The Community is the Expert.

A Conversation With @Fred_Kent of @PPS_Placemaking http://t.co/aJGVEv0Yfw via @JLGoodenough #Placemaking #PublicSpace pic.twitter.com/ka7hM9AdeH

— Future of Places (@FutureofPlaces) April 29, 2015

Stop by Starbucks Newton 11-3 today. Help Stamp Out Cancer!

 Happy Saturday Everyone!

 Please stop by the Starbucks near the Organic Grocer in Newton today between 11-3 . Say hi, and help kick cancer in the ass. Donate to the Canadian Cancer Society. Two cute young girls will be there and then one old woman this afternoon ( that's me :D) Help Rhiannon Paskall and her friend raise a record amount today !

Fixing our Broken Cities. Lessons from Medellin

In case you missed Brent Toderian and Charles Montgomery on CBC's The National last night, here's the full video.

ReNewton's Best of #PLACEmaking video hitlist

A  video collection of the Best of placemaking, urban planning  and how we retrofit suburbia, an idea whose time has come.
Enjoy! A wealth of knowledge and experience right here.

3 things to feel good about & one last request.

 Hey ReNewton Nation friends,

 Three things to feel good about today.

 1. The Newton Business Improvement Association is up and running!  Philip Aguirre from the landmark Old Surrey Restaurant in the heart of downtown Newton is the executive director. 

We're excited  to see what events the NBIA has planned for the DT core.

2. The pay parking that was in place for the last few years on the 7300 block of 137th St. has been eliminated. You now have 2 hours free  parking. This was something the business owners had fought hard for. Already there is more foot traffic on the sidewalk and in the shops and that's a good thing for everyone. Well done! And thank you to Councillor Judy Villeneuve who had a key role in this change.

3.  The people of  Newton, an area that emcompasses Sullivan Heights, Panorama Village, Strawberry Hill as well as Hyland and Panorama Northwoods are coming together as one voice.

They are demanding that attention be paid to our downtown core and the south King George corridor. This neighbourhood has been forced to absorb a disproportionate number of socio-correctional services and facilities with nothing positive given in return. 
The effects of this shift in demographics has been startling for this long time south Newton resident to witness. While other areas of Surrey get new multi million dollar recreation facilities and upgrades, Newton, with the largest population in  the city, is left to make do with inadequate and aging buildings. Now we hear that the top priority for rapid transit won't be  south along King George, but east  along 104th Ave. Newton residents deserve better than this, and they are coming out of the woodwork to have their say.  

These taxpayers aren't going to sit back and allow places like the boarded up gaming and retail complex at King George, 70th Avenue and Hall Road to sit abandoned for 16 years.
 That's how long the public market property on 64th Avenue and King George  has stood ( barely), unoccupied and rotting

King George and Hall Rd. near 70th Ave.

 16 long years is enough.  

We have asked for the city to purchase the property. We have pleaded, begged, and done everything we could think of to have the city of Surrey enforce its unsightly property bylaw. ( This place fits the criteria and then some) and yet, this eyesore remains as a constant visual to everyone who travels through the extremely busy intersection at King George & 64th Ave: "This is Surrey"

And we wonder why we can't shake our bad reputation...

 Abandoned building King George and 64th Ave.
Mayor Watts, as one last act before leaving office we're begging you, please tear down these walls.

Newton residents know they deserve better than this.

And that's something to feel very optimistic about.  

ReNewton ReMinder:  Voting day is Saturday November 15.

Downtown Newton Deserves Better.

Maybe low-income neighbourhoods would function better if cities provided them with the same amenities and maintenance as well-off areas. The best way to create an equal society would be to treat people equally. -Angela Chapin

At the official opening of South Surrey Recreation and Arts Centre 

Teen Skate in Newton cancelled in early December 2013 prior to the murder of Julie Paskall 

Open House  at Surrey City Hall Spring 2014

Gorgeous First Nations Art at South Surrey facility

A city is judged on how it treats its most vulnerable citizens.  They, more than anyone deserve the best recreation, arts and cultural facilities that the city can offer. An aesthetically beautiful  community centre and first class facilities should be available to every person who calls Surrey home. Some parts of this city enjoy  state of the art facilities, others do not.

