Community Conversations - Ford City
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Community Conversations was NOT about rehashing problems, or gathering together to complain. It was NOT about other people’s ideas or plans for Ford City, but about listening to the people of the community, building on their ideas and engaging in their meaning…. It is about Seeing THEIR vision for THEIR community, through THEIR eyes! Community Conversations allowed the people of Ford City to begin to dream together, and as this Brazilian Proverb says… "When you dream alone, it remains just a dream. When you dream together, it is the beginning of a new reality."
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Community Conversations - Ford City
- 1. Community Conversations YOUR Vision, for YOUR Community, through YOUR eyes! To have Mike speak to your community group, or help with your community engagement project email him at morencymike@gmail.com
- 2. A Little Background • The Ford City Redevelopment Committee was formed in 1998 • Murals completed in 2004 • Several reports completed • Ford City Neighbourhood Renewal Project launched and staff hired in 2010. • Ford City Residents in Action formed in 2010.
- 3. What is a Conversation Café? • A front porch conversation with a neighbour. • A shared search for a common future. • Positive and future focused dialogue. • In conversation we discover what we care about and uncover new ideas for building our community. • “There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.”
- 4. Who is Participating? • Residents • Property owners • Business owners • Organization leaders • EVERYONE who makes up Ford City!
- 5. WHY COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS? When you dream alone, it remains just a dream. When you dream together, it is the beginning of a new reality. – Brazilian Proverb This process is NOT about convincing you of our ideas or plans, but speaking with you, building on your ideas and engaging in your meaning…. Seeing YOUR vision for YOUR community, through YOUR eyes!
- 6. How it Works Celebrate the BEST of What IS IMAGINE what MIGHT BE HOW Can it be ACCOMPLISHED WHO needs to be on board 1. Select a spokesperson and record keeper 2. Discuss a specific question. 3. Report back to everyone. 4. Responses gathered. 5. Move to a new table.
- 7. A Few Guidelines…. • • • • • Ensure everyone is heard! Speak from the heart and the head. Listen with curiosity and respect. Challenge your own assumptions. Learn about yourself, each other and our community • Imagine possibilities and potential. • Play, doodle, draw and HAVE FUN!
- 9. Question #1 What do you love about Ford City? What is good about your community? Your responses here….
- 10. Question #2 What are the top ten words you would like people to use to describe Ford City in the Future? Your responses here….
- 11. Question #3 What businesses would you like to see in Ford City? What opportunities do you see? Is there a theme or concept you envision? Your responses here….
- 12. Question #4 What could be done with the vacant land in the community including the land between St. Luke and Walker? Your responses here….
- 14. Next Steps • 7 Sessions • PhotoVision Project • Final Report • Community Forum in September • The sky is the limit!
- 15. Thank-You for Coming Your participation demonstrates the community’s desire for a better future! PLEASE take moment and complete a response form before leaving! PLEASE plan to attend the Community Forum in September! PLEASE continue to dream BIG for Ford City!
Editor's Notes
- My name is Mike Morency and I have been working with the Ford City Redevelopment Committeeon a project to engage the people of Ford City in creating a common vision for their future. The Conversation Café’ you are about to participate in, is one element of that project.
- Community Conversations is a project of the Ford City Neighbourhood Renewal Project. The Redevelopment Committee is made up of a diverse group of community and organization leaders.Founded in 1998 the Redevelopment Committee’s first major project was the reconfiguration of the curbs along Drouillard and the installation of benches, planters and garbage cans. This was followed by the development and installation of the murals found through-out Ford City. Since then several reports have been completed that make recommendations on how to redevelop Ford City. The most recent were completed in 2009.The Hayes Report, analyzed previous redevelopment attempts in Ford City from a planner’s perspectiveThe Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Audit analyzed Ford city from the perspective of Crime prevention.With the launch of the Ford City Neighbourhood Renewal Project and the Ford City Residents in Action, it was felt that this was the most appropriate time to attempt to gather more comprehensive feedback from the community stakeholders including: residents, property owners, business operators and organization leaders, in an attempt to develop a shared community vision and redevelopment plan.
