Healthy Growth

My brother stopped by for a brief visit the other evening and we drove north of Bowmanville to visit a mutual friend. Along the way he expressed his surprise at the subdivisions which have sprouted up since his last drive along the same road last summer. Our community is growing rapidly, but is it expanding thoughtfully?

The release of 2006 census figures yesterday reveal that areas such as the "905," the communities surrounding Toronto, are growing at a much faster rate than the rest of the country.

Lots of good things can happen in an expanding community, including the opportunity to reach out to those who are looking for a faith home.

Yet are these developments designed with any encouragement for the purchasers to connect in a meaningful way with the existing community? We are told by many newcomers that when they first move here this is where they sleep, but its not really where they live as they commute to and from work. What about the green space for those who take up residence? Most of the parks in this community are in the older part of town.

And where are the churches? Again, they are clustered in the established areas of Bowmanville.

It can be difficult to view urban planning as a spiritual issue, but if our faith includes all of life --including sense of place -- we need to be aware and active.