As yet, neighbourhood rehabilitation remains an untried method of urban renewal in Vancouver in spite of its obvious economic advantages in arresting deterioration and thereby avoiding costly programmes of total clearance and redevelopment. Rehabilitation has, moreover, important social benefits: it requires the participation of residents and provides an opportunity to improve physical conditions while preserving the structure of social relations and institutions necessary for a dynamic community. The present study explores the potential for rehabilitation of an area of East Kitsilano designated by the City of Vancouver Redevelopment Study (1956) as suitable for rehabilitation. The examination is made in relation to residents' interests and institutional resources present in the area and is intended as a sequel to an earlier study of citizen participation in neighbourhood rehabilitation carried out as a Master of Social Work thesis in 1962 in the Lower Mount Pleasant area of Vancouver. For the present study a preliminary survey was made of the physical characteristics of the area followed by interviews with representatives of selected social organizations and with a small sample of residents. Supporting data on households and population characteristics were derived from the D.B.S. censuses and the City Voters List. There emerges from the survey a picture of a neighbourhood with enough social and physical assets to make a programme of rehabilitation both feasible and exigent. East Kitsilano differs from Lower Mount Pleasant in possessing a larger number of indigenous voluntary organizations capable, if the conditions are right, of providing the leadership and support for a planned programme of rehabilitation. But there are, at present, substantial obstacles to the initiation of such a programme. These include, (a) indifference on the part of residents to their surroundings and to the quality of neighbourhood amenities (b) a tenuous identification with the neighbourhood associated, it would appear, with a relatively high ratio of tenant occupancy (c) inexperience generally of the residents in the kind of co-operative activity necessary to implement a rehabilitation programme. The present study, like the earlier one of Lower Mount Pleasant, confirms the importance of establishing appropriate administrative structure and procedures at the official level for a city-wide programme of neighbourhood rehabilitation. This programme, moreover, should be conceived and executed as an integral part of the City's urban renewal planning. There is little liklihood of a local organization interested in rehabilitation arising spontaneously and the provision of a trained community organization worker appears essential to mobilize interest, initiate action and maintain liaison between residents and local government. It is also desirable that the boundaries of any area proposed for rehabilitation be defined so as to correspond as nearly as possible with existing natural social areas. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Exploring planning methodology for BC's resource-based communities, this paper investigates rural community transition and proposes a planning framework based on enhancing the survival capacity of communities facing the pressures and challenges of economic and social change. Utilizing both primary and secondary research methods (including a review of relevant literature, government publications, and a pilot of the proposed method in Zeballos, British Columbia), this analysis is intended to contribute to the practicing planner's tools for working with rural communities in economic and social transition. The study first examines the context of British Columbia's forestry-dependent communities. It explores the literature around successful community development efforts and also around stable and resilient communities and identifies Fourteen Characteristics of Surviving Rural Communities. It then proposes a planning method that is responsive to these characteristics, with a goal to both build awareness of the community's inherent survival capacity and to foster it through a 'learning-by-doing' process. It also examines the role of the planner in working with these communities. Working with the community of Zeballos, the pilot process revealed several insights about planning with transitioning communities. These communities are not alike, they are shaped by a range of factors and face diverse influences. Yet all require a willingness to accept and embrace change and they require support in managing change. Best efforts to plan for an achievable transition strategy requires considerable forethought in preparing a planning methodology that serves the community's needs and enables the community to shape goals toward achievable outcomes. For communities in transition, enhancing local capacity to survive and manage change may be as important as selecting any specific transition outcome, for it has been shown that it is in the way that communities determine and implement their transition strategy that determines success in the effort.

Exploring planning methodology for BC's resource-based communities, this paper investigates rural community transition and proposes a planning framework based on enhancing the survival capacity of communities facing the pressures and challenges of economic and social change. Utilizing both primary and secondary research methods (including a review of relevant literature, government publications, and a pilot of the proposed method in Zeballos, British Columbia), this analysis is intended to contribute to the practicing planner's tools for working with rural communities in economic and social transition. The study first examines the context of British Columbia's forestry-dependent communities. It explores the literature around successful community development efforts and also around stable and resilient communities and identifies Fourteen Characteristics of Surviving Rural Communities. It then proposes a planning method that is responsive to these characteristics, with a goal to both build awareness of the community's inherent survival capacity and to foster it through a 'learning-by-doing' process. It also examines the role of the planner in working with these communities. Working with the community of Zeballos, the pilot process revealed several insights about planning with transitioning communities. These communities are not alike, they are shaped by a range of factors and face diverse influences. Yet all require a willingness to accept and embrace change and they require support in managing change. Best efforts to plan for an achievable transition strategy requires considerable forethought in preparing a planning methodology that serves the community's needs and enables the community to shape goals toward achievable outcomes. For communities in transition, enhancing local capacity to survive and manage change may be as important as selecting any specific transition outcome, for it has been shown that it is in the way that communities determine and implement their transition strategy that determines success in the effort. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

