Planning

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This is the collection for the University of Waterloo's School of Planning.

Research outputs are organized by type (eg. Master Thesis, Article, Conference Paper).

Waterloo faculty, students, and staff can contact us or visit the UWSpace guide to learn more about depositing their research.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

Age-Friendliness of the Urban Design Guidelines of the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo
(University of Waterloo, 2014-06-23) Bhupinder Preet, Kohli
The fastest growing age group in Canada is seniors aged 65 years or older (Statistics Canada’s 2006 & 2007). The population of seniors is projected to increase to 6.7 million by 2021 and 9.2 million by 2041 (nearly one in every four Canadians) (Social Development Canada, 2006a; Statistics Canada, 2007b). Similarly, Population Estimates, Waterloo Region and Ontario, 2011 and Population Projections, Waterloo Region and Ontario, 2016, 2026 & 2036 (Region of Waterloo, 2012b, 2012c) indicate that the Region of Waterloo expects an increase in its senior population by 145.4% from year 2011 to 2036. Due to increased longevity and an increased percentage of older adults, this demographic shift poses challenges for communities, including increased healthcare costs and social isolation among seniors, which may threaten their active participation in the community. The research question ‘Do urban design guidelines of the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo address the needs of an ageing population?’ motivates this study to examine the Urban Design Manuals of the Cities of Waterloo and Kitchener to determine the age-friendliness of the current urban design guidelines, and the role of the built environment in active ageing. The current urban design guidelines of the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo are compared with the Design of Public Spaces Standards (Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment) by Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA); the Universal Design Principles; key findings based on the literature review (Levine, 2003; Story, Mueller, & Mace, 1998); and analysed with in-depth knowledge gained through semi-structured interviews with seniors, planners, and focus groups. The participation of the seniors provided information on the gaps between what already exists and what is required. The key finding of the report is that the urban design guidelines of the Cities of Waterloo and Kitchener are fairly comprehensive in addressing the needs of seniors, but there is inadequate implementation of these guidelines.
Managing Accessibility: A Case Study at the University of Waterloo
(University of Waterloo, 2016-02-23) Angel, Jason
This study examined how a quality management system, which includes a crowdsourcing application, could improve accessibility. As a result this research captured the interactions a person with impairment has with the built environment they encounter and how those experiences are facilitated. No person should be denied access to quality of life enhancing services based on ability. Currently, however, there is a deficient focus on accessibility. Despite legislative advancements, much of North America’s current infrastructure and facilities predate accessibility law. While standards regulate accessibility, current building codes offer few contemporary methods for improving accessibility beyond basic guidelines. In that regard, a quality management framework could provide attention and incremental improvement to accessibility. This case study analyzed connections between people and accessibility at the University of Waterloo. Qualitative methods allowed meaning to emerge from key informant interviews. Secondary sources revealed how university operations function. Observations provided data that illustrated effective or ineffective accessibility. Investigation was not limited to the physical provision of access. It included an inquiry of the patterns, behaviors, and mechanics of providing accessibility. Naturally, accessibility was not the only field where potential improvements were delayed or precluded because of systems concerns. For good environmental practice, the manufacturing industry’s reaction to environmental concerns led to the increased use of environmental management systems (EMS) that were based on quality management frameworks. ISO-14001 is an extensive EMS focused on improving quality, which manages tangible inputs (legal compliance, auditing, or reporting) to a larger less tangible concept (environmental conservation). Similarly, accessibility could benefit from recurrent managerial improvements that would identify, manage, and report barriers for improvement. The aspects of ISO-14001 can be adapted for improving accessibility. Based on the findings, management systems are not used to provide accessibility on campus. While there are no major barriers to impede a person from their educational pursuits, there are some limitations that affect equal opportunities for people with disabilities. Often the limitations remain unchanged. New construction of facilities affords opportunity for improved access. Existing procedures do not give accessibility the attention needed for regular improvements. A quality-based management system would incorporate the aspects of accessibility to gain incremental refinements. Including the crowdsourcing application would provide valuable feedback to assist the process.
Sustainable Transportation and Social Demographics at Uptown Waterloo
(University of Waterloo, 2015-10-01) Chase, Geoffrey
This thesis investigates how the use of a mid-size city’s core is related to the transportation preferences and socioeconomic status of its residents. Uptown Waterloo was chosen as a study site because, in addition to its social and economic functions, it is intended to be the centre of the city’s active and public transportation networks. As such, it is important to planners and policymakers to assess not only how widespread the use of sustainable transportation is among Uptown shoppers, but also how equitable it is. Online and in-person surveys of Uptown shoppers were administered in summer 2014 to determine the social profile of an Uptown shopper, the transportation methods used to reach Uptown, and the types of activities performed during a visit. Respondents showed a strong preference for sustainable transportation methods, with only 28% visiting Uptown most frequently by car. Moreover, people who bicycled or walked to Uptown were found to have comparable spending habits to drivers but visited the site more times per month. The respondents were on average younger, more affluent, and more drawn to jobs in the knowledge economy than the social demographics of the Waterloo region can account for. A significant relationship between travel mode choice and economic status was observed: drivers were most affluent on average and public transit users the least, while methods of active transportation were more socioeconomically heterogeneous. Although the demographic profile of Uptown shoppers is consistent with indicators of social gentrification, the findings suggest that the City’s ongoing promotion of sustainable transportation supports Uptown’s businesses as well as a broad range of its visitors.
Understanding Accessibility, Analyzing Policy: New Approaches for a New Paradigm
(University of Waterloo, 2014-09-03) Neudorf, Jason
Accessibility is a concept based on the interaction between transportation and land use systems, and reflects the ability of individuals to reach destinations. A new tool to measure and represent accessibility called Access Profile Analysis (APA) is developed in this thesis. I use APA to explore two general research questions. First, how do various transportation and land use policies affect job accessibility in Kitchener-Waterloo? Second, how is job accessibility distributed in relation to other socio-economic variables in Kitchener-Waterloo? To analyze these questions I developed six specific applications of APA for the Kitchener-Waterloo area. The findings indicate that transportation and land use policies have a direct and measurable impact on job accessibility. Moreover, the accessibility implications of these policies vary for different socio-economic groups.
Urban Economic Perspectives on Residential Real Estate: Does Access Matter?
(University of Waterloo, 2009-03-06T20:17:19Z) Smith, Cameron J.
This thesis explores the transportation-land use connection through an investigation of accessibility and residential property values. Accessibility, broadly defined as the ability for locations to interact (Hansen, 1959) is considered a key principle of urban economic theory. This project builds upon the recommendations and conclusions of the literature calling for simultaneous consideration of both the quantitative (measured) and qualitative (perceived) impacts of accessibility on residential property values. This thesis utilizes a two stage research methodology in order to investigate the influence of access to amenities on residential property values. First, accessibility is quantified via an accessibility calculation for sample properties from three study areas within the Greater Toronto Area. This calculated access value is then correlated to real property sales data in order to explore the association between access and value. Second, a survey of real estate professionals explores the influence of perception and behavioural characteristics of accessibility and amenities in the residential location decision making process. The quantitative results are statistically significant however, the association between value and access is weak and varying in direction. The qualitative results indicate consistently that homebuyers are willing to pay for access to the amenities that they value. The average value of this access premium is determined to be approximately $10,000 or 3.5% of the average price for a single-detached home in the GTA. Given the methodological challenges experienced in the quantitative measurement of access, the overall results suggest that access does in fact matter. This research contributes to the literature by considering the impact of perception and behavioural characteristics on accessibility. Further this project serves to inform the debate around transportation-land use interactions.

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Browsing Planning by Subject "Accessibility"