one million meals, not only to children, but also to anyone in need. Their

goal is “to feed the hungry and increase access to food for those in need”. The 7 to 10 club in

Nanaimo takes place at 205 - 285 Prideaux Street. it is a n organizations that brings the low

income community a hot nutritious breakfast, homemade soup, plus a brown bag lunch to go

that is served by community volunteers to those in need at no charge.

Loaves and Fishes

An organization devoted to bringing non perishables and other foods to those community

members that need it the most. They work with many other organizations to collect donations

throughout the community. Many school groups ranging from elementary to high school as

well as groups such as the Lions and even grocery and retail stores are involved with Loaves and

Fishes.

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SECTION 6 HOUSING

Most of the Harewood community is residential. According to the Harewood Planning Area

Profile (2006), almost 40% of houses were built between 1971-1990. An additional 32% of the

housing stock was built within the last twenty years. The remaining 30% of housing was built

prior to 1970. Looking at these numbers, it indicates that the housing stock is becoming newer,

as there still remains land to develop and as old houses are being torn down.

The purpose of this section is to briefly give an overview of the current situation of housing

stock within the Harewood Community. Topics that will be considered include current building

permits, affordable housing options, BC Assessment sales and real estate sales.

6.1 Current Building Permits

Building permits and rezoning applications are important because they let us know what is

going on in an area. These crucial steps allow parcels to change their use and build new

structures. There is not much information available about these developments on the Nanaimo

City website. The development permit for Machleary St does show some development plans

that resemble some type of townhouse complex. The only information available for the

remainder of documents was the file number and locations of the documents which can be

seen in Table 1 below.

Figure 24: Permit Activity

Type of Document File Number Location Development permit DP000625 541 Machleary St

Development permit DP000649 499 Milton St

Rezoning application RA000216 446 Milton St

Rezoning application RA000219 530 Fifth St

Rezoning application RA000229 894 Howard Ave

Rezoning application RA000232 888 Bruce Ave

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6.2 Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is

important for families

with lower income. It is

defined as housing that is

less than 30% of the total

household income after

taxes (Nanaimo OCP,

2009). When looking at

Nanaimo as a whole,

most of the affordable

housing options are

found in the Southern

portion of the city.

British Columbia Housing

provides some options

but most of the housing

opportunities are from

non-profit organizations

such as the Nanaimo

Affordable Housing

Society.

There are several places within the Harewood Community that provide affordable housing,

these include townhouses and apartments for family housing. The locations can be seen in the

map to the right. There is also one location in the Buttertubs area that has affordable housing

for seniors.

Map 6: Affordable Housing

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6.3 BC Assessment

BC Assessment evaluates all the houses within an area and assigns a value for each parcel. In

the Harewood Community these values varied considerably. The greatest variation in

Harewood occurred not between micro-regions within the community but within blocks of each

other on the same street. One of the reasons for this is due to the type of housing whether it is

a home, duplex, trailer or apartment.

Five micro-regions were created within Harewood. They are as follows: Buttertubs area,

Nanaimo Cemetery area, Harewood Mall area, Colliery Dam area and the SE corner. A sample

was taken from each region to create the table below showing the lowest and highest price

ranges within the sample as well as a rough calculation of the average house price. From this

data set we can see that there is not significant variation throughout the Harewood

Community. The average housing prices fall within $72,000 of each other. There is great

variation within very small areas, often due to the type of housing.

Figure 25: Assessment Information

Area Lowest House Price Highest House Price Average House Price

Buttertubs area $67,000 $512,000 $274,500

Nanaimo Cemetery

area

$116,000 $305,000 $234,700

Harewood Mall area $146,000 $327,000 $231,750

Colliery Dam area $191,000 $403,000 $301,600

SE corner $89,000 $341,000 $229,400

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6.4 Real-Estate Sales

The Harewood area is becoming a

trendy location in Nanaimo for

students and young professionals. As

one of the older neighbourhoods in

Nanaimo it is slowly becoming

revitalized. VIU attracts many people

to this area; the neighbourhood is

located close to the University campus

and the downtown core.

