Sargent Avenue - a neighborhood catalyst

Abstract

The purpose of this practicum is to better understand Sargent Avenue. The objective is the rejuvenation of this Avenue in a neighborhood that has been in decline for three decades, with the aim that this may become a catalyst for urban renewal in the neighborhood. Some of the principal issues are: municipal government neglect, population flux, affordable housing, crime, prostitution, outdated planning and development model, and an unclear vision of the future. The area’s community groups such as the Spence Neighborhood Association, and the Daniel McIntyre/St. Matthews Community Association are working in and have made headway in bringing life back to the West End. The coming together of landscape architecture principles and fundamentals will produce a viable design intervention for Sargent Avenue and the Spence and Daniel McIntyre/St. Matthews Communities that would encourage a healthier community. This work has reinforced the imperative that people are the most important aspect in any design.