Cultural planning as an instrument for locating Ontario provincial parks within the valuable landscape of a community: A case study of Sandbanks Provincial Park in Prince Edward County, Ontario

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine if the relationship between a community and the nearby provincial park can be enhanced through the use of the cultural planning process. To address the research question a qualitative approach was used which included a case study, a document analysis, a questionnaire and a series of interviews. The subject of the case study was Sandbanks Provincial Park in Prince Edward County, Ontario. The findings illustrated that there are elements and applications of the cultural planning process that can assist a community in efforts to improve or work towards establishing a relationship with its local provincial park. The cultural planning process emphasizes the use of a broad definition of culture and encourages a community to produce an inventory of its cultural resources. This helps to illustrate the value a provincial park contributes to the landscape of an area. The cultural planning process also emphasizes the importance and potential for interaction and communication between different sectors of a community, including the provincial parks. Although Prince Edward County is a leader in cultural planning, it does not yet have a perfectly interactive relationship with its local provincial park. However, the plans, policies, forums and atmosphere produced by the cultural planning have established an environment that is conducive to improving the relationship between Sandbanks and the County. Based on the findings of this research, recommendations have been made to the County, Sandbanks Provincial Park and the Ontario Parks organization. This research will contribute to the literature that exists regarding cultural planning, valuable landscape models and relationships between a community and the nearby provincial park.