Building consent: funding recreation, cultural, and sports amenities in a Canadian city

Abstract

The current paper examines a Canadian city where the municipal government proposed a referendum to fund several facilities, including a cultural centre, recreation centre, and entertainment and sport centre, projected to cost the average homeowner an annual tax increase of over $150 per year over 25 years. In promoting these projects to the public, development proponents attempted to engender public support by strategically reaching out and creating partnerships with various community organizations. To explore this case, we borrow from diffusion of innovation theory and the analytical tool of social networks. Findings show how development proponents in this case relied on the formation of partnerships with community groups in order to gain legitimacy for the projects with sceptical citizens, and were successful despite the substantial increase in property taxes. Through interpersonal communication within the community, proponents mobilized support for the developments and legitimized the motivations of the pro-development members of city council leading to the adoption of the innovation.

Keywords:

• new amenities
• diffusion
• social networks
• Canada

Funding

This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council [grant number #410-2007-0150].

Notes

1. The Province where the City is located requires elector approval when local governments take on any long-term financial liability.

2. A community champion is anyone who works to start or support an initiative, programme, or project that will improve the quality of life of residents within the community.

3. Get-out-the-vote (or GOTV) is a term used to describe political activities aimed at increasing the number of votes cast in an election. It can include mailing out literature, telephoning supporters leading up to a vote, or offering transportation to a polling station on the day of the election.