Real estate sales have increased within

this area; there have been many

development projects in the works to attract more people. In 2005 the overall sales for single

family dwellings in Nanaimo were 1,306 and specifically for South Nanaimo there were 256

which is 19.6% of the total single family dwelling sales. This percentage is very similar to the

sales of North Nanaimo which were 20.3%. These two neighbourhoods had the most single

family dwelling sales for the year of 2005 and it is fair to assume that these trends will continue.

The total unit sales for Nanaimo in 2009 were 1326.

Figure 27: Harewood Sub Area

Figure 26: Real Estate Sales

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SECTION 7 CURRENT LAND USE REGULATIONS

The Harewood area currently has 2275 occupied dwellings with 40% built before 1970 (2006

Census).

7.1 Plan Nanaimo

As can be seen on the map, Harewood is designated largely as “Neighbourhood” and the Plan

encourages “Corridor” development on the main arteries.

The new Plan Nanaimo includes a modified framework of goals which are:

Goal One Manage Urban Growth by focusing urban development within a defined

Urban Containment Boundary.

Map 7: Plan Nanaimo Land Use Designations

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Goal Two Build a More Sustainable Community by creating urban nodes and corridors

that support higher densities and a wider range of amenities and services than found in

the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Goal Three Encourage Social Enrichment whereby Nanaimo is considered a socially

sustainable community that nurtures a caring, healthy, inclusive and safe environment,

and which empowers all of its citizens to realize their aspirations.

Goal Four Promote a Thriving Economy through efforts to grow and diversify the local

economy from the current tax base, affording opportunities for residents and

businesses, while staying within the capacity of the natural environment.

Goal Five Protect and Enhance our Environment by looking after Nanaimo’s natural

diversity of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems in the course of land use and

development.

Goal Six Improve Mobility and Servicing Efficiency by creating greater accessibility and

more opportunity for safe and convenient movement around the city by transit, cycle

and on foot.

Goal Seven Work Towards a Sustainable Nanaimo which is the critical goal for moving

from “planning to action”. Nanaimo strives to meet the vision of the Plan to build upon

the strengths of the city and work to improve those areas where changes in economic,

social, environmental conditions would create a stronger, more effective, sustainable

city.

Policies for neighborhood planning in Plan Nanaimo include:

The neighborhood designation provides for lower density residential areas along with

parks and open spaces, schools, and local service centers supporting residential

neighborhoods.

Development in neighborhoods will be characterized by a mix of low density residential

uses and may include detached and semi-detached dwelling units, secondary suites,

special needs housing, mobile homes, duplexes, triplexes, quadruplexes and

townhouses.

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Residential densities from 10 to 50 units per hectare, in two to four storey building

forms, will be supported in neighborhoods.

Commercial Centers – Neighborhood designations are supported within neighborhoods,

and as identified through the neighborhood planning process.

Local service centers provide small scale commercial and community services within

neighborhoods.

These service centers are permitted in locations on a collector road and within a walk

able distance for neighboring residents.

The development or redevelopment of lands within existing Neighborhood designated

areas shall consider the surrounding context, including architecture, scale, densities, and

lot and lane configuration, when creating innovative designs which fit a variety of

housing forms and enhance the livability of the area.

Parks and open space shall form an integral component of the land base in

neighborhoods. Trail connections and sidewalks will encourage safe pedestrian

movement throughout the neighborhoods.

The infill of residential lots is encouraged and will be designed to complement existing

neighborhood character including the ground oriented nature of existing housing.

Ecological features, such as steep slopes, watercourses, riparian areas, significant trees,

and environmentally sensitive lands are recognized as attributes of the site, and

development shall proceed only where the impacts on these features are minimized and

can be mitigated.

A clustered housing design approach to development is encouraged to protect

environmentally sensitive features, steep slope and hazard lands, and provide for open

spaces in neighborhoods.

Steep slope properties included in Development Permit Area 5 may be considered for

additional density, in exchange for the preservation of open space, so long as the overall

density of the site does not exceed that allowed within the Neighborhood designation.

