Spryfield Chooses Halifax ANC

community stories October 2005 ISBN #1-55382-146-7 Spryfield Chooses Halifax ANC Organizational change The Action for Neighbourhood Change project (ANC) may be complex but its With a population of 359,111, the amal- purpose is clear. The initiative is about real gamated Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) people helping one another to make their makes up about 40 percent of Nova Scotia’s neighbourhoods better places to live. Since population and 15 percent of the population the project began in February 2005, it has of the Atlantic provinces [Statistics Canada 2001]. generated optimism and hope among Unfortunately, with amalgamation came decreased community members. The partners are autonomy at the neighbourhood level for the excited that the program is having the financing and operation of local initiatives. This desired results: Citizens are becoming shift is not in accord with recent developments at involved in changing their neighbourhoods the United Way of Halifax Region (UWHR). and government is hearing the feedback it needs to support them effectively. This Since 1998, UWHR has undergone a sig- series of stories presents each of the five nificant change in direction, moving from addres- ANC neighbourhoods as they existed at sing community needs to building community the start of the initiative. A second series strengths. Its ecological approach emphasizes will be published at the end of the ANC’s the roles and importance of the individual, the 14-month run to document the changes family, the neighbourhood and the larger com- and learnings that have resulted from the munity – institutions, associations and agencies. effort. For more information about ANC, Where these four entities overlap is where UWHR visit: www.anccommunity.ca believes community building can occur – and is the new locus of United Way support. In its role community stories of change facilitator and information clearing- Neighbourhood selection – Halifax style house, UWHR is guided by six principles: flexi- bility, collaboration, stewardship, keeping an asset United Way of Greater Halifax short- focus, building the capacity of residents and listed seven neighbourhoods for possible parti- assessing community impact. cipation in ANC. Selection criteria included poverty rates, school completion rates, racial United Way of Halifax Region has made and cultural diversity statistics and eviction the necessary alterations in its organizational notices. In terms of assessing potential recepti- structure to support its new change process. New vity, staff reviewed United Way’s past involve- terms of reference now guide the community ment in each community and assessed both the resources committee which leads UWHR’s degree of voluntary activity present and the level strategic investment. New approaches have of institutional support. This last was achieved been articulated for achieving effective commu- through discussions with partners about whether nity partnerships and soliciting community input there was interest in sustaining the project over in the formation of strategic directions. Says the long term. Peter Mortimer, UWHR Director of Community Resources: “To avoid having projects work in Says Peter Mortimer: “Because we were isolation, they now are included as part of an uncertain of exactly how this project would integrated organization. Another benefit to our unfold, we took the approach of offering an restructuring has been the realization that asset- opportunity to neighbourhood leaders and waiting based, community capacity building corresponds to see who would respond. We told them that we well with the process of measuring outcomes.” could bring certain things to the table – funding, an opportunity to work together and time to let Peter continues: “Once we adopted an them work at their own pace and steer the ship as ecological model as the guide for our work, they saw fit. We were very honest about not focusing on neighbourhood development became having all the answers and instead offered to the logical next step. We feel that the Action for work out the process together. Rather than put- Neighbourhood Change project contains the two ting off potential participants, this approach had key elements needed to improve neighbourhoods the effect of reassuring people that community – a citizen engagement focus that gives power and members themselves would be in charge of the control to individuals, and institutional support process and the outcomes.” for how people work. The United Way’s ability to broker relationships among citizens, neighbourhood organizations and external agencies Neighbourhood history bodes well for the success of the project. ANC has moved up our timetable for initiating The road into the neighbourhood of neighbourhood-focused work by providing us with Spryfield snakes through the often heavily- resources and new relationships. We will be able congested Armdale Rotary (traffic circle) at the to learn from others’ mistakes and successes – as head of Halifax’s northwest arm, then travels up well as our own.” a steep hill onto the mainland. Residents have 2 Caledon Institute of Social Policy community stories a sense of being separate from the rest of Halifax to coordinate services in health, culture, recreation, – the rotary acts as a traffic barrier and the hilly education and social services. During the late climb leaves the rest of the city ‘down below.’ 