PORTAGELAPRAIRIEFIVEYEARCOMMUNITYPLAN
2017-2022
THECOMMUNITYPLANNINGPROCESS
BetweenNovember2016andMarch2017,aneight-memberSteeringCommitteeledbythePortagelaPrairieCommunityRevitalizationCorporation(PCRC)undertookacommunityengagementprocesstoinformthedevelopmentofthe2017-2022FiveYearCommunityPlanforPortage.TheSteeringCommitteeincludedrepresentativesofBigBrothersBigSisters,ManitobaHousing,SouthernRegionalHealthAuthority,YouthforChrist,andPCRC.
Theengagementprocessincludedthedevelopmentanddistributionofanonlinesurveyresultingin866surveysbeingcompleted.Inadditiontothesurvey,atotalof29peopleparticipatedinfocusgroupsandacommunityopenhouse.ThefocusgroupsessionswerefacilitatedandrecordedbymembersoftheSteeringCommittee.
Our Vision:
A Vibrant Portage la
Prairie
ImprovedHousing
AffordableRecreation&ImprovedFacilities
ImprovedEducation,TrainingandEmployment
CommunityPrideandImage
ImprovedSafetyandAffordable
Transportation
Thedataresultingfrombothsurveyandfocusgroupsprovidedaprofileofthekeyassets,concernsandprioritiesrespondentsfeltwererepresentativeofPortage.Intotal,respondentsidentifiedandranked14CommunityPriorities.Throughanalysisofthisdata,theSteeringCommitteeidentifiedsixkeyCommunityStrategiesthatbecomethefoundationofthePortageFiveYearPlan.
OnFebruary23rd2017,acommunitymeetingwasheldwith10participantsinattendance.Thepurposeofthemeetingwastosharehighlightsofthedatacollectedandaskparticipantstoconfirmthatthecommunity’sprioritieswereaccuratelyportrayed,andtobuildupontheseprioritiesbyidentifyinggroupsandpartnersinthecommunitywhowerealreadyinvolvedinsimilarwork.TheresultoftheengagementprocessisasetofprioritiesandassociatedstrategiesforPortagethatcanbeusedtoconfirmandguidetheworkofcommunitypartnersoverthenextfiveyears.TheseprioritiesandstrategiesarereflectiveofcaresandconcernsrespondentssharedwiththeSteeringCommittee.Aswell,theyareconsistentwiththeobjectivesoftheNeighbourhoodsAlive!program.PortagelaPrairieCommunityRevitalizationCorporationandtheSteeringCommitteethankallstakeholders,interestedcitizens,businesses,agenciesandgroupsthatparticipatedthroughthecommunitysurvey,focusgroupsandmeetings.WealsoacknowledgetheassistanceprovidedbyCatapultCommunityPlanningwithpreparingtheCommunityPlanandcommunityengagementprocess.
FIVEYEARCOMMUNITYPRIORITIESAspartofthecommunitysurvey,residentsofPortagelaPrairieidentifiedandrankedthefollowingCommunityPrioritiesinorderofimportance:
1. OFFERINGPROGRAMSFORCHILDRENANDYOUTH
2. PROVIDINGOPPORTUNITIESTOATTRACTYOUNGADULTSANDFAMILIESTOPORTAGE
3. INCREASINGFEELINGSOFSAFETYINOURNEIGHBOURHOODS
4. PROVIDINGJOBSKILLSDEVELOPMENTANDEMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
5. ENCOURAGINGLOCALSHOPPINGANDBUSINESSDEVELOPMENT
6. ENSURINGAFFORDABLEHOUSINGOPTIONS
7. PROVIDINGAFFORDABLEANDSAFETRANSPORTATIONOPTIONS
8. IMPROVINGPARKS,PLAYGROUNDSANDGREENSPACES
9. IMPROVINGCOMMUNITYPRIDEANDPERCEPTIONSOFPORTAGELAPRAIRIE
10. REDUCINGPOVERTY
11. ADDRESSINGDISCRIMINATIONANDRACISM
12. OFFERINGSENIORSPROGRAMMINGANDOPPORTUNITIESFOR
COMMUNITYINVOLVEMENT
13. BETTERACCESSTOFOODANDGROCERYSTORES
14. INCREASINGCONNECTIONSBETWEENNEIGHBOURS
FIVEYEARCOMMUNITYSTRATEGIESCommunityPrioritieswerethengroupedtogetherbythemeinordertoestablishfiveCommunityStrategiesthatcouldbeinitiatedoverthenextfiveyears.CommunityStrategiesareidentifiedbelow,alongwithspecificactionssuggestedbythecommunity.