In rural areas across British Columbia capacity building is seen as an answer to declining economic, social and ecological conditions and regional capacity building organizations are delivering community development education projects in response. However, not enough is known about how community development education projects or regional organizations contribute to capacity building in rural regions. The intent of this thesis is to learn from the experience of Social Planning & Research Council of BC (SPARC BC) about the ways regional capacity building organizations can use community development education to positively impact capacity building in rural regions such as those in BC. A review of SPARC BC materials was conducted to locate SPARC BC within capacity building typologies identified in the literature. A questionnaire was administered to SPARC BC's project participants to gain an understanding of how its approaches to community development education impacted capacity building. Questionnaire findings were interpreted in consultation with SPARC staff. This thesis draws conclusions at three levels. First, the questionnaire highlights the experience of community members and demonstrates that SPARC BC's workshops were well-received, with the most impact being seen at the level of community relationship building. Second, by combining these findings with evaluations of two other projects, a number of themes are exposed, including the need for understanding community context, providing follow-up, and recognizing the diversity of each community. Third, the questionnaire and themes are used to explore the lessons that have been learned and which inform regional capacity building organizations providing community development education. Two of the lessons, encouraging community ownership and recognizing the iterative nature of capacity building, speak directly to the long-term nature of delivering community development education, while the lessons of diversity and transparency suggest improvements to how regional organizations work with communities. The final lessons of reflection and collaboration speak to the internal operations of capacity building organizations. Overall, the lessons learned from SPARC BC suggest that regional capacity building organizations have an important role to play and that increased reflection on both the process and outcomes of capacity building projects could strengthen community development education in rural regions. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Many non-metropolitan areas in British Columbia experienced chronic instability in the resource extraction economy on which they traditionally relied. Beginning in the early 1980s, shifts in employment and the organization of work led to persistent socioeconomic turbulence. Despite the range of development, education, and training programmes available, efforts to return these regions to stability had only sporadic success. In the late 1980s, policy reviews led to the introduction of initiatives for greater local self-direction over development, complemented by partnering in programme delivery, and shifts in educational funding towards targeted groups. This study examines certain interactions between post-secondary education and development programmes in non-metropolitan British Columbia from 1980 to 1996. Using a living systems view, and drawing on studies in geography and adult education, a model of resources needed by outlying regions for successful development was constructed. The model was used to examine socioeconomic changes, policy changes designed to foster sustainable development, and shifts in emphasis in post-secondary education and training programmes, as they affected the study areas. The main conclusions were: (1) there were distinct socioeconomic differences among non-metropolitan regions; (2) in some, significant internal migration resulted in opportunities to create new work, and so achieve more self-directed development, and (3) the implementation of local sustainability and partnering did not reach levels expected, in part due to contradictory demands for innovation and cost cutting. Supporting evidence was derived from combining (a) an extensive review of census indicators over the province and in four selected case study regions, with (b) a series of some 100 semi-structured interviews with resident stakeholders who were involved in directing, managing, and delivering educational, training and community development services, and (c) a review of contemporary socioeconomic plans and profiles. The empirical data was analyzed using a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis, which featured the application of principles of grounded theory and the method of triangulation, widely used in social sciences. Case study communities were those that were successfully returning to stability by means of the benefits flowing from internal migration combined with opportunities to create new work. The methods of investigation developed here can be applied to other situations where communities are trying to change their prospects from within. The living systems view is appropriate for broadly-based research into local community development.