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The integration of higher density forms of ground oriented residential housing shall be

encouraged on major roads and within and adjacent to Commercial Centers

Neighborhood.

This Plan supports the development of a mix of residential options for all demographic

categories and levels of affordability across the city. However, isolated residential

developments, which are secured and gated as stand alone housing, are not supported

in the Neighborhood designation.

Home-based business secondary to the principal residence will be encouraged provided

that such businesses are compatible with existing adjacent uses and the environment.

Historic structures, places and trees will be identified and preserved in neighborhoods

throughout the city.

Existing neighborhood plans are adopted as part of plan Nanaimo. Neighborhood plans

prepared in the future will also be adopted as part of plan Nanaimo and will complement the

vision, goals, objectives and policies established within this Plan.

7.2 Zoning Bylaw and other Regulations

Under Bylaw 1000, the area is zoned mostly as residential, with some pockets of commercial

zoning and parkland. Other important regulations include those for heritage buildings.

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SECTION 8 RECREATION

8.1 Inventory

Existing recreational facilities in the Area

Bowen Park Complex - 500 Bowen Road

Caledonia Park - 110 Wall Street

Harewood Activity Centre - 195 Fourth Street

Harewood Centennial Park - 740 Howard Avenue

Nanaimo Aquatic Centre - 741 Third Street

- length swimming, diving boards, wave pool, aquatic fitness courses including core strength aquacises, cardio splash and burn, and moving body fitness classes.

- fitness gym open daily. - Availability of an aquatic personal trainer.

Nanaimo Ice Centre - 750 Third Street

- everyone welcome skating - seniors hockey club - adult scrub hockey - adult leisure skate - parent and tot skating - glow in the dark skating - recskate

Nearby parks and trails

Colliery Dam

Morrell Sanctuary

Buttertubs Marsh

Parkway trail and bike routes through the community.

Robins Park - 620 Park Avenue

Rotary Gateway Park - 630 Trans Canada Hwy

Serauxman Harewood Centennial Gyro Wentworth Bowen West.

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Map 8: Parks and Trails

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8.2 2004 Community Survey

Taken from the City of Nanaimo 2004 community survey done on parks, recreation and cultural

facilities in Nanaimo, the question was asked:

“are there any other Parks, Recreation and Culture facilities that might be needed that

don’t currently exist anywhere in Nanaimo?”

In response, some respondents commented on Harewood and what they believe should be

built in order to better serve the community. These are some of the comments that community

members shared:

“Harewood needs a cultural/arts center”

“Harewood Mines Water Park is great. We need more neighbourhood parks in the

Harewood/ Fairview area. The only playground is Fairview Elementary”

“I feel Harewood and South end areas are being neglected, possibly because they are

lower income areas. There are people in these areas who could use some of the services

you provide”

“The proposed facilities for Rutherford area are of no benefit for the area in which I

reside. I would not support such a facility in that area through my city taxes. We need an

arena for Harewood in the south end. We should have had one years ago”

“There needs to be a dog park in Harewood area”

“Your public parks are lovely, clean and safe. How about another dog park in town, so

that people without transport can access a park. The Bowen one is great, but maybe city

center or Fairview/Harewood?”

The City of Nanaimo has no major plans on increasing the number and quality of the existing

recreational facilities located in the Harewood area, however they have included in their 2005

Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan Report a few future plans pertaining to

development in the Harewood area. The city plans to “secure the Harewood School gymnasium

as a community arts space” (Master Plan Report, 2005). The Master Plan also states that there

is a high priority to obtain the Harewood Plains area to acquire as parkland and to develop

funding partners for that land parcel.

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SECTION 9 WALKABILITY

9.1 Walkscore

“Walkscore” is an online program which assesses a community’s walk-ability based on a 100

point system. The scores are derived from a community’s proximity and multiple connections to

services.

Scores break down as follows:

90-100 – Walkers Paradise: Daily errands to not require car

70-89 – Very Walk-able: Most errands can be done on foot

50-69 – Somewhat Walk-able: Most amenities can be reached on foot

25-49 – Car Dependant: Some amenities can be reached on foot

0-48 – Over Car Dependant: You can walk from your house to your car.

