Highland Park, IL vs. Victoria, BC
Welcome to this first round match-up in the fifth annual Strongest Town Competition! In this round, 16 towns are facing off, and eight will advance to the next segment of the contest based on your votes. We invite you to read the answers that representatives from these two towns provided to questions about economic resilience, citizen involvement, land use and more, then vote for the strongest.
Can’t decide? If you’re looking for inspiration, check out how we describe the Strong Towns approach, or maybe take a look at the questions that make up our Strong Towns Strength Test.
You may vote once per day in each match-up.
Round 1 voting closes at 12pm CDT on Thursday, March 12st.
Note: All entries are lightly edited for clarity and readability.
Photo Credit: Creative Commons
Highland Park, IL
Entry submitted by: Josh Nanus
What is your favorite thing about your town?
My favorite thing about Highland Park is the Ravinia Highlands neighborhood, where I live. Ravinia Highlands has small lots, and everything is walkable including parks, schools, trains, bars, and amazing restaurants. The neighborhood is very family-friendly with children always at play and, best of all, there is an amazing little beach on Lake Michigan a quick walk away. In the summer, the neighborhood also has “Food Trucks Thursdays” with live music, drinks and some of the best food trucks Chicago has to offer. Highland Park is also home to a world-class outdoor music festival, the Ravinia Festival. With its park-like setting the Festival runs from May through September and the music magically carries through the homes and neighborhood all summer long. The Ravinia Festival features world class musicians like John Legend and Roger Daltrey, and it is the summer home for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During the summer, neighbors have rotating happy hours with kids running around in the neighborhood.
What is the biggest challenge your town faces, and what are you doing to address it?
In my opinion, there are two main challenges facing the city.
One is a housing challenge associated with an aging population. The boomers are currently aging-in-place in expensive single-family homes. Because they are not selling — or asking too much — we don’t see natural turnover in the city’s neighborhoods. This makes it more challenging for the next generation to move into the city, and it hurts schools too, as enrollment numbers decline.
A second challenge is the NIMBYism of a vocal minority. Many longtime residents are resistant to change and don't understand the complexity and challenges of the modern economy. They push back on changes, which stalls out any attempt to progress as it gets dragged in the bureaucratic process.
What transportation options exist in your town for people of varying ages, abilities, and means? How easy is it to live in your town without regular access to a car? What transportation investments has your town recently made or is it in the process of making?
The city has four stops on the Metra — the commuter rail line that runs from Kenosha, Wisconsin into Downtown Chicago (Union Pacific North Line). The city has limited PACE BUS Service (regional bus service) and has two rails-to-trails bike paths that run north-south through the city.
During the summer months, it’s doable (though not necessarily easy) to get around town without a car. Some parts of the city are extremely walkable, where, within a mile, you can access restaurants, bars, salons, parks, train stations, schools, the beach, etc. Other parts of the city — specifically on the west side — are more auto-oriented and divided by the highway.
The city has recently lowered the parking minimums required for development allowing for Transit Oriented Developments. They are always looking to make the city more bike friendly and got matching grant funding for painting of bike sharrows. The city also invests its budget in ensuring the city is connected with sidewalks.
Tell us about your community's local economy. Who are the key players, big and small, and how do they help your town to be financially strong and resilient? What local businesses are you most proud of?
Highland Park is primarily a bedroom community and is home to many small boutiques and locally owned restaurants.
Mesirow Financial has a major office located in the city, and the local hospital is a major employer. Due to the proximity to the highway, the city is home to many auto dealerships which provide the lion’s share of tax revenue to the city. Other key players in the city are the local banks (Bank of Highland Park) and the Ravinia Festival, which employs a lot of high school youth during its summer season.
The local businesses I am most proud of are the mom-and-pop stores that have managed to stay open in the modern economy. These include Field Violin Shop, a one-man violin store, and Beanstalk Toys, a great local toy store which has incredible service and a playroom for the kids to enjoy while we shop.
If we took a walking tour through your town, what would we see? How does your community use its land productively to promote long-term financial resilience?
