Rethinking Neighbourhood Cohesion in the Suburbs: Insights from Communities in Calgary

Karim Youssef

doi:10.24908/cpp-apc.v2020i0.13445

Abstract

Neighbourhood cohesion is a desirable outcome of socially sustainable communities. However, such an outcome is not necessarily associated with suburban master-planned communities. This empirical research measures affective and interactive dimensions of neighbourhood cohesion and their correlations with residents’ perception of neighbourhood uniqueness. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, it considers the physical and social attributes of two suburban neighbourhoods in Calgary to provide an in-depth interpretation of similarities and differences in neighbourhood cohesion. The findings address an important aspect of community planning associated with the attractiveness of semi-gated suburban living in low-density developments embedded in the natural environment. Keywords: neighbourhood cohesion, semi-gated suburb, sense of community, community planning, uniqueness

Highlights

There seems to be a consensus in the planning literature that neighbourhood cohesion, sense of community, and place attachment are desirable outcomes that contribute to better neighbourhoods (Kearns & Forrest, 2000; Lewicka, 2010; Rogers & Sukolratanametee, 2009)
In the planning literature neighbourhood cohesion is often associated with diversity and density reasserting the importance of community planning strategies that promote diversity of housing types, mixed-use developments, and destinations to foster a sense of place and belonging (Grant, 2007; Dekker & Bolt, 2005; Talen, 2000)
While it is difficult to offer a clear cut definition of neighbourhood cohesion in the suburban context, the obvious absence of diversity in terms of conventional physical attributes and social characteristics has undoubtedly resulted in urban studies that have labeled the suburbs as largely uniform environments that lack a sense of place, identity and social interaction (Scannell & Gifford, 2010; Low, 2001; Rogers & Sukolratanametee, 2009)

Summary

Introduction

There seems to be a consensus in the planning literature that neighbourhood cohesion, sense of community, and place attachment are desirable outcomes that contribute to better neighbourhoods (Kearns & Forrest, 2000; Lewicka, 2010; Rogers & Sukolratanametee, 2009). Such outcomes are not necessarily associated with suburban masterplanned communities, often due to their low-density patterns of residential development that lack diversity of functions and places for community interaction. While it is difficult to offer a clear cut definition of neighbourhood cohesion in the suburban context, the obvious absence of diversity in terms of conventional physical attributes and social characteristics has undoubtedly resulted in urban studies that have labeled the suburbs as largely uniform environments that lack a sense of place, identity and social interaction (Scannell & Gifford, 2010; Low, 2001; Rogers & Sukolratanametee, 2009)

Objectives

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Discussion

Conclusion