The James Bay Neighborhood Association has raised an important question to consider: “What ‘quality of life’ do we enjoy or aspire to as member of Victoria’s oldest neighborhood, James Bay?”
It takes a good deal of courage to ask difficult or thought-provoking questions for which there may be many answers, depending on one’s point of reference, one’s past experience and expectations, as well as one’s attitudes towards life not to mention one’s beliefs about the world and one’s place in it.
One might start the discussion or dialogue among community members by asking, “What is the meaning of “quality of life”?
One definition of quality of life might simply be, “People’s overall well-being”.
Elaborating further on this topic, one might make the observation that quality of life is difficult to measure (whether for an individual, group, or nation) because in addition to material well-being (or standard of living) it includes such intangible components as the quality of the environment, national security, personal safety, as well as political and economic freedoms.
Thus, the goal of an organization might be to work for a community, country or world free of poverty, with poverty defined as a lack of basic human needs, such as food, water, shelter, freedom, access to education, healthcare, or employment.
In other words, poverty may be equated with an inadequate or low quality of life in the eyes of many people. And, thus using this definition, such an social or economic organization might work toward improving quality of life through a variety of means, with the stated goal of reducing poverty, and helping people afford a better quality of life.
Healthcare professionals may refer to “quality of life” as an overall sense of well-being with a strong relation to a person’s health perceptions and ability to function. On a larger scale, quality of life can be viewed as including all aspects of community life that have a direct and quantifiable influence on the physical and mental health of its members. And, they may dedicate themselves by working towards improving the quality of health care by increasing accessibility to affordable and appropriate treatment and prevention of disease. They may also work to reduce negative affects on an individual level, by disease.
Researchers at the University of Toronto’s Quality of Life Research Unit define quality of life as “The degree to which a person enjoys the important possibilities of his or her life”. Their Quality of Life Model is based around the categories “being”, “belonging”, and “becoming” – respectively, that is who one is, how one is connected to one’s environment, and whether one achieves one’s personal goals, hopes, and aspirations.
The term quality of life is also used by politicians and economists to measure the liveability or sustainability of a given city or nation. These measures calculate the liveability of countries and cities around the world, respectively, through a combination of subject life-satisfaction surveys and objective determinants of quality of life such as divorce rates, safety, and infrastructure. Such measures relate more broadly to the population of a city, state, or country, not to the individual level.
So, while it is true that an urban quality of life may include such things as traffic volumes, noise, air and water quality, public safety, and availability of parking, recreational facilities as well as health and social services, it may also include one’s ability to earn an income to sustain oneself, i.e. to pay for one’s food, shelter, and health care.
In this light, one might ask, if health and well-being are considered a quality of life issue, how many James Bay residents do not have a family doctor because of the overall shortage of physicians in Victoria and throughout the province; or, how many have been turned away by the walk-in clinic or James Bay Community Project for whatever reason?
How many people who live in fixed income find it difficult to make ends meet in the face of continually rising food, fuel, pharmaceutical and rental costs? How many young families cannot afford to live in James Bay because they cannot finance the downpayment or the mortgage, let alone cover the maintenance or repair costs and/or strata fees associated with owning a condo or a single-family dwelling?
When these questions are rarely if ever discussed in neighborhood meetings and not even posed in community surveys, it’s difficult to know what or whose quality of life we are talking about.
Perhaps if organizations providing services to the community such as the James Bay Community Project, the James Bay Community School, the James Bay Neighborhood Association, James Bay New Horizons and the James Bay Beacon Newspaper Society would engage in meaningful discussion with members of the community – those who live and work here and invest in the community – they might learn just what quality of life people want in James Bay, as well as what, where, when and how they are prepared to improve it.
In conclusion, maybe it’s time to put aside our pet projects, personal biases, and special-interest group agendas and explore our common ground for sustaining a healthy, safe and caring community. By relying on the formidable nurturing spirit of “all for one and one for all”and valuing the notion that “every little bit counts”…we can perform miracles. After all, isn’t that what make life truly worth living, be it in James Bay or anywhere else for that matter.
And in the interests of promoting further dialogue and discussion, "What does quality of life mean to you? Are you satisfied with the quality of life in James Bay? What things would you like to change that would enhance, improve or increase the quality of life in this community?"
Here at MyJamesBay.com, we’re interested in hearing your comments, feedback and opinions about all manner things related to the James Bay neighborhood of Victoria, B.C.
What things do you think should be preserved from the past? What things do you think may have an impact on the future of our neighborhood and city? What things really matter right now that you think should be addressed? Or, what "big picture" things might we wish to consider such as the meaning of life, the universe and everything in between.
So, whether you’re a frequent visitor to the neighborhood, an incidental tourist, a newcomer or long-time resident, a business owner or employee or a former resident of Victoria’s oldest neighborhood, please feel free to take part in our polls…the more the merrier. (Note: No personal flotation devices are required in order to participate in our pondering pool).
And, if you have any suggestions for poll questions, don’t hesitate to drop us a line by filling out our contact form, or leaving a comment below.
This is the first in a series of MyJamesBay Opinion Polls, aptly called "For Your Consideration".
Periodically we’ll be polling all those who live, work, play and stay in James Bay, Victoria, BC on a number of different topics.
Every place has unique natural features, a history, and as well as a man-made environment including amenities not to mention might be called a personality or a collective spirit.
To put things into perspective and get the ball rolling, here are some things to mull over or ask yourself the next time you’re sitting beside your favorite pondering pool:
1) How would you describe James Bay (Victoria, British Columbia’s oldest neighborhood) in twenty-five words or less?
2) What makes James Bay unique from other neighborhoods and places to live in Victoria such as Fairfield, Fernwood, VicWest, Downtown, or perhaps Oak Bay?
3) What things attracted you to this neighborhood (a good job, a great place to live, tourism and hospitality amenities, parks, etc.?)
So, don’t be shy, take a peek at the question below and …tick off a box or fill in the blank. Deadline for this poll is September 30, 2009!