If you walked around the Highland Park downtown, you would see the bones for something fantastic. The downtown is extremely walkable, with many shops and restaurants, as well as a commuter rail station right in the middle. Lake Michigan is under a mile to the east, with beautiful old homes lining the streets. Most, if not all, of the land in the city is "developed" but the land in the downtown is vastly underutilized. While the downtown is zoned for greater density, a good portion is currently one- or two-story buildings that have retail and restaurants. There is currently under construction a 160 unit apartment building that will include affordable units and hopefully will help bring more people to streets.
How easy is it to become an entrepreneur or a small-scale developer in your town? What kinds of support are available for a resident who wants to open a business or build on a small vacant lot?
If you have the start-up capital, it’s pretty easy, though a vast majority of our commercial real estate is not on the market but rather owned by smaller developers or local property ownership groups. From my understanding, the city would love to help entrepreneurs and small-scale developers, and it is always seeking better ways to ensure what developers and entrepreneurs want to build is doable within the city code. For example, a local developer worked with the city to redevelop land that was once a parking lot and an out-of-service fire station (which was turned into a teen hangout and resource center), and is building an apartment building there. The city has two staff members dedicated to helping developers both large and small navigate the process.
At Strong Towns we believe that financial solvency is a prerequisite for long-term prosperity. What steps has your community taken to ensure its financial security? Do local leaders adequately do the math on new investments proposed in your town to ensure that they’ll be able to afford them now and afford their maintenance in the future?
From my understanding, the City has a balanced budget and looks to keep its pension liability in check and funded. When developers are looking to develop something, the city does the math to see if it will put an undue strain or burden on the city. Recently a developer wanted to add another retirement/senior-living facility and the city rejected the initial proposal. From my understanding they felt the city had too many to begin with, and they were worried about the increased paramedic and police services costs, and that it would require more staff for the city and additional paramedic equipment and vehicles.
At Strong Towns, we believe that local government is a platform for strong citizens to collaboratively build a prosperous place. How are residents in your town involved in shaping its future? How do residents’ experiences, struggles, and concerns directly inform the projects undertaken by local government? Provide one or more examples.
The city is very collaborative, and the residents are very vocal in return. The city manager and city council are always trying to get the input of the community when decisions are being made both big and small.
For example, the city was recently looking to refresh a small business district. It provided mood boards at many events over the summer. It also went to the train station during commutes to share the inspiration for street furniture, trash cans, lights, etc. They gave local residents a chance to touch and feel and provide feedback on where their tax dollars were being spent.
Photo Credit: City of Victoria
VICTORIA, BC
Entry submitted by: Julian West, Luke Mari, Todd Litman, Lorne Daniel, Erica Sangster, Dallas Gislason, Jonathan Bleackly
What is your favorite thing about your town?
The strong sense of optimism and pride Victorians have for their city. There is an ethos of momentum and progress — that we’re building a great, sustainable, livable city.
Downtown has a strong historical urban core. It’s charming, vibrant and diverse at the same time. The buildings and tree-lined streets are well maintained. We have a well-diversified and growing local economy — boasting the lowest unemployment rate in Canada (3.5%). We have world-class public spaces and more restaurants per capita than anywhere in Canada, second most in North America. Downtown is mostly pedestrian-orientated and over the last few years we have installed a AAA bike network. More than 50% of the population gets to work without a car, third highest in Canada and on the rise.
Being on the tip of Vancouver Island, we’re surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, beautiful beaches, mountains and forests. Beacon Hill Park is famous and we have a lush urban forest. You can swim in the ocean, go hiking and shop for clothes in an afternoon. Everything you need is within 20 minutes. Our climate is temperate and rarely snows or gets too hot.
Victorians have strong values and a sense of social responsibility which is reflected in our local businesses, public forums and politics. Despite our small size, we’re on the forefront of two major issues affecting cities around the world — climate change and housing affordability. Victoria aims to be an example to other cities around the world of what a strong, resilient and sustainable city looks like.
What is the biggest challenge your town faces, and what are you doing to address it?
Consistently the number one issue raised by individuals, businesses and government is housing affordability. Rents and home prices have surged beyond what many locals can comfortably afford. Over the last 10 years (2009-2019), rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the region increased 73%. Rental vacancies have hovered around 1% for many years.
