NOTICE OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION!!!

I was skimming through the Goldstream Gazette a few weeks ago and found a wonderful example of community participation. While reading the "Community Calendar" section of the paper, I saw two large "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING" boxes on the bottom half of the page. I see these notices all the time, but I never really take a good look at them nor pay any attention to them at all. After recently completing my case study assignment for ENSC 409, these notices caught my attention.

During my case study on the Bridgeland-Riverside community of Calgary, Alberta, I learned that the community had engaged in a public forum in which the community had decided what they should do with an old hospital site. The community decided to build a new multi-use development with the site, and they are currently in the final phase of development for the project that was voted on by the community. The notices from the Goldstream Gazette was not for the same type of decision to be made, but rather for public hearings regarding bylaws for the City of Langford in which all community members were encouraged to attend. The hearings were regarding amending zoning bylaws for new developments planned for Langford, which was somewhat similar to my case study.

I thought it was interesting that I always see these large advertisements scattered around town but never really think to pay attention to them. I guess this is because I have changed communities so many times over the past few years that I never really feel too in-touch with my community. However after researching the Bridgeland-Riverside community, combined with what I have in ENSC 409 so far, I realised that my say can have a bearing on potential decisions within the community. The notices stated that "all persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed Bylaw will be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard or to present written submissions" regarding the Bylaw changes. This shows that the community wants to have your input, as well as the input of any other affected parties, when it comes to making decisions within the community. The notices both clearly indicated where and when I could participate in the public hearings, and have somewhat inspired me to pay more attention to my community!

Source: Goldstream Gazette. February 18, 2009. City of Langford: NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING. pg A13.