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.