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CCPS FOCUS GROUP SUMMARY:
Southwest Quadrant Homeowners Association
Monday, September 8, 2003
Twenty-five members of various homeowners associations in the Southwest Quadrant met on Monday morning, September 8th to discuss their vision and ideas for Carlsbad's future.
The themes that emerged from this two-hour meeting included thoughts on what Carlsbad should include as it grows and matures:
Participants were asked to focus on four topics -- Connections, Community, Place and Spirit -- and what these concepts mean in Carlsbad. Here are their ideas:
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the warmth of the community |
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a walkable community |
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opportunity to interact with others |
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the development of other/new coalitions |
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acceptance |
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recognition of community diversity/roots |
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importance of building pride |
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incorporate a place for all ages |
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more mixed use [sites] - social, home, work |
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City [should] facilitate private enterprise |
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look for more volunteer opportunities |
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more community involvement |
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generate interest of [future] generations |
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"Family" Center a la Senior Center |
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better parking/public transportation for downtown |
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services important for creating community |
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new resident open houses |
Connections
How can you connect with others In the community? Shared meeting space; need to reach new communities; community vision; connect with social/interest activities; values to bring to associations; connection through jobs, interests, events (concerts); volunteering; sports; neighborhood connection; convenience is a factor; need advanced publicity.
Community
What does community feel like? Friendship; closeness; compatibility; familiarity; interaction; support of others; be open to others - all these create community. Common activities help create community, a "commonness". Creating community involves making people feel included, welcoming new people into your community, holding neighborhood get-togethers, block parties, unifying events. These are opportunities for involvement, for engaging others, for recreating with others.
Place
What qualities create great public spaces? Inviting; variety; feasibility; gathering place, a reason for being there (TGIF, dinner, etc); the services provided. Places in Carlsbad that exemplify these criteria include the Dove Library and the Senior Center.
What spaces do we need in Carlsbad? A civic center with localized services; a larger senior center; a city "centerpiece"; a municipal auditorium; a center not just for seniors (i.e. new citizens); an art center using private industry; make Hadley's into a Henry's; need spaces for families (new swim part will incorporate these groups); special qualities of spaces include parks, oceans, trail system. Future connections should include circular meeting places (not linear); a walkable community; mixed use spaces (combine work, social, home); a village. Need to be more business (retail) friendly, not elite; too expensive now.
Spirit
What is required of us to deepen community spirit? Recognition of the importance of pride in the community; recognition of ethnicity, community roots and history. Ask yourself: what is this community about? what is its character? what is Carlsbad becoming?
We should also have a sense of connectedness. The SW HOA is an example of the sharing of similar experiences. Communication and knowledge are important components of connectedness (example: Palomar Airport County Television Network). The community should establish (and the government should facilitate) the establishment of coalitions in the other quadrants of the city.
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For further information contact:
City of Carlsbad
Connecting Community, Place & Spirit
1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad CA 92008
(760) 434-2820
Email:
Contact Us | Connecting Community, Place & Spirit
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