- Some of you may be asking, “What is a Conversation Café?”Take a look at these answers and tell me which one you think is right…. They all are… and more. In simplest terms, a Conversation Café is people talking about something she care about.Why? Because in conversation we discover what we care about and uncover new ideas for building our community.Margaret Wheatley wrote that “There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.”
- So, who is here today? Have people describe their involvement with Ford City….So, it sounds like we have residents, property owners, business owners, and organization leaders in the room…. All of you make up Ford City!
- Why is the Ford City Redevelopment Committee doing Community Conversations? Why do they want to hear your ideas, your dream for Ford City?In our planning for this project this Brazilian Proverb kept popping up… When you dream alone,it remains just a dream.When you dream together,it is the beginning of a new reality. Community Conversations is NOT about rehashing problems, or gathering together to complain. It is NOT about other people’s ideas or plans for your community, but is about listening to you, building on your ideas and engaging in your meaning…. It is about Seeing YOUR vision for YOUR community, through YOUR eyes!
- Are you ready to dive in?Here is how it will work….Overall our process will be to:Celebrate the BEST of What ISImagine what MIGHT BEHow Can it be ACCOMPLISHEDWHO needs to be on boardWe will do this by:Sitting in small groups at a table.You will select a spokes person and a record keeper.I will introduce a question and your will have 10 minutes to discuss it, listing your top 10 responses on a sheet of paper.Your spokesperson will then present your top three to everyone. If one of your top three has already been mentioned, tell us, then give us your 4th.We will then gather your response sheets to include in our final report.Two of you will move to a new table and we will begin a new question.I will give you three minutes to grab a snack, get settled at your table and select your spokesperson and record keeper before I introduce the first question.
- Now, here are a few guidelines to aid your conversation…Ensure everyone is heard!Speak from the heart and the head.Listen with curiosity and respect.Challenge your own assumptions.Learn about yourself, each other and our communityImagine possibilities and potential.Play, doodle, draw and HAVE FUN!
- Probes:Why?Did anyone else have that response?What makes it (the item described) the way it is?How can that be made better, or used to improve Ford City?
- Probes:What images come to mind when you hear these words?Are there any pieces missing to make these descriptions a reality?
- Why do you want this business?How would that theme or concept improve things in the community?
- Probe:Why should that be done with the land?How will that use impact the community?
- Before we finish, I want to share with you the next, exciting part of our project. We are looking for 10-12 people who have an interest in photography to work with us on a PhotoVision project. Over the course of three weeks, they will be given three photo assignments that match up with the questions we asked today. Each week we will get together to discuss their pictures AND participants pictures will be used in Ford City promotions and a EnVision Ford City Exhibition here in the community.Does that interest anyone? Awesome, make sure you see me before we leave.
- What’s next?This is just one of 7 sessions we will be hosting in the community. We have selected a variety of days and times to give everyone an opportunity to participate and have their say.Next we will be doing the PhotoVision project I just told you about.From these we will draw up a report including all of your responses and formulate some recommendations.We will present this report back to you at a Community Forum in September. This will be your opportunity to see if we heard you and to hear what others in Ford City had to say. We will also invite City Planners, business and government leaders to this meeting so that they can hear and see what the people of Ford City have to say about the future of their community.From there, the sky is the limit. The Redevelopment Committee and their staff, Karlene and Steve will work with funders, government and most importantly YOU to help bring the dream to reality.Hopefully you will continue to be involved by participating in a variety of ways.
- __________ is now passing out a response form. Before you leave, PLEASE take a moment and complete it so that we know who was here, what you thought about the Conversation Café and any ways you may wish to become involved.Thank-you so much for making the time to attend. Your participation demonstrates to the world that this community is ready to pursue a better future.Please plan to attend the Community Forum in September and PLEASE continue to dream BIG for Ford City!Karlene and Steve, do you have any final thoughts or comments?