There is a growing awareness that being a part of a community is good for our mental health. That was certainly one lesson of the pandemic when people felt isolated because they couldn’t see friends and family in person or gather in groups.
Although a lot of research is still being conducted and analyzed, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has said early indications are that many Canadians were reporting high levels of psychological distress during lockdowns.
And there is growing belief that isolation can lead to physical health problems. The American Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says there is strong evidence that adults, especially older adults, have an increased risk of premature death from all causes that rivals smoking, obesity and physical activity, along with a 50 per cent increased risk of dementia, if they are lonely.
The CDC also found immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community were at even greater risk where language, custom and stigma can lead to greater isolation.
So not only do most people want to be surrounded by friends and family, their mental and physical health demands it. There is a significant role for all governments – but especially municipal governments – in addressing this.
We all know that cities and towns certainly provide the daily services that matter most to residents, such as water and wastewater, garbage collection, snow plowing and transit. But there's another critical role cities play, one which is often overlooked: community building by finding ways to bring people together and make them feel like they belong. These are not frills but an essential part of providing services.
It's especially important in a city such as Barrie where there are many newcomers and a lot of commuters. It’s hard to feel like you are a member of a community when you spend much of your time getting to and from work and spending eight hours each week day in another city.
There are two ways the City of Barrie helps build community. One is by providing the facilities where people gather and meet their fellow residents. These can be sports fields, arenas and pools where people take part in sports themselves or gather to watch their children and grandchildren. These can be senior centres or art galleries or farmers’ markets or amphitheatres. These can also be parks or trails where friends and family get together during the day, in the evening or on weekends.
The other way cities build communities is by holding inclusive events, or encouraging groups to hold events. There is value in putting on Canada Day events, Winterfest and the upcoming Downtown Countdown at Barrie City Hall. It’s important that we have a city which supports local organizations that put on Kempenfest, parades and the tree-lighting ceremony.
All of these events provide Barrie residents with an opportunity to experience what Barrie has to offer.
The people that attend these events likely come away feeling good about their community, feeling more connected to the city and their fellow residents. They feel healthier. They are healthier.
And so is our city.
Barry Ward is a veteran editor and journalist who also served on Barrie city council for 22 years. Fair Comment appears regularly in BarrieToday.
