This thesis explores the topic of seniors' participation in community planning. More specifically, it addresses the importance and relevance of including seniors, seniors' issues, and seniors' perspectives in community planning efforts, the circumstances under which seniors are most likely to become involved in community planning efforts, and guidelines for a practical process to encourage effective seniors' participation in developing local community plans. To address these issues, the thesis includes a review of the planning literature on public participation, a brief summary of relevant trends in gerontological literature, and an examination of the small amount of literature on seniors' participation in community planning. Two case studies in the District of North Vancouver, BC, "Seniors and the Lynn Valley Plan" and the "Seymour Local Plan Seniors' Forums," provide an example of a particular seniors' outreach process. This process is analysed for its effectiveness in including seniors, seniors' issues, and seniors' perspectives in local community plans and then factors influencing effectiveness are examined. This thesis reveals that the inclusion of seniors, seniors' issues, and seniors' perspectives engenders more accurate planning, increases acceptance of community plans, exercises democratic rights and duties, and promotes self-sufficiency and self-worth in individuals and communities. Seniors are most likely to become involved in community planning efforts when they feel included: when they feel they are fulfilling a meaningful role, when certain emotional needs are satisfied by the planning process, and when they are able to take advantage of participation opportunities, that is, when aging-related needs are taken into account in designing and implementing planning processes. The process employed in the two cases studied, with certain suggested improvements, is found to be an appropriate and effective method of including seniors, their issues, and their perspectives in community planning efforts. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This study is the result of my curiosity about what makes urban places special and memorable. I believe that if the various physical components distinguishing urban places are identified and analyzed, we can develop principles and policies to preserve and enhance them. I chose Maillardville as the study area because of my familiarity with area, its historical and cultural significance, and because Maillardville is currently undergoing a physical transformation. Although place images may be an intangible urban quality, they are not difficult to study. Careful observation and resident interviews are efficient and economical tools to discover the various components of the urban image. From there it is possible to develop a visual plan for the preservation and enhancement of a particular place's image. In the course of this investigation I discovered that a direct relationship exists between Maillardville's physical components and the public image and that this public image focuses almost exclusively on the early settlement located in the Laval Square area. Recent changes outside this area are not significant to the residents' perception of the public image. Yet changes, such as the new commercial and multi-family redevelopments, when undertaken in a fashion which reflects Maillardville's cultural and historical context, are recognized by residents as supportive elements and with time will likely become significant to the public image. From this it appears that residents prefer to live in a unique environment that reflects a sense of continuity with the past. It is my hope that this study will contribute to the continuation of Maillardville as a unique place by identifying the image elements and illustrating their importance to the existing place image.

Landscape is a medium of expression and a reflection of the beliefs of the people who inhabit it. It carries symbolic meanings that emerge from the values by which people define themselves; values grounded in culture. These symbols stem from elements of the natural environment, stories passed on through generations, or from experiences interacting with others. The indigenous peoples of Canada have a culture rich in traditional art, ceremony, and sustainable development and holistic integration of landscape. Contemporary First Nation culture draws from this past to inform the future. This phenomenon exemplifies the necessity for cultural expression in First Nation landscapes of today. The Semiahmoo First Nation in Lower Mainland British Columbia is a Coast Salish group occupying approximately 380 acres of land on the Pacific coastline. River and estuarine habitats, significant species richness and dense vegetation characterize the area and identify the primary motive for Semiahmoo traditional encampment on its shores. Changes in the past century have included colonial settlement to the region, periods of industrial and resource economies, a decrease in band population and subsequent decline in cultural practices. Current increasing recreation and development interests have created urgency for the reawakening of cultural expression in the landscape. Initial literature research about First Nations in Northwest Canada and a biophysical analysis provided introductory information, followed by community discussions which provided a deeper understanding of the people and of the place. A design vocabulary of traditional and contemporary elements was composed to guide and unify the program and spatial components of the design. The resulting design focuses on the public realm of the Reserve clearly defining Semiahmoo identity and sense of place. Land use issues were addressed and delineated public and private areas, ecological enhancements and displayed potential for growth on the site. The design respects the bicultural interface of the Reserve while providing cultural and environmental education. The First Nation value system possesses a tangible and spiritual quality; rooted in the creatures and elements of their surroundings. Expression of the Semiahmoo peoples' beliefs and values in the landscape enriches the experiential qualities of the place and reverence for its past and future.