Time after time, we hear how children and  lower income families benefit from having access to  sports, arts, music classes & facilities that don't look like they are inner-city.  It makes a difference in their lives.  And it matters to everyone else too.  Think of the money it costs you as a taxpayer when even one teen gets off track and ends up in the court system. Add up the costs of policing, lawyers, drug addiction treatment, housing costs, and well, it doesn't take a genius to see that investing in people is the smart way to run a city, and saves taxpayers money in the long run. 

Downtown Newton  needs a South Surrey type recreation  and arts centre. It is stunning, and it shows that the residents  for  whom it was built are valued. We need to give children and youth an alternative to  loitering & being out on the street where they are vulnerable to drug dealers and crime.  We want to believe that the diverse group of people who call Newton home, 140,000 strong and growing, will get the same treatment. Nothing less than the best.  Because if the future truly does live here,  investing in our children and families now is a good way to prove it.

-Jude Hannah  

It's Newton's time to shine. The future lives here. 140,000 strong and growing.

Recommended Reading by Angela Chapin:

How Mixed-Income Neighbourhoods Can Succeed.

-by Angela Chapin

Before I even walked through the door of a Toronto apartment earlier this month, I decided not to rent it. It wasn’t a crumbling walk-up or a rotting deck that turned me off. It was the building manager. On the steps outside, the young man bragged about how he had kicked out 24 of the building’s 26 original low-income tenants. He spoke with the excitement of someone who’d just set a record for keg stands. His lack of compassion was the verbal cockroach I needed to say “no thanks.”

But his message is one more and more people want to hear: you can live surrounded by people like you.

Neighbourhoods are becoming more segregated by income. A recent Pew study found the number of mixed-income neighbourhoods in America has decreased by almost 10 per cent since 1980. In Canada, rich and poor neighbourhoods have become even more polarized because of diverging family incomes and a tendency for people to “live nearby like,” according to the Canadian Labour Market and Skills Researcher Network.

The main obstacle to social mixing is that humans are tribal. We’re also hypocrites. While I chastised the insensitive building manager, I also want my immediate neighbours to be like me. Before I moved into my last place I had the choice between a bigger apartment in a “sketchier” building or a smaller place in a building with tenants who were also in their late 20s with steady jobs. You can guess where I ended up. The human instinct to favour the familiar exists in all people. Its the job of good policy to help us overcome our tendency to discriminate.

Mixed-income housing developments have been heralded by urban planners as a solution to residential segregation. They offer market-priced and affordable housing options to attract diverse renters to one area. But while this strategy may create physical diversity, it fails to break down class stereotypes.

Mixed-income housing dates back to the 1960s and 1970s, but hasn’t successfully created mixed social circles. For the most part, these communities have reinforced the idea that people from different backgrounds can’t get along. Toronto has a handful of these neighbourhoods – most famously the new iteration of Regent Park, Canada’s oldest and largest social housing project. Ottawa has a few smaller ones as well, such as the Beaver Barracks community housing project and Somerset Gardens in Centretown, but more will be built. The Ottawa Community Housing Corporation is keen to partner with private companies to put some of the 10,000 people on a waiting list for social housing into mixed-income communities.

The idea is that if higher-income residents move into poor neighbourhoods, they will improve the area. In theory, the more affluent will attract better schools and businesses to the community. They won’t stand for burnt-out street lights and will advocate for amenities like playgrounds. In reality, most low- and high-income residents don’t interact enough to create any of these benefits.

A study from Case Western Reserve University found that 60 per cent of residents in a mixed-income development experienced an “us vs. them” dynamic. 

The biggest schism existed between renters and owners; 43 per cent of mixed-income residents said these groups did not blend well.

Though they all want community, residents from different backgrounds expect the worst of one another. Mark Joseph, a professor at Case Western, says this self-fulfilling prophecy turns little frictions into big tensions.

Rather than being allies in creating a better neighbourhood, residents from different income backgrounds work against one another. “Often enough the efforts of some of the more politically active higher-income people are directly antagonistic towards lower income neighbours,” says Martine August, a PhD grad from the University of Toronto’s planning department. “Instead of getting together and saying let’s get a ball court for these kids, they say let’s get this homeless shelter out of our neighbourhood.”

The biggest problem is that property managers have not focused on social integration. The buildings look nice, but there are not enough community activities or groups dedicated to breaking down barriers. Residents move in with preconceived notions about the other tenants that fester once they become neighbours.