1980s and early 1990s, the centre was supported Spryfield’s boundaries are difficult to define, through provincial legislation that enabled the partly because its main thoroughfare (Herring Multi-Service System to operate across govern- Cove Road) winds through areas that are com- ment departmental mandates and boundaries. mercial, suburban, wilderness and agricultural Many local associations and programs were by turns. Despite the maritime place names, rol- launched to help move forward community- ling hills and manmade structures obscure the expressed needs and interests. view of the harbour and remove any sense that this is a seaside community. Inland lakes, farm- For eight years following the regional land and a provincial park are year-round sources government’s amalgamation, the Multi-Service of beauty and recreation, however, and form an System continued to operate much as it always important backdrop to the community. had, but with a community-elected rather than an appointed board of directors, and with direct Captain William Spry, Chief Surveyor for HRM funding rather than rental income from Nova Scotia, was issued a land grant in 1766 and the community centre. In 2004, a reduction in began clearing his property for farm fields. A municipal funding was instituted to reflect farming community soon grew up around Spry’s removal of support to the Board for activities fal- property and until the 1950s, area families lived ling outside of HRM’s mandate. This effectively mainly on the crops, animals and dairy goods eliminated the multi-service coordinator position they produced and on locally-harvested fish. and her accountability to the community Board. Annexed by the City of Halifax in 1969, Spry’s Instead, an HRM Community Developer position Field (now Spryfield) was provided with improved – accountable to senior staff in HRM’s Recreation, road, sidewalk, water and sewer services. Tourism and Culture staff – was appointed. During the early 1970s, the City’s new, In 2005, HRM and the Board negotiated multi-service approach to human services resulted a general service agreement that provided a in the appointment of a Multi-Service Coordinator. stipend and furnished office and communications Shortly after, the Mainland South Community support to the Board. This allowed the Board to Services Offices Association was created. With hire a part-time research and administrative involvement from the province, City and the coordinator, keeping a presence in the community, Spryfield Lions Club, this organization brokered and sharing space with ANC. The multi-service a partnership which led to the opening of the roundtable continues to meet, but with the only Captain William Spry Community Centre in 1985. paid staff support coming from the United Way’s A Board of Directors was established and, with ANC Community Facilitator position. it, a Multi-Service System which allowed regular discussion of community issues. Neighbourhood description Now the community hub, the Spry Centre contains the largest indoor wave pool east of Spryfield’s appearance gives the sense of Montreal, a library, offices and public meeting a community where decay and prosperity struggle room facilities. Its board’s original mandate was for supremacy. Boarded-up businesses and Caledon Institute of Social Policy 3 community stories abandoned homes dot the streets, but some of The people of Spryfield these have been taken over by newer tenants. The former Canadian Tire outlet, for example, Just under half of Spryfield’s 4,500 resi- is now used by the provincial justice ministry for dents are non-migrants. Some 45.6 percent are its Corrections Services Office, and by city descendents of the original settlers – more than police for their western region office. Its pre- in the general Halifax Regional Municipality sence has helped to increase residents’ sense of (HRM) population (29.5 percent). Spryfield security and improve relationships between renters tend to be highly mobile as a result of police and the public. lower than average monthly rental costs ($497 versus $657). One-quarter of renters spend The Greystone Housing Complex, a public more than 30 percent of their income on rent (26 housing project which sits on top of Spryfield’s percent versus 13 percent for HRM). House- highest hill, is the most visible sign of the area’s hold income averages of $30,936 are lower need for social investment. Built in the 1970s, than the rest of the municipality ($56,366). Greystone was the first of several low-rent Educational levels are also lower; 46.4 percent accommodations to be built in Spryfield and it of people over 20 years of age have not com- represented a shift to a greater disparity in pleted high school, compared with 22.3 percent income among residents than had previously in the rest of HRM.

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