A great deal of planning literature in the last decade has been devoted to growth management and the concept of land use and transportation interactions. "New" approaches to planning, such as Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Neo-Traditional Neighbourhood Design, are products of this evaluation of current development practices. The influence of housing affordability and accessibility, although intuitively related to the growth management problems of urban sprawl and automobile dependence, has often been overlooked. The purpose of this research is to bridge important gaps in our understanding of how residential land use and transportation infrastructure investments are shaping unsustainable growth and travel patterns in the GVRD, which is the main problem being addressed. The research objectives related to this problem are the correlation of observed trends in growth, housing and travel indicators, the determination of the importance of price and accessibility factors in household location decisions, and the analysis of the role that land use and transportation decisions have played in influencing housing costs and accessibility. To provide a context for understanding the scope of the problem and the relationships between the research results and proposed recommendations, the applicable literature, theory, and policies in the areas of growth management, land use, transportation and housing are given. Supporting research results include: a survey of senior stakeholders in the region on land use, transportation and housing issues; a synthesis of significant socioeconomic, growth, transportation and housing data; a summary of surveys outlining preferences for residential location and housing type; and an analysis of Place of Work data crosstabulated against Place of Residence and socioeconomic variables. The results show a strong dependency between location decisions and the cost and accessibility of housing, particularly for the critical group of younger households with children. Policy recommendations, based on the research and covering land use, transportation, housing, governance and education, are proposed to address the main sustainability problems studied. The recommendations focus on promoting affordable, higher density communities, with a choice of transportation modes, as an attractive alternative to lower density, automobile-dependent suburbs.

This study is the result of my curiosity about what makes urban places special and memorable. I believe that if the various physical components distinguishing urban places are identified and analyzed, we can develop principles and policies to preserve and enhance them. I chose Maillardville as the study area because of my familiarity with area, its historical and cultural significance, and because Maillardville is currently undergoing a physical transformation. Although place images may be an intangible urban quality, they are not difficult to study. Careful observation and resident interviews are efficient and economical tools to discover the various components of the urban image. From there it is possible to develop a visual plan for the preservation and enhancement of a particular place's image. In the course of this investigation I discovered that a direct relationship exists between Maillardville's physical components and the public image and that this public image focuses almost exclusively on the early settlement located in the Laval Square area. Recent changes outside this area are not significant to the residents' perception of the public image. Yet changes, such as the new commercial and multi-family redevelopments, when undertaken in a fashion which reflects Maillardville's cultural and historical context, are recognized by residents as supportive elements and with time will likely become significant to the public image. From this it appears that residents prefer to live in a unique environment that reflects a sense of continuity with the past. It is my hope that this study will contribute to the continuation of Maillardville as a unique place by identifying the image elements and illustrating their importance to the existing place image. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

As the popularity of air transportation has grown, so has the traffic at airports around the world. Many North American airports are becoming increasingly congested as more people are flying and as more aircraft and airlines are operating. As aircraft movements at these airports have risen, so has the call for expansion of these facilities. Vancouver International Airport is one such case. Built on Sea Island in 1931, Vancouver International has served the people of the Lower Mainland very well over the years. Recent trends in the aviation industry, coupled with Vancouver's strategic location with respect to the Pacific market and the Lower Mainland's rapidly increasing population, have resulted in a major jump in the air traffic volume at Vancouver International over the past decade. Airport planners and government officials have responded to this rapid growth by implementing various enhancement measures and by proposing the physical expansion of Vancouver International by building a third runway. A third runway will greatly improve conditions at Vancouver International by reducing congestion and consequently decreasing aircraft delays. With the third runway in place, Vancouver International will be able to effectively compete with other west coast airports in attracting new business and investment, especially from the rapidly growing Pacific Rim. But an important question remains: for how long? Built on an