IMPROVECOMMUNITYPRIDE,IMAGE,ANDENGAGEMENT
•
• SupportandpromoteactivitiesandeventsthatbuildawarenessofandcelebratetheculturalandsocialdiversityofPortagelaPrairie
• Supportandpromotecommunitybuildingeventsandactivities
• Providesupportsforresidentstoundertakeexteriorimprovements
• Reducebarrierstoparticipatingasavolunteerandbuildvolunteercapacity
• Raiseawarenessofvolunteeringandvolunteeropportunities
36%
46%
56%
58%
64%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Graffitiremoval
Improvedexteriorofhomesandbusinesses
Improvingparks,playgroundsandgreenspaces
Regularneighbourhoodclean-ups
Moreneighbourhoodevents
Whatarethebestwaystobuildcommunityprideandapositiveimage?
• Rewardvolunteerism
• Increaseawarenessofmentalhealthissuesandaccesstosupports
• Supportandpromoteage-friendlyprogrammingandopportunities
• SupportactionstobeautifySaskatchewanAvenue,andthedowntownareainparticular
IMPROVERECREATIONALPROGRAMSFORCHILDRENANDYOUTH,ANDENHANCERECREATIONALFACILITIESANDGREENSPACES
• Supportaffordableandaccessibleartandsportprogrammingforyouth
• Encouragemoreyear-roundrecreationandleisureopportunities
• Improveamenitieswithinexistingparks,playgroundsandgreenspaces
• DeveloprecreationalamenitiesintheNorthEnd
• FurtherdevelopIslandParkandCrescentLakeforrecreationalopportunities
33%
34%
35%
37%
40%
46%
69%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Anti-bullyinginitiatives
Encouragactivelivingandhealthyeating
Youthengagementincivicsandcommunityplanning
Mentorshipprograms
Moresupporttohelpkidssucceedinschool
Lifeskillstraining
Affordableartsandsportsprogramming
Whatwouldhavethegreatestpositiveimpactforyouth?
IMPROVECOMMUNITYSAFETYANDPROVIDESAFEANDAFFORDABLETRANSPORTATIONOPTIONS
• Developandsupportstrategiesaimedatimprovingcrimeprevention
• IncreasedialogueandengagementbetweentheRCMPandthecommunityonkeycrimeandsafetyissues
• Provideafterschoolandeveningsocializingoptionsforyouth
• Providebetteractivetransportationoptionsincludingpathways,sidewalksandcrosswalks
• Improveaccesstogrocerystores
• Improveaccesstoandscreeningoftaxisandcommunityshuttles
31%
32%
33%
40%
43%
54%
54%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Anti-gangeducation
Morecommunity-basedpatrols
Improveconnectionsbetweenneighbours
Improvedcrimepreventionprograms
Betterpedestrian-orientedlighting
Greaterpolicevisibility
Provideactivities,programmingandsafeplacesforyouth
WhatarethebestwaystomakePortagesafer?
INCREASETHEVARIETYOFHOUSINGOPTIONSANDADDRESSPOORHOUSINGCONDITIONS
• Identifycurrenthousingneedsanddevelopstrategiestoaddressthoseneeds
• Identifyoptionsandsupportsforhomeownership
• Supportandpromoteimprovedconditionsinpublichousing
• Supportandpromoteby-lawenforcementandfinancialincentivestoaddressderelictorunsafeprivatelyownedhousingunits
• Supportinvestmentsinnewaffordablerentalunitsandseniorshousingoptions
28%
33%
41%
44%
52%
58%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Informationonenergyandwaterefficieny
Assistancetoimprovelandscapingandexteriors
Moreoptionsforhomeownership
Greatervarietyforseniors
Addressingpoorhousingconditions
Increasedsupplyofrentalhousing
Thinkingabouthousing,whatdoyoufeelarethegreatestneeds?
IMPROVEEDUCATION,TRAININGANDEMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNTIES
• Supportthedevelopmentoflifeskills,employmenttrainingandmentorshipopportunitiesforyouth
• Reducebarrierstoemployment,bycreatingadditionalchildcarespacesandimprovingpublictransportation
• Developemploymentopportunitiesforstudentsandyouth
• Identifyopportunitiestoenhancethedeliveryofpost-secondaryeducationinPortage
ENCOURAGELOCALSHOPPINGANDBUSINESSINPORTAGE
• EncourageinvestmentinDowntownandSaskatchewanAvenueinparticular
• Providesupportforsmallbusinessownersandhome-basedbusinesses
• IdentifystrategiestoattractnationalretailerstodowntownSaskatchewanAvenueandthePortagelaPrairieMallsite
WhilePCRCwillnottakealeadonthisCommunityPriority,wewillengageinandexplorepartnershipswithorganizationswhosemandateincludesEconomicDevelopment.