How Rural Communities Can Make Active Transportation Work

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How Rural Communities Can Make Active
Transportation Work Kate Hall Sue
Shikaze Communities in Action Committee,
Haliburton Minden
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• Where are we? Haliburton County
• About 2 hours north of Toronto
• Very rural area, over 4000 sq. km
• Population 16,000 permanent, expands
  significantly during summer with cottagers and
  summer camps
• 2 tiered government 4 municipalities, 1 county
• Beautiful landscape lakes, forest,
  hills/highlands
• Village hubs are Haliburton and Minden, several
  smaller hamlets. Typical distance between is 20
  25 km

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• Who?
• Formed in 2004 to promote active transportation
  and create active transportation plans for the
  villages of Minden and Haliburton
• Partners Hal. Cty. Community Co-operative, Hal.
  Highlands Trails and Tours Network, HKPR District
  Health Unit, Hal. Cty. Development Corp., Hal.
  Highlands Health Services, Minden Merchants
  Revitalization Committee, Minden Riverwalk
• Additional stakeholders municipalities (2),
  county, school board and schools, Hal. BIA, local
  community college, local art gallery

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• Why?
• Health, environmental, economic benefits
• Creating walking and biking-friendly communities
  will benefit local tourism and also attract more
  permanent residents
• Our communities are growing increase in vehicle
  traffic, congestion and smog alert days

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• What have we done?
• Phase 1 (05 06) Haliburton Focus
• Promotion Park the Car and Get Movin!
  campaign
• Research on AT behaviour identification of
  hot spots
• Resource Development map and signage concept
• Vision illustrations for hot spots
• Presented recommendations to council

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• Phase 2 (06 08) Minden Focus, Haliburton
  continuation
• Promotion in both communities
• Research Minden focus groups, surveys,
  observational studies
• Resource Development Minden map and signs
• Active and Safe Routes to School both
  communities
• Advocacy adoption of Active Communities Charter
  as a tool for guiding decision making
• development of plan and recommendations for best
  route to Haliburton school/hospital zone

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• Challenges of Active Transportation in a Rural
  Environment
• Most writing on AT is in urban context
• Rural car culture
• Limited tax base but extensive road network to
  keep maintained
• Lack of experience/expertise at staff and council
  in planning for active transportation
• Transportation Roads Vehicles
• Mix of municipal, county, provincial
  roads/highways means split responsibility for
  maintenance and improvements
• Villages were not located/planned for growth
• One county planner, only 1 municipality has a
  planner

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• Successes
• Achieving outcomes in Phase 1
• Successful funding to continue to grow the
  project (Communities in Action Fund provincial,
  Safe Kids Canada, Haliburton County Development
  Corporation, local BIA, municipality)
• Support from decision makers evolved from support
  in principle to in-kind support financial
  support (purchase and installation of bike rack)
• Participating in Walk21 Conference as part of
  Walkability Road Show www.toronto.ca/walk21

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• Keys to Success
• Having a part-time paid coordinator enhances
  capacity
• Being creative about sources of funding
• Looking to all sectors for partners
• Looking for and using teachable moments to
  promote AT
• On-going communication with local decision makers
• Identifying village hubs and promoting a doable
  message Park the Car and Get Movin

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• Keys to Success
• Taking advantage of student/youth funded
  positions to enhance capacity and do research
• Using the nature of small communities to our
  advantage e.g. committee members wear a variety
  of hats use them for contacts find local
  ambassadors to act on the message look for
  high profile locations to hold activities in a
  small town, people notice!
• Its okay to start small, e.g. Walk to School Day

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• Keys to Success
• Partnership with our local community economic
  development organization economic development
  is a priority with local governments and the
  Haliburton CDC recognizes the connection between
  health and economic development
• Building a network outside local community
  seeking opportunities to promote our project to a
  broader audience also provides a selling point to
  local decision makers, letting them know that we
  are showcasing our community and getting known
  provincially, nationally and internationally

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• Whats Next?
• Continued advocacy with decision makers to build
  the case for walking, biking and creating active
  communities
• Develop more concrete ways to evaluate our
  project
• Seek further funding e.g. Heart and Stroke
  Advocacy Fund
• Continue to partner with trail groups to build
  on-the-ground infrastructure
• Build relationships with local schools to involve
  kids, parents, staff in Active Safe Routes to
  School
• Document our work for other communities to learn
  from and build on

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• Thank you!
• For more information, contact
• Kate Hall, Project Coordinator 286-2411
• kate.ulinks_at_on.aibn.com
• Sue Shikaze, Chair 457-1391 x249
• sshikaze_at_haliburton.hkpr.on.ca
• http//haliburtoninaction.r8.org