island, Vancouver International can only expand by so much. The third runway represents the last major expansion possibility available to the airport. If aviation forecasts for the region are essentially correct, or more importantly, are considerably under-estimated, Vancouver International will be congested once again early in the next century. Therefore there is a need at this time to begin planning for the inevitable: a multiple airport system in the Lower Mainland. Vancouver's growing stature as an international city indicates that growth in this region will continue well into the next century, but all may be for not if this region cannot offer an efficient and effective airport system. Only a multiple airport system will be able to handle the predicted passenger and cargo loads resulting from this growth and recognition of the Lower Mainland. There is no need to begin building a second airport at this time; however planning for such an airport system must begin soon. This planning involves: * Deciding on an appropriate location * Ensuring that land is available for all airport infrastructure requirements (roads, transit links, parking, and airport related industrial complexes) * Notifying the public of airport development intentions * Incorporating a development plan for the second airport The question of when to build a second airport or even if a second facility should be built remains undetermined but if planners wait until it is absolutely necessary to build one, the land and time required may not be available. Everyone will lose. Hence, the time is now to beginning planning for a multiple airport system in the Lower Mainland. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This thesis provides a long term analysis of strategic regional planning for the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, 1969-1981. However, the very nature of such a long term study exposes research problems that are masked by the traditional, short term or 'snap shot' approach. The first chapter reviews the problems of the traditional approach and argues that the lack of a dynamic, systems oriented approach in strategic regional planning stems from a theoretical gap between grand, i.e., general, theories and empirically testable hypotheses. In the theoretical framework, chapter two, Faludi's (1973) classification scheme is selected as the most evolved example of a middle range or contingency theory within the ambit of procedural planning theory. Faludi's three dimensions of planning—the blueprint versus process planning styles; the rational comprehensive versus disjointed incremental planning styles; and the normative versus functional planning styles— are then related to the three basic components of the strategic regional planning system: the type of plan; the type of planning agency; and the type of (ongoing) planning process. The variables that Faludi uses to define these three dimensions are also operationally defined in the context of the Lower Mainland study. Without any a priori hypotheses, the theoretical framework is used in chapter three to descriptively interpret shifts along these dimensions of planning for each of the Lower Mainland study's four time periods. The events and issues of the Lower Mainland study suggest the existence of a long term planning cycle, one driven by both economic growth and interactions between the components of the strategic regional planning system. In the conclusions to the study, chapter four, this cycle is generalized into a pattern of movements along the dimensions of planning and is offered as an initial hypothesis for exploring strategic regional planning in other locations. It was not possible, however, to directly establish causal relationships between the components of the strategic regional planning system because the movements along the dimensions of planning that were used to measure these components were interpreted as 'averages' based on the conflicting impacts of numerous events and issues. While a long term, systems oriented approach to analyzing strategic regional planning is still valid and required, further research requires a more detailed (direct) and integrated classification scheme or model. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

A great deal of planning literature in the last decade has been devoted to growth management and the concept of land use and transportation interactions. "New" approaches to planning, such as Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Neo-Traditional Neighbourhood Design, are products of this evaluation of current development practices. The influence of housing affordability and accessibility, although intuitively related to the growth management problems of urban sprawl and automobile dependence, has often been overlooked. The purpose of this research is to bridge important gaps in our understanding of how residential land use and transportation infrastructure investments are shaping unsustainable growth and travel patterns in the GVRD, which is the main problem being addressed. The research objectives related to this problem are the correlation of observed trends in growth, housing and travel indicators, the determination of the importance of price and accessibility factors in household location decisions, and the analysis of the role that land use and transportation decisions have played in influencing housing costs and accessibility. To provide a context for understanding the scope of the problem and the relationships between the research results and proposed recommendations, the applicable literature, theory, and policies in the areas of growth management, land