Housing has become such a sustained problem that many businesses struggle to recruit and retain employees. We have a significant homelessness problem which leaves too many struggling and strains local resources. Home prices are pushing households of all types, especially families, away from the downtown core (or regional employment hub) causing more urban sprawl, congestion and CO2 emissions. All of which undermines Victoria’s progress towards sustainability and financial resilience.
In response, the City of Victoria developed a 10-year Housing Strategy, with a host of policy reforms to stabilize the housing market, make it easier to build new housing, and allow for a mix of housing types. Among other changes, a bylaw is being considered this year to allow all “missing middle” housing forms as-a-right, without need for rezoning or development permit.
More importantly, a diverse range of stakeholders are now coming together to collaborate and develop local-level solutions. Businesses, associations, non-profits, government and community organizations are all at the table, working on everything from policy change recommendations to converting individual lots into new housing units.
What transportation options exist in your town for people of varying ages, abilities, and means? How easy is it to live in your town without regular access to a car? What transportation investments has your town recently made or is it in the process of making?
More than 50% of the working population in Victoria gets to work every day without a car. 11% commute by bike, the highest in Canada and second highest in North America. Over the last few years, a protected all-ages-and-abilities bike network has been installed across the City and it has become commonplace to see retirees and families with young children ride downtown. A broader network of dedicated bike lanes feeds into the downtown core from surrounding municipalities, linking a host of neighborhoods along the way. Car-sharing, bike-sharing, water taxis, ride-hailing and other alternative transportation services are gaining in popularity and expanding.
Many neighborhoods are self-sufficient with access to groceries, local shops, parks, transit and other amenities within close walking distance, including Cook Street, Westside and Quadra Villages to name a few. Neighborhoods like these greatly reduce, if not completely eliminate, car dependency.
Victoria recently released its draft “Go Victoria” transit strategy, outlining a path towards a “sustainable mobility system [that] gives everyone access to safe, affordable, and reliable transport options”. Moving towards pedestrian-oriented environments and a transportation system based on cycling, transit and other emerging modes of transportation is now at the heart of all city planning activities.
Tell us about your community's local economy. Who are the key players, big and small, and how do they help your town to be financially strong and resilient? What local businesses are you most proud of?
Victoria is a city that competes on livability, quality of life and a well-diversified economy.
Being the capital of British Columbia there is substantial employment in government administration, creating a stable foundation for our economy. We have a flourishing tech sector, based more on nuts-and-bolts tech services (e.g. data management) than boom-and-bust start-ups. Our famously temperate climate, beautiful architecture, walkability and culture also provides for a thriving tourism industry.
Downtown and the urban villages are packed with home-grown businesses, making-up the backbone of Victoria’s economy. Social entrepreneurship is strong in the business community. Business leaders see themselves as part of a broader civil society and have values they live by. Coffee shops and breweries take sides during political protests on the sandwich boards and social media. They’re willing to spend more on environmentally responsible packaging and source locally. They’ll write opinion pieces in the local papers about climate change and social justice.
There are a great many local businesses Victorians are proud of. Some have grown on to become strong regional and international players, like Phillips Brewery, AbeBooks, Fatso Peanut Butter, Freshworks Studio and Carmanah Technologies. However, there are many more that might not be known outside of Victoria but demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship and have a strong local following — Foi Epi, Blue Fox, Brasserie l'Ecole, Standard Pizza, North Park Bike Shop, Smoking Lily and Bows & Arrows to name a few.
If we took a walking tour through your town, what would we see? How does your community use its land productively to promote long-term financial resilience?
Ocean, tress, beautiful architecture, bustling shops, people walking.
Victoria is well known for its European vibe. Old buildings are typically 3-5 stories high, with taller modern ones punctuating the skyline. You would see a mix of cars, buses, bikes, strollers and skateboards wherever you go. Mixed in with the buskers you’ll also find homeless asking for money, usually with a cleverly written sign. Outside of the downtown core rolls into mostly residential land, usually with an urban village anchoring each neighborhood.
Victoria is well “built out” compared to most cities of its size but we have more work to do in using our land productively. Municipal land development processes are long and complex — adding a lot of time and risk. 68% of residential land is still single-family zoning and building higher density faces a lot of community resistance. However, the municipality understands the importance of livability and creating a city that’s financially, socially and environmentally sustainable. More needs to be done but processes are improving and a holistic view to well-being and human needs is used.
