Nelson’s Market Tucked back in the quaint York neighbourhood of Bellingham, WA is Nelson’s Market.    This small convenience store and cafe is a hub of hospitality and neighbourly connection.  From the surprisingly positive signage on the outsid...

I walked into the Community Resource Centre in Powell River and was warmly greeted by Eric. My attention was immediately drawn to the beautiful stone fireplace and glowing fire. There were people on computers, cooking in the kitchen and hanging holiday decorat...

Stories and pictures build community and create understanding. Through them, people who have taken different roads to create a home in Vancouver are able to share memories and create a lived history of place and space. Project CLIC: Creating Liveable and Inter...

“Business should be a part of and build community” were the words of Joon, the new manager at the Waves Coffee shop at 2588 Main Street in Vancouver. Over the past few weeks, a it’s like a wave of hospitality has become noticeable here. Yesterday I n...

Selecting and hiring people to be Community Connectors can be a difficult task. What type of experience and education should the applicant have?  Does the person need to be out spoken and an extrovert?  How can I find the right person? I recall John McKnight...

I spend a lot of time in neighborhoods. Recently, I came across this very creative use of a traffic island. In the middle of the island, there was a board with a book swap on the top shelf, a variety of announcements and a couple benches for neighbors to spend...

In Kitchener, Ontario city planners have been exploring ways to increase the possibility for connections and how to make the city more livable for its citizens. They have created incentives for patio areas at restaurants during summer months, created communal ...

Since coming to Vancouver I have loved exploring the local groceries and cafes that are found in almost every area. None of the places I have visitted have been more welcoming and beautiful than The Mighty Oak Grocer and Café at 19th and Columbia in Mt Pleasa...

Last week, I  had a conversation with with a lady who did not know any of her neighbors. She told me stories about how she had been so busy for so much of her life she did not have time for them.  In a tone of regret, she admitted that she had not seen then ...