For August, the success of mixed-income neighbourhoods depends on the urban planning approach. Don’t send affluent people to low-income communities as saviours. Aside from being thinly-veiled gentrification, the idea condescends to the poor residents. “We shouldn’t wait until middle class people value neighbourhoods to invest in them,” she says. Maybe low-income neighbourhoods would function better if cities provided them with the same amenities and maintenance as well-off areas. The best way to create an equal society would be to treat people equally.

Mixed-income communities are welcome alternatives to segregated areas of haves and have-nots. But planners can’t expect that social interactions will grow like rooftop gardens. Residents will unpack old stereotypes into their new apartments. Discrimination towards people from different backgrounds can grow with proximity. The strongest foundation for mixed-income buildings is built on connecting social classes, not just making them neighbours.

Angelina Chapin 

Surrey, time to do the right thing and put people first. It's the only way to move this city in the direction it needs to go.  It's all about people. That's what a city is. People.  

Friends of the Grove Still on a Roll!

Friends of The Grove Keep on Spreading Happiness around Downtown Newton!

In Downtown Newton, David Dalley and the Friends of the Grove  

are turning their sights on 137th St this week for  PARK (ing ) Day.

Join the gang on Friday at noon for a celebration of community!

Join friends and neighbours in temporarily transforming a parking spot in Newton on Friday, September 19, at 12:00 noon outside of Espresso Café, #1112-7330 137 Street.

The event is part of the global “Park(ing) Day” initiative:

“The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat… at least until the meter runs out!

Participants are invited to bring items to decorate the parking spot. Items may include chairs, carpets, plants and other home furnishings. Participants are also invited to bring games and activities that will encourage interactions and foster friendships. The parking meter will be feed for the duration of the event, so participants are also asked to bring change to keep the meter running!

Participants are encouraged to patronize local businesses when purchasing food and refreshments during the event.

This community-driven event is not officially sanctioned or endorsed by the City or any of the businesses in the Newton Town Centre area.  This event is a positive, community building gathering, not a protest or act of civil disobedience. Inappropriate, disrespectful or unsafe behaviour will not be tolerated. 

Park(ing) Day takes place on the third Friday in September each year. For more information on Park(ing) Day visit: http://parkingday.org/.

Update on Nix the Pay Parking in Downtown Newton!

Last night at the Surrey city council meeting, long time councillor  Judy Villeneuve  announced that metered pay parking along the 7300 block of 137th Street in downtown Newton will  soon be removed. 

 This is good news for business owners and those who frequent the shops, restaurants and services on the street between Newton Wave Pool  to the south, and the Superstore shopping centre to the north. 

 Thank you to Cllr. Villeneuve  who brought this issue forward and facilitated the change.

Kudos as well  to those in the community who supported this initiative by signing the petition. 
                     
                        We collected nearly 1000 signatures. 

Every one of these names helped make the case that revitalization of the downtown Newton shopping district starts here.

     

 In the coming days we look forward to the end of pay parking and the beginning of a new invigorated retail hub in the neighbourhood. 
  
   

New Posts Coming Soon!

 Well, September is here and that means we'll be back at it this week. 

Stay tuned for new posts:  

How ReNewton spent the summer vacation

What's in the news in the downtown and south Newton neighbourhoods

and of course,  thoughts on the upcoming election, just 2 months away.

It's going to be an exciting Autumn in Surrey!

Just a taste...

In summer mode but will be working on a post about how multi suite homes have changed the quality of life in many areas of Surrey. Here's a  quick sneak peek.

We need proactive bylaw officers out there doing their jobs and we need more of them.
 The public shouldn't have to be responsible for calling in every bylaw infraction.
Our tax dollars should be paying for this.

A Walk through Sullivan Heights-Time to put People First.

Had a little walk through my neighbourhood the other day and stopped to admire these majestic trees on 140th St. near the former city hall in  Sullivan Heights/South Newton.

 Aren't they gorgeous? 

 I hope they will be spared when this site is developed. 

 Sullivan Heights is changing in many ways.  There are some great new condos at Latitude on 60th Ave.  and many new townhouse complexes under construction in the area. BUT...we worry about so many development proposals  for mega homes  some up to 4500 sq. ft. on super-small lots.

Wondering how application for 14 homes turned 

into the 16  shown below...... #SurreyMath

 How many suites do you think will be in these homes ? This was designated as a townhouse site, but the developer was allowed to change to this. With townhouses at least there's a strata council in place to monitor rentals etc.

