Urbanization+and+Land+Use

Hey, have you ever wondered what a "city" is? Well, in Ontario it means a town that has reached a population of 10,000 people. It doesn't always mean that it's now a city, but that's a good general rule. Want to see the list of the 100 largest urban areas in Canada? Check it out HERE.

Now that you know what a city is, have you ever thought about the best place to live in the city as a person with a visual impairment? Cities have different parts to them and there is a definite preference for people with visual impairments to live in.

Using Brantford as our guide, we're going to find out what might be the best place to live for YOU.

 Essentially there are 3 parts to Brantford and really, any city. The first is the Downtown Core. This area is characterized by a large number of businesses in a small area, housing either integrated into the commercial areas or close by and relatively short spaces between destinations. Houses will typically be older, in Brantford from 100 to 150 years old. Condominiums and apartments can be found, often above stores or in newly constructed buildings. If the downtown business area is not well-developed or has fallen on hard times, this area may not be a desirable place to live. In cities like Toronto where the downtown business areas are well-developed, these areas are the MOST desirable to live in. Housing prices reflect this.  @Downtown Pictures

 The next part of Brantford (and most cities) is the "first ring suburbs". This is where Mr. Maggiacomo lives. This area is characterized by older homes that are within a kilometer or so of the downtown core. They might have some stores around, but not as many as the downtown. There are usually sidewalks and often small parks. There are usually mature trees in the area, making it noticeably cooler in the summertime. There might be two or more "rings" of these suburbs around the downtown. Typically they're 50 to 100 years old in Brantford. People built houses here because they would be close to the shopping and recreation opportunities available downtown. Remember not very many people drove in those days (and some houses were built before the automobile!). These houses were convenient in that people could walk to shopping. Like the downtown area, if the businesses nearby are doing well, housing prices can be high and it may be a desirable place to live.  First Ring Suburbs

 The third part of Brantford is the "outer ring suburbs". These suburbs are normally not very old. Some were built in the 1970's and 1980's but most have been built in the past 20 years, with massive numbers being built in the past 5-10 years. They are a long way away from the downtown and the parks but closer to the countryside. They are very spread out and are built for the automobile first and foremost. The houses are often large, relatively inexpensive and newly constructed. They are attractive to the family home-buyer. There are stores there that we call "Big Box Stores". Examples would be Walmart, Futureshop, Petsmart, and most large supermarkets. These stores are difficult to walk to and public transportation is spotty in some places. With their large parking lots they are made for the automobile, in the same way that the suburbs are.  The Burbs! 1. If you live in a town, what part of it do you live? Sometimes it's not clear, as these areas can blend together. How do you know that you live in that particular area (prove it!)?  2. What area do you think would be better to live in as a person with a visual impairment? Why do you think so?