Rural regions need tools for developing effective tourism and community plans. This thesis explores the potential for a simplified gap analysis to serve as a useful tourism planning tool for rural regions with limited resources. The Cowichan Region in British Columbia, Canada is the case study for this research, as it is seen to be representative of many rural areas endeavoring to diversify their waning economies with tourism. The literature review for this thesis reviews rural challenges facing ruraf areas, rural tourism impacts, rural tourism markets and gap analysis. A simplified gap analysis compares the preferences of customers (tourists) and the perceptions that the service providers (host regions) have of these customers. Minimal differences between these groups' perceptions creates quality experiences for the customers and service providers and leads to increased profits. This thesis examines the 'gaps' between potential Japanese and German rural travelers' preferences and the perceptions that Cowichan Region professionals have of these markets. Data on the preferences of these markets is drawn from research on Japanese and German pleasure travel markets to North America conducted by national tourism associations. Data on host region perceptions of these markets is drawn from questionnaire responses and interviews conducted with tourism and planning professional in the Cowichan Region. There are some notable gaps between the characteristics of potential Japanese and German 'rural' travellers and the perceptions that the Cowichan Region professionals have of these groups. However, overall these groups are well matched as potential rural travellers and host communities. These research findings suggest that rural areas can satisfy most of the needs of 'mass' and 'target' market travellers by developing core tourism products with some specialised products for sub-markets. This research indicates that a simplified gap analysis can be a practical and useful rural planning tool for rural regions that want to diversify their resource based economies with tourism. A ten step tourism planning strategy is presented as a way for rural areas to integrate a simplified gap analysis into their planning efforts and create cost-effective and holistic tourism plans.

Many non-metropolitan areas in British Columbia experienced chronic instability in the resource extraction economy on which they traditionally relied. Beginning in the early 1980s, shifts in employment and the organization of work led to persistent socioeconomic turbulence. Despite the range of development, education, and training programmes available, efforts to return these regions to stability had only sporadic success. In the late 1980s, policy reviews led to the introduction of initiatives for greater local self-direction over development, complemented by partnering in programme delivery, and shifts in educational funding towards targeted groups. This study examines certain interactions between post-secondary education and development programmes in non-metropolitan British Columbia from 1980 to 1996. Using a living systems view, and drawing on studies in geography and adult education, a model of resources needed by outlying regions for successful development was constructed. The model was used to examine socioeconomic changes, policy changes designed to foster sustainable development, and shifts in emphasis in post-secondary education and training programmes, as they affected the study areas. The main conclusions were: (1) there were distinct socioeconomic differences among non-metropolitan regions; (2) in some, significant internal migration resulted in opportunities to create new work, and so achieve more self-directed development, and (3) the implementation of local sustainability and partnering did not reach levels expected, in part due to contradictory demands for innovation and cost cutting. Supporting evidence was derived from combining (a) an extensive review of census indicators over the province and in four selected case study regions, with (b) a series of some 100 semi-structured interviews with resident stakeholders who were involved in directing, managing, and delivering educational, training and community development services, and (c) a review of contemporary socioeconomic plans and profiles. The empirical data was analyzed using a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis, which featured the application of principles of grounded theory and the method of triangulation, widely used in social sciences. Case study communities were those that were successfully returning to stability by means of the benefits flowing from internal migration combined with opportunities to create new work. The methods of investigation developed here can be applied to other situations where communities are trying to change their prospects from within. The living systems view is appropriate for broadly-based research into local community development. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

Rural regions need tools for developing effective tourism and community plans. This thesis explores the potential for a simplified gap analysis to serve as a useful tourism planning tool for rural regions with limited resources. The Cowichan Region in British Columbia, Canada is the case study for this research, as it is seen to be representative of many rural areas endeavoring to diversify their waning economies with tourism. The literature review for this thesis reviews rural challenges facing ruraf areas, rural tourism impacts, rural tourism markets and gap analysis. A simplified gap analysis compares the preferences of customers (tourists) and the perceptions that the service providers (host regions) have of these customers. Minimal differences between these groups' perceptions creates quality experiences for the customers and service providers and leads to increased profits. This thesis examines the 'gaps' between potential Japanese and German rural travelers' preferences and the perceptions that Cowichan Region professionals have of these markets. Data on the preferences of these markets is drawn from research on Japanese and German pleasure travel markets to North America conducted by national tourism associations. Data on host region perceptions of these markets is drawn from questionnaire responses and interviews conducted with tourism and planning professional in the Cowichan Region. There are some notable gaps between the characteristics of potential Japanese and German 'rural' travellers and the perceptions that the Cowichan Region professionals have of these groups. However, overall these groups are well matched as potential rural travellers and host communities. These research findings suggest that rural areas can satisfy most of the needs of 'mass' and 'target' market travellers by developing core tourism products with some specialised products for sub-markets. This research indicates that a simplified gap analysis can be a practical and useful rural planning tool for rural regions that want to diversify their resource based economies with tourism. A ten step tourism planning strategy is presented as a way for rural areas to integrate a simplified gap analysis into their planning efforts and create cost-effective and holistic tourism plans. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate