KELOWNA, B.C. — The City of Kelowna is using urban planning and neighbourhood design to prevent crime and make residents feel safer.
City officials noted it has a team trained in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) that regularly analyze locations of city projects, parks, neighbourhoods and new supported housing developments.
To show the design goals, the city used two examples.
Neighbourhood 1 is well lighted, has clear signs, sidewalks, bike lanes and the landscape is well maintained. Neighbourhood 2 has lots of hidden spaces, dark alleys, overgrown trees, graffiti on light poles, no bike paths or sidewalks.
“Neighbourhood 2, sounds pretty inviting — if you’re someone looking to commit crime without being seen,” said Colleen Cornock, crime prevention supervisor for the city, in a statement. “When we apply CPTED principles, we are looking at what modifications could be made to reduce opportunities for crime.”
The team uses landscaping, lighting, signs to amenities and services and mobility to create community and increase positive activity.
For some new developments, including new housing with supports projects, Cornock and her team apply the CPTED principles in the development phase, before construction begins.
For two recently constructed housing with support buildings, Samuel Place and Stephen Village, this required improving the development’s lighting in outdoor areas.
The city recently partnered with the RCMP to train various departments in CPTED principles. Rethink Urban delivered the full spectrum workshop to RCMP and city departments.
City officials stated the training will create a cross-organizational CPTED team that will triple the city’s capacity to provide CPTED audits in troubled areas and support the development and application of CPTED expertise in early planning.
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