Walkscore identifies the following attributes as the key contributors in a community’s walk-

ability:

A centre: walk-able neighborhoods have a centre, whether a main street or a public

space.

People: Enough people for business to flourish and for public transit to run frequently

Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable housing located near businesses

Parks and public space: Plenty of public places to gather and play

Pedestrian design: Buildings are close to the Street, parking lots are regulated to the

back

Schools and work places: Close enough that most residence can walk from their homes.

Complete Streets: Streets designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit.

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When measured against the Walkscore walk-ability attributes, Harewood’s current community

design offers the following walk-ability:

Centre: University Village and proximity to downtown offers most service within walking

distance or public transit.

People: A population of 5275 year round, plus seasonal university students.

Mixed income/use: Single family dwellings, duplex and high density surrounding

University Village

Parks and public space: Robson park, Harewood centennial, Sports complex Schools

Schools and workplaces:

In terms of the walk-ability attributes mentioned above, Harewood is lacking:

Pedestrian designs

o University village follows typical “big box design” which is designed for car

access.

o Large parking lot with minimal pedestrian paths

o Few pedestrian access points

Complete streets

o Incomplete grid access

o Lack of foot paths through residential.

Schools

VIU

NDSS

Barsby

Park Ave

Georgia Ave

Fairview

Bayview

Work Places

Schools

Aquatic centre

University Village Downtown

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A SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis was conducted on

Harewood’s streets, and provides the following:

Strengths

Central development near university village, schools, recreational centres and parks.

Grid style layout with shorter blocks allow for multiple options and shorter distances for walking routes to destinations

Public transit connections to downtown.

Weaknesses

Incomplete grid system. Some streets dead end or by-pass areas, forcing longer walking routes.

Harewood Road – Long diagonal running street with only one access point (George Ave) to University village.

Road is a barrier to walking routes, creating indirect paths to University Village for Northwest Harewood.

Lack of walking paths connecting mid street and cul-de-sac, so pedestrians cannot find a straight path and shorter distance.

Infrequent public transit connections.

Pedestrian traffic not considered in design.

University village -Narrow sidewalks

Inadequate, indirect or nonexistent pedestrian routes.

Residential area walking paths not included in street design or high density residential complex.

Opportunities

Signs of pedestrian created walking routes show needed pathways

o Worn in paths o Removed barriers o Watching pedestrian traffic flow

Increase pedestrian links to decrease the length of time it takes to walk, bike, or use transit.

Gain support from University Village shops to encourage walking

Hand out coupons to pedestrian customers

Additional public transit services. (i.e. sheltered bus stops)

Reduce auto use -People will always utilize the most convenient transportation option. If pedestrian paths are easily accessible people will opt to leave cars at home for short trips.

Threats

Topography - Pedestrians more likely to travel in flat areas. VIU and downtown are more likely to be accessed by bus.

Climate - Heavy annual rainfall discouraging pedestrian and transit users.

Auto based designs - Parking lot dominated designs, discouraging pedestrian travel

Uncovered bus stops - Pedestrians exposed to elements waiting for transit

Private property may block ideal route, because

walk-ability planning came after development

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Considering all factors, Harewood’s walk-ability scores are:

Kerr Street - 43/100

Fourth Street – 49/100

Dundas Street - 55/100

Harewood’s scores average around 50/100. These low scores are not based solely on indirect

walking routes, but from services not found within Harewood boundaries. University Village

does provide most daily needs; however walking routes do not directly connect all of the

surround residence to the centre.

Multiple direct and indirect benefits can be created by planning walk-able communities.

Walkscore illustrates 4 main benefits:

1. Finances: One point of Walk Score is worth up to $3,000 of value for your property.

2. Communities: Studies show that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car

commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10%.

3. Environment: Cars are a leading cause of climate change. Your feet are zero-pollution

transportation machines.

4. Health: The average resident of a walk-able neighborhood weighs 7 pounds less than

someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood

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