Community Wellness and Cohesion is an integral part of livability. Communities need to be a safe space for families to connect on various levels. It is important to ensure that social, cultural, and mental and physical health needs are met. This can be done through Community Centres and Institutions such as Cultural Centres and Recreational Facilities. Cultural and Recreational centres provide support, education, and help communities come together. By implementing these, a community can thrive, flourish and interact, improving the overall happiness and health of citizens.
Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre
Cultural Centres help promote art and culture in a community. Institutionalizing and prioritizing Cultural planning means utilizing unique heritage properties and sites, honouring vibrant communities, and diversifying neighbourhoods. It helps various communities feel included, safe, and even educates the general population. Historically, cultural centres were heavily funded and focused on the art sector, such as museums. The late 20th century saw a shift in what cultural planning entailed, broadening it’s definition.
Cultural Centres play a vital role in educating the public about a community’s history and honouring them. Take the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre in Burnaby, Canada for example. This institution is home to largest archival museum dedicated to honouring Japanese-Canadian history in Canada. The Nikkei Museum is specifically dedicated to the Japanese-Canadians that were systemically oppressed throughout WWII. The Canadian government put thousands of Japanese-Canadians in internment camps, stripped them of their personal belongings and properties, and prevented them from receiving education and jobs. The importance of this cultural centre is that it pays respects to a community that suffered greatly while honouring them and educating the public about it. Cultural centres help bring local communities together, bridge the gap between different communities, and even promote reconciliation.
Port Coquitlam Recreational Centre
Recreational Centres are an integral part of community wellness. Recreational Centres help promote physical and mental well-being of citizens through sport, fitness, and aquatic centres. Some even provide child care for working parents, or offer programs for children to play and socialize.
Studies show that accessibility to exercise through recreational centres in a community improve health by preventing chronic and cardiovascular diseases and helping with weight management. In additional to physical health, it also promotes mental-wellbeing by reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Furthermore, it also helps promotes social skills, making community connections and offering a safe space.