We need to take a breath and rethink the  suite strategy in Surrey. I am          100 % in favour of multi- generational families living together. In fact I would like to see more of us adopt this way of living. For children it  provides a link to their past and culture. Whatever that culture might be. The situation we have in Surrey is that too many home owners are renting out more than one suite in their homes, and this is putting a strain on services, schools, and is not a sustainable way to  develop our city. We  cannot continue to put development dollars before  the needs of  the people who call this place home. It's not working. 

Let's make the kind of decisions we can be proud of  10, 20, 50 years from now.   You don't have to be a card carrying tree hugger  or be anti-development or anti-business to think this way.  God knows we're sure not. We are business people  first and foremost in this household. My husband runs his business in the city & is a member of the Surrey Board of Trade. I promote Surrey businesses every chance I get.  

But we have to face facts. The city is being developed too much too fast and that's having some fairly dire consequences. Over crowded schools, parking nightmares in many neighbourhoods, and a drug & crime problem that is placing a stress on our police force  to put it mildly.

We need to take our collective foot off the gas... 

We don't need to slam on the brakes. 

Repeat, we do NOT have to slam on the brakes! Just take it off full pedal to the metal mode, get out of the car, have a look around, and then carefully, thoughtfully get back in the driver's seat and go at a reasonable speed.

  Isn't that just common sense?

5500 block 140th St

140th St. development site

Creative developers need to find a way to incorporate these trees into their plans.  And the city's planners have to think more about the liveability of the region.

Most people prefer to purchase a home, and will pay more for a home with mature trees already in place. 

 Fun Fact: Sullivan Heights used to be home to wild pheasants who made the most unusual sounds. Really miss them!

Development sign on 140th St.

We want a mayor & council who put the interests of people above those of developers. Surrey didn't get this way by accident. Decisions were made that got us into this mess. Now's the time for some big, bold moves by city councillors and the planning department. Same old status quo? Or a new  smarter and liveable vision for our city. Who's going to step up for Surrey citizens and put people ahead of profit?

What's in a Name? Meet Me in Midtown.

 Over the past few weeks some of us have been brainstorming around creative ways to revitalize our downtown Newton  centre. As one person so eloquently put it, 'the neighbourhood has some scars, but we're resilient and the will to see positive things happen here has never been greater". So, it got us thinking about the name Newton.  Has the time come to rebrand the Newton Town Centre , (whose boundaries are now set with the newly formed  Newton BIA ) in much the  same way  Downtown Whalley has been renamed City Centre? We think there's a very strong case to do so. Like Whalley,to some people the name Newton doesn't conjure feelings of excitement and respect and it's not doing our  business community any favours.  

Since Newton is the geographic centre i.e. middle of the city of Surrey why not call it that?

Midtown. 

Anyone who has spent time in Manhattan has no doubt wandered the busy Midtown area. It's vibrant but retains its grittiness, keeping it real and authentic. 

 I've maintained that Newton can take that same feel and make its edginess  work to  advantage.

So let's talk about 137th St, also known as Festival Street in the City of Surrey's plans for the town centre. 

Newton Town Centre Plans for Festival Street  (137th St.) during an event.
City of Surrey
 Everyone's asking....When will the plans be implemented?

The  commercial space above is perfect for an artsy edgy gallery/live space

Business owners and the community  all agree- the Pay Parking HAS to go!
*Update Oct. , thanks to  efforts of Cllr. Judy Villeneuve, we now have 2 hr. free parking :)

Festival Street-  Plans for Everyday Use, but when will the city get moving and make this happen? 

There are many office and retail spaces currently for lease in the vicinity.
Let's fill them with creativity and connection.

How awesome would it be to create a  unique to Surrey  funky art, music &  cafe scene here?    You know what I'm talking about.  Old or at least old-looking brick walls, great coffee, and a place to meet up with friends. 

Your ' third place" 

What about a global crafts marketplace in these vacant spaces?   Think: studios, coffee houses, music venues. Somewhere our young Surrey musicians and creative types can get together and showcase their talents?

  

 And let's not forget   about  FOOD!

  

As Retrofitting Suburbia author Ellen Dunham-Jones says

"Never Underestimate the Power of Food to Turn a Place around and make it a destination"

  Here's what one city is doing   Midtown Global Market

 So, think about the many possibilities for the  Newton Town Centre.
We have so much untapped potential in this area. Let's take the vision and make it happen. We have many strengths  and a growing  number of  citizens taking charge of their own community. 
Are you going to be one of them?

