What makes a city or community liveable or desirable? Recent studies suggest that “walkability” is considered to be a desirable feature for residential areas and as a way to attract cultural and other jobs to a community.
The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce commissioned a study earlier this year to determine if there is a correlation between walkability, economic development and job creation in Hamilton. The report concluded that neighbourhoods which were considered walkable or which had good transit links also attracted creative industries and clusters of businesses.
The study results suggests that “walkable environments need to be created, enhanced and maintained in order to attract jobs for other sectors….Strengthening the link between walkability, transit accessibility and jobs will be important for Hamliton to effectively build a strong and diverse economy moving forward.”
This is a lesson for Hamilton and for many other communities. In fact, interest in walkability is a world-wide phenomenon. A presentation entitled Walkability: A Prerequisite for Livable Cities, presented at the First International Making Cities Liveable Conference in 1985, concluded that walking needs to be recognized as a means of transportation and given the same consideration as other modes of transportation.
What does this mean for us in Hamilton, Burlington, Caledonia, Smithville, Ancaster or any of the other communities in our area? It means more and more, home buyers are going to be looking for homes located in communities that are walkable or have good transit links. They will be looking for communities within walking distance or easy transit distance to the place they work, the places they shop and the places they go for entertainment.
A recent survey conducted on behalf of the Ontario Real Estate Association bears out this trend. The survey results showed that 80 per cent of young Ontarians (ages 18-34) say proximity to work is an important factor when they are buying a home.
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has just made it easier for home buyers to choose properties located in communities that are considered walkable. Using an online tool called Walk Score®, CREA has included walkability values on each of the MLS®-listed properties on REALTOR.ca.
Walk Score® is a number between 0 and 100 that measures the walkability of any address. Walk Score® awards points based on the distance from a property to amenities such as grocery stores, restaurants, shops and school.
Scores of 90-100 mean the property is a walker’s paradise and daily errands do not require a car. Scores between 70 and 89 mean the area is very walkable; most errands can be done on foot. Scores between 50 and 69 indicate an area that is somewhat walkable with some amenities within walking distance. Scores below 50 indicate the property is car dependent and almost all errands will require a car.
The Walk Score® of each property advertised on REALTOR.ca is found just to the right of property photo. Look for it next time you are looking for a new home.
Cameron Nolan
President, 2012