Background
This mapping project was instigated by the Alliance for a Better Georgina with the goal of helping people in the eight distinct communities within the Town of Georgina tell their stories and showcase the value of the Georgina's communities as a way to look to their future.
The Alliance for a Better Georgina was founded in 2001 as a citizens' group devoted to helping to make Georgina a great place to live and work. Its members have sought to bring people together, to increase public awareness and to encourage greater citizen involvement. There are now approximately 100 volunteers including residents, farmers, small business operators and cottagers all led by a volunteer Board of Directors.
The mandate of the ABG is:
- To develop and advocate a vision for Georgina as a well-planned community whose people, the environment and the supporting infrastructure are in harmony.
- To focus and strengthen the ability of the citizens of Georgina to shape the growth and future of their community so that it enhances the past, and nurtures the natural environment.
- To coordinate and facilitate and encourage all interested community groups to support the organization's goals while each takes its own approach to community concerns .
This mapping project is one of the ABG's most important initiatives. It got underway in 2002 with a pilot map in the Baldwin area. Since then, community-gathered historical and environmental information has been assembled and married with existing information for this new website as well as for attractive and individualistic print format maps for six of Georgina's eight communities. Decisions about the remaining communities -- the larger population centres of Sutton/Jacksons Point and Keswick -- and how they should be mapped are still open. Please feel free to comment.
The goal of this project was to give people, for the first time, comprehensive information about the character of Georgina. The ABG hopes that visitors to this site will agree that the information so lovingly compiled by residents adds up to a most livable and environmentally-friendly place. Much of what makes Georgina special is the way natural heritage combines with social heritage, The maps capture a level of detail about these intertwined elements that only can come from people who live in an area.
Georgina will only benefit from a better sense of its past. All that is needed now, is for the people who call Georgina home to develop the confidence based on a proud sense of place to take a strong hand in shaping Georgina's future that is reflective of its roots.
For more information on this project, please feel free to contact us directly.
Steps in the Creation of a Georgina Community Map
1. Community Revs Up
Alliance for a Better Georgina contacts interested community residents who gather others to take part.
Community members meet the ABG Resource Team* to review base and aerial maps, and to start decision-making about cultural and natural sites, stories, and the community's personality.
* Alliance for a Better Georgina Resource Team: map designer, researcher/writer, GIS/Cartographer, graphic designer and project coordinator
2. Steering Committee Digs In
Community members, municipal partners and the resource team meet to approve terms of reference, identify duties, and determine key ingredients for success.
The Community establishes "teams" for information and photo collection of:
- Heritage features (includes archeological, First Nations and oral history )
- Cultural features (special places, walks, trails, rides, etc.)
- Environmental and natural features (geological, topographical, flora, fauna, wetlands, terrestrial etc.)
Interviews with residents begin.
Resource Team assembles data layers from agencies, and information from naturalists, historical society and other experts to support and augment local information
3. Resource Team and the Community Tag Teams
Map designer creates concept map; Committee checks the "style" and identifies gaps and new additions.
First draft text is created.
First draft map is created including photos and text. Wider Community group reviews, adds information.
Agencies review and approve applications of their data.
4. The Map Comes Alive
Committee and community review almost-final map.
One, two, three more times -- fact checking and proofreading.
To Printers for pre-press proof.
The maps roll off the press.
5. The Map is Complete
The Community begins sales to benefit their causes (60% to community 40% to support future maps)
The Steering Committee provides recommendations for future mapping.
6. Website Start-up
On- line mapping website is developed building from community work done