   Still reading?
 Leave your comments or if you prefer, send me a message.
 hey-jude@telus.net

From Crisis to Opportunity.....

Update: 
The person accused of murder in the Julie Paskall case makes another court appearance tomorrow. I will be there as I have been the last 3 times.(Our judicial system moves at a snail's pace.)

In many ways I feel as though I failed Julie. I didn't speak loudly enough, I wasn't persistent enough in drawing attention to the changes that we've seen in our neighbourhood over the years.  For me, this is as personal as it can get without ever having known Julie Paskall.

 Here's the original post from May 24.

Yesterday's announcement of an arrest in the Julie Paskall murder case took me by surprise. I was thrilled that police had a suspect in custody. My initial excitement was immediately followed by tears and emotion. Relief tempered by sadness over the senselessness of it all.
   To say Julie Paskall's vicious beating and subsequent death rattled  our community would be a gross understatement. Back in January there were demands for more police, more mental health services, a tightening of regulations on recovery homes that are often just flop houses and a call for the city to take meaningful action on its  plans for revitalization of the Newton Town Centre, the area where the attack on  Julie occurred.   There is definitely room for improvement on all fronts but we also need to change a system that allows chronic offenders to be back on the streets time after time ( sources say the suspect is known to police).

 However, amid all the sadness, frustration and acrimony of this dark time, a little ray of sunlight began to emerge in the Newton community. We realized we are just that.  A community. 
    
We came together and realized we weren't going to allow some punk's violent act define us. We are so much more than that. Like many parts of Surrey, Newton is a neighbourhood undergoing changes. We are on the brink of creating a new and vibrant downtown core. When you walk along 137th St between  Starbucks and the Wave Pool , past the Espresso Cafe and the ethnic grocery shops, you can see that this street and surrounding area has really good "bones".

Great things are going to happen here in the next few years. In fact if you frequent the places around the recreation centre and bus loop you may have noticed  neighbours getting together and creating happy, surprising and whimsical displays  of hope, resilience and most of all fun! The Friends of the Grove  lead by Newton resident David Dalley  held an event in May that attracted hundreds. The message? People can complain and bitch all day long, but what truly creates change is doing something positive and uplifting.
Watch Video of the event here.

Strangers of all ages becoming friends at The Grove.

So this afternoon when police hold their press conference  giving us more information on the suspect and hopefully  announce murder charges let's take a moment, remember Julie and her family and thank the police who are doing the best job they possibly can.
Then let's decide that the very best way to honour Julie Paskall and all other victims of crime is to become better neighbours.  That's the message  Julie's husband Al so eloquently conveyed at her memorial in January. Whether that's at home or out on the street. Let's talk to one another. Smile.  Ask the person behind you in a grocery store line up how their day is going. It's so simple.

 Newton, you have scars, but they are healing.  

We've undergone the crisis, now comes the opportunity.

So Very True

What this place could look like.... Newton Now

For those who asked for more information regarding the Newton Town Centre Plans.
 Below is the link to the official document, and a few images of what this place could look like when the plans are implemented. 

 Newton residents from all neighbourhoods, including Panorama Ridge, Sullivan Heights and Panorama Village have been patiently waiting for the Town Centre to be developed. Now we see others parts of Surrey are being invited to open houses to showcase plans for their neighbourhoods. 
Newton residents, 140,000 strong are asking what about us? 

 Over the last few years the city of Surrey has maintained  that "Newton was Next".  
Expanded recreation, arts and culture facilities are needed in Surrey's fastest growing area. The families here deserve to have  the same calibre of amenities as other parts of this city. The business sector has done its part to step up and will continue to do so with the newly formed BIA. Now it's the city's time to make good on its commitment to create a liveable vibrant town centre in the heart of Surrey. 

 Newton Next? Let's make it Newton Now.

Newton Town Centre Plans - Check it Out

Surrey's population can handle several farmers markets throughout the city.

We're a multicultural city- Let's embrace that!

Public Spaces create Safe Places 

International Village for Newton /  Midtown Market?

Festival Street on 137th?

Public Markets are one of the things that makes a city great

We have lots of little ethnic specialty shops in Newton. Greco's is just one!

Midtown Music Night ?

Official City of Surrey plan for 137th St ( Festival Street)

Newton businesses &  BIA is asking for pay parking to be removed on 137th St. Here's why.

Great things can happen when we work together for the good of our city and its citizens.Newton Town Centre Plans - Check it Out