The community covers the territory of 8th street to the north, Preston Avenue to the east, Adelaide Street in the south and Cumberland Avenue in the west. It also includes area stretching from 8th street in the north, Clarence Avenue in the west, and Taylor Street in the south.
There are fields, play areas and parks for the community. The road network is excellent and it is paved. It is a well-preserved residential area with no open ditches or stagnant waters. Plants add aesthetic value to the environment.
B. Parks and Recreation Areas
They include Jeffrey Park, Wiggins Park, Canon Smith Park and Holliston Park. These areas are in constant use by members of the community. They are well equipped with various sporting activities, being carried out throughout the year. There are restaurants and convenience stores within reach. The facilities do not pose any health risk and are easily accessible by those in the wheelchair.
C. Housing and Zoning
Most houses are old, as major construction began after the World War II. Most dwellings are single detached houses, with a few apartments. The homes are well-maintained with few vacant houses. It is an established community with rare for-sale signs. The housing indicates it is a middle-income area. The names of the streets are of the early pioneers. The homes are well-maintained, with no trash on the streets. The environment is clean with no signs of pollution.
D. Economics
8th street business district forms the part of Holliston northern border. Most are home-based businesses. There is an easy access for those in wheelchairs to all major stores. There is no evidence of unemployment.
E. Accessibility & Resources
Transportation is presented by private means except for a few cabs. The elderly and disabled use wheelchairs and walking aids. The streets are well-maintained with no traffic congestion. Parking is not a problem.
Health and social service agencies include Holliston Family Services and Holliston Community Children Center. There is a wait list for the services offered. The residents get most services for free while incurring fewer costs in others. They are accessible for wheelchair.
Catholic sponsored Sion Middle School was closed at the end of 2009-2010 school years. The residents hail from various ethnic/racial groups with no pattern dominating the location of the various groups.
Sion Mission School was closed due to the declining enrolment. Holliston School, located along Louise Avenue, is a public elementary school established in 1956. It forms the part of Saskatoon Public School Division.
F. Communication
Most communication is through the Holliston community’s website, which is regularly updated depending on the information. There is no local radio station or newspaper for the community. