Urbanization – local, national, and global contexts

URBANIZATION – LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL CONTEXTSUnit 3: Human Geography

Different Kinds of Urban PlacesMANUFACTURING

CITIES

Created as people began to live near factories where they could find jobs producing and distributing manufactured goods.

Sarnia, Ontario Late 1800s, oil processing

facilities WWII, petrochemical industry

Different Kinds of Urban PlacesTRANSPORTATION HUBS

Cities develop because their site and situation provides them with important transportation functions

Site: characteristics of the land on which a city is built

Situation: the relationship between a city’s location and the area surrounding it

Thunder Bay, Ontario Canadian Shield on a flat

area bordering the western shores of Lake Superior

Trade site Situation is good because

bulk materials (grain, potash, etc.) can be transported from train, to ship.

Different Kinds of Urban PlacesTOURIST CITIES

Develop as a result of a physical or human feature that people are attracted to see or experience

Jobs are basic jobs because the money that supports the local economy comes from outside the community

Banff, Alberta Area is home to hot

springs, scenery, and abundant wildlife

Town grew to provide accommodation, food and other services to tourists

Different Kinds of Urban PlacesGOVERNMENT CITIES

Provide services to people at a local, regional, or national level

Activities include everything from garbage collection, to healthcare, to old-age pensions

Ottawa, Ontario Parliament – Federal

government Determines activities and

services that are required for everyone in Canada

Different Kinds of Urban PlacesRESOURCE-BASED

COMMUNITIES

Villages, towns, or cities that are established to develop a resource

Boom-bust economies as resources are exploited

Flin Flon, Manitoba One of the richest copper-

zinc deposits in Canada Established in the 1920s

Different Kinds of Urban PlacesDIVERSIFIED URBAN CENTRES

As some cities develop they may fulfill several functions - these are referred to as Diversified Urban Centres

Examples: Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver

Central Business District

German geographer Walter Christaller in 1933

Recognized the economic relationships between cities and their hinterlands

People gather together in cities to share goods and ideas and they exist for purely economic reasons

“central place” exists primarily to provide goods and services to its surrounding population Distribution centre

CBD

Two assumptions:1. Humans will always purchase goods from

the closest place that offers the good2. Whenever demand for a certain good is

high, it will be offered in close proximity to the pop’n

Threshold population is very important The number of people needed for a central

place business or activity to remain active and prosperous

Low, middle, high-order goods

Greater Golden Horseshoe Greater Golden

Horseshoe = area from Niagara through GTA to Peterborough and north as far as Collingwood

4 million more people expected to move here in the next 25 years

Creating 2 million new jobs

Places to GrowThe Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, was released on June 16, 2006.

It is a 25-year plan that aims to: Revitalize downtowns to become vibrant and

convenient centres. Create complete communities that offer more options

for living, working, learning, shopping and playing. Provide housing options to meet the needs of people at

any age. Curb sprawl and protect farmland and green spaces. Reduce traffic gridlock by improving access to a

greater range of transportation options.

Ontario Greenbelt February 2005, the Ontario

government passed a law creating a 7200 km2 greenbelt in southern Ontario

Protects environmentally sensitive land and farmland from urban development

Essential for providing clean air and clean water to cities

Trees act as “lungs” for a wide area, and filter air pollution, while rivers and streams are sources of drinking water for millions of people

The Facts Protects 1.8 million acres (720,000 hectares) of countryside,

with farming being the dominant land use. The Greenbelt extends 325 kilometers from Rice Lake in

Northumberland County to the Niagara River. The Greenbelt’s natural heritage system protects about

535,000 acres of lakes, wetlands, river valleys and forests. Habitat is protected for wildlife and endangered species

within a continuous band of green countryside. Open space is maintained for tourism, recreation and healthy

living. Over 50% of people living in central Ontario are likely to take advantage of the tourism and recreation possibilities of the Greenbelt.

The Niagara Escarpment’s Bruce Trail is connected with the Oak Ridges Trail making it possible to hike from Rice Lake, South of Peterborough, to Queenston and up to Tobermory on Georgian Bay.

The value of the Greenbelt's measurable non-market ecosystem service is estimated to be $2.6 billion annually, which is $3,487 per hectare.

Oak Ridges Moraine Created through glaciation 12,000 year ago Consists of a series of rolling sandy hills and

river valleys Sand and gravel in the moraine acts like a

giant sponge, soaking up rainwater and snowmelt which replenishes groundwater

Forms the headwaters of 65 river systems that flow south into Lake Ontario and north into Georgian Bay, Lake Simcoe,

and Trent River System

Oak Ridges Moraine

Located north of Lake Ontario stretching 160 km from the Niagara Escarpment to the Trent River

65% of the area of the Oak Ridges Moraine lies within the GTA

Rely on the moraine for drinking water, growing and grazing land, wooded areas, and aggregates (sand and gravel)

Trafalgar Moraine Rich in silt and clay 20 km long, extending from Niagara

Escarpment into Mississauga (Streetsville)

The origins of several creeks, including Fourteen Mile Creek, McCraney Creek, Sixteen Mile Creek, Munn’s Creek, Morrison Creek , and Joshua’s Creek

Oakville Official Plan Livable Oakville, is the town's official plan for the

lands south of Dundas Street and north of Highway 407, was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) on May 10, 2011.

The plan directs growth to identified growth areas while protecting the town's stable residential neighbourhoods, green spaces and employment lands to 2031.

Midtown Oakville, Uptown Core, Palermo, Bronte and Kerr Villages, and Downtown are clearly identified in the plan as growth areas. Planned growth in these areas will preserve, enhance and

protect the distinct character, cultural heritage, living environment and sense of community in

Oakville's established neighbourhoods.

New Communities of OakvilleWell designed neighbourhoods, efficient use of

existing land and flexible transportation options will make the New Communities of Oakville a more livable and sustainable community.

The New Communities of Oakville will feature: A variety of uses from residential to commercial to

employment A grid street network that offers more opportunity for

public transit and walkability Green space that is protected Off-road trail system for cyclists and pedestrians Heritage elements Managed water resources

Land Use and Zoning Details Existing Communities:

http://www.oakville.ca/townhall/livable-oakville-plan.html

North Oakville East and West Secondary Plan areas: http://www.oakville.ca/townhall/new-com

munities-of-oakville-policy.html

Your Turn... Based on the information presented today

and you current knowledge of Oakville, Ontario Greenbelt, CBDs, etc. you will be taking on the role of various stakeholders to determine their opinions the development plans in the future.

Fill in the “Stakeholders Perspectives” handout. Be sure to rationalize your decisions with

adequate detail. This will be very important for next unit when

we have a formal debate!!!