How easy is it to become an entrepreneur or a small-scale developer in your town? What kinds of support are available for a resident who wants to open a business or build on a small vacant lot?
From a municipal policy and process standpoint, it can be very challenging as an entrepreneur or small-scale developer. Development processes are too prescriptive, time-consuming and costly. Even small development projects take years to work through zoning, permits and construction. Housing has been politicized, adding uncertainty and risk. Regulatory and permitting processes can be a challenge for other small businesses as well, although municipal processes were not identified as a top issue in the 2019 downtown business survey.
However, the environment for small-scale development is improving. There is better collaboration and transparency between the development community and City officials and staff. Several bylaw proposals coming to our city council this year that would make small-scale, incremental development much easier, less risky and less expensive, including a bylaw to allow all “missing middle” housing forms as-a-right, without need for rezoning or development permit.
Additionally, there is growing collaboration across sectors to support each other and address local issues. Academics, non-profits, developers, city planners, and others are coming together to improve housing affordability, address climate change, improve livability & wellbeing and promote economic development. Communities are organically forming based on shared values and interests, creating more creative and holistic solutions to our most pressing challenges. Unused land is being unlocked. Information is being shared. Block-level safety issues are being addressed.
At Strong Towns we believe that financial solvency is a prerequisite for long-term prosperity. What steps has your community taken to ensure its financial security? Do local leaders adequately do the math on new investments proposed in your town to ensure that they’ll be able to afford them now and afford their maintenance in the future?
Victoria’s infrastructure is amongst the oldest in Canada and population increases around 1.5% each year, together creating significant infrastructure challenges. Victoria and the broader region has also had its fair share of ambitious infrastructure projects that have gone over budget and time. Two years ago, after nearly 10 years in the making, Victoria completed the Johnson Street bridge at a cost of $105 million, $42 million over budget.
However, strong systems are in place to ensure fiscal prudence. The official community plan states that “urban growth is accommodated through strategic improvements to, and efficient use of, existing infrastructure”. Victoria’s long-term capital plan directs City staff to “give preference to projects and programs that maintain, preserve, and extend the life of existing assets as opposed to create new ones… Give preference to projects that generate cost savings… [and] keep the debt servicing charges at the current budget level by adding new debt only in the years when other debt issues are retired to minimize impact on taxes.”
By law, municipal governments in British Columbia cannot create a budget with a deficit and expenditures not budgeted in the financial plan cannot be made without amendment and community consultation, except in emergency circumstances.
At Strong Towns, we believe that local government is a platform for strong citizens to collaboratively build a prosperous place. How are residents in your town involved in shaping its future? How do residents’ experiences, struggles, and concerns directly inform the projects undertaken by local government? Provide one or more examples.
The City of Victoria follows the International Association of Public Participation principles and undertakes a substantial amount of public engagement to shape its priorities and plans — everything from the annual budget to housing bylaw changes. Public engagement has many forms, including the “Have Your Say” platform, public events, information booths, stakeholder consultations and more.
Over the last several years, Victoria has been implementing a AAA cycling network in the downtown area. The plan itself involved enormous amounts of public consultation, and the network has been installed incrementally — one segment at a time. As each segment is completed and the next is planned, the City seeks additional feedback on what’s working and what’s not. City staff stand on the street and watch people interact with the changes and adjust as needed (traffic lights, signage, crosswalk placement, etc.).
Victoria also has strong culture of self-organized advocacy groups. There are community groups for homelessness, poverty, housing, cycling, small businesses, urban gardening and everything in between. Many of these groups are well-organized and effective at working with the municipality.
The City also supports small-scale, citizen-led projects through the “My Great Neighbourhood Grant”, providing up to $5000 to improve public spaces. These grants can be used to create new gathering places, enhance lighting, improve signage or build playable spaces, among other things. These projects provide a low-cost, low-risk way for citizens to become engaged with and help shape their community.
Round 1 Match-Ups
Highland Park, IL vs. Victoria, BC | Beloit, WI vs. Wytheville, VA | Abingdon, VA vs. Sylvania, OH | Chubbuck, ID vs. Winona, MN
The other eight nominees will be revealed on Tuesday, March 10.