use, transportation and housing are given. Supporting research results include: a survey of senior stakeholders in the region on land use, transportation and housing issues; a synthesis of significant socioeconomic, growth, transportation and housing data; a summary of surveys outlining preferences for residential location and housing type; and an analysis of Place of Work data crosstabulated against Place of Residence and socioeconomic variables. The results show a strong dependency between location decisions and the cost and accessibility of housing, particularly for the critical group of younger households with children. Policy recommendations, based on the research and covering land use, transportation, housing, governance and education, are proposed to address the main sustainability problems studied. The recommendations focus on promoting affordable, higher density communities, with a choice of transportation modes, as an attractive alternative to lower density, automobile-dependent suburbs. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Landscape is a medium of expression and a reflection of the beliefs of the people who inhabit it. It carries symbolic meanings that emerge from the values by which people define themselves; values grounded in culture. These symbols stem from elements of the natural environment, stories passed on through generations, or from experiences interacting with others. The indigenous peoples of Canada have a culture rich in traditional art, ceremony, and sustainable development and holistic integration of landscape. Contemporary First Nation culture draws from this past to inform the future. This phenomenon exemplifies the necessity for cultural expression in First Nation landscapes of today. The Semiahmoo First Nation in Lower Mainland British Columbia is a Coast Salish group occupying approximately 380 acres of land on the Pacific coastline. River and estuarine habitats, significant species richness and dense vegetation characterize the area and identify the primary motive for Semiahmoo traditional encampment on its shores. Changes in the past century have included colonial settlement to the region, periods of industrial and resource economies, a decrease in band population and subsequent decline in cultural practices. Current increasing recreation and development interests have created urgency for the reawakening of cultural expression in the landscape. Initial literature research about First Nations in Northwest Canada and a biophysical analysis provided introductory information, followed by community discussions which provided a deeper understanding of the people and of the place. A design vocabulary of traditional and contemporary elements was composed to guide and unify the program and spatial components of the design. The resulting design focuses on the public realm of the Reserve clearly defining Semiahmoo identity and sense of place. Land use issues were addressed and delineated public and private areas, ecological enhancements and displayed potential for growth on the site. The design respects the bicultural interface of the Reserve while providing cultural and environmental education. The First Nation value system possesses a tangible and spiritual quality; rooted in the creatures and elements of their surroundings. Expression of the Semiahmoo peoples' beliefs and values in the landscape enriches the experiential qualities of the place and reverence for its past and future. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate

Analysis of planning practice has led theorists to claim that planners are increasingly involved in communicative work as they negotiate between competing interests' and opposing parties. A normative study of the resultant theory of communicative planning, alongside a review of current trends in leadership and mediation literature, leads to a set of guiding attributes of conduct and action. This research begins by synthesizing these guiding attributes of effective planning into a framework of Empathic Leadership. In sustainability planning Empathic Leadership is particularly concerned with mediating between different perspectives while simultaneously advancing a specific agenda. The work of eight sustainability planners in the Vancouver region, each a leader in her respective field, was analyzed using the Empathic Leadership framework. Planners were interviewed shadowed and observed, and their staff and colleagues were surveyed to gain multiple perspectives on the significance of the various attributes of leadership. Empathic Leadership was found to permeate every aspect of the practitioners' work and they were found to possess many of the skills necessary for being exemplary leaders. The research also revealed that their work is an iterative pentad of: visioning, engaging emotions, building community, employing strategy and implementing action. The visions are compelling, seductive and infectious yet ambiguous. Emotions are strong and recognized as being significant, yet poorly integrated into the other elements of the pentad. Communities rallying around the visions are cohesive, fluid, diverse and context-specific, but largely untested. The strategies are political, relatively transparent but rarely uphold the inclusive values of the vision. Actions are varied, innovative and often democratizing, yet implicitly homogenous and classist. While ample evidence of communicative planning exists, it is an unrealized ideal; the reality is a temporally larger scope of relational planning whereby change is achieved through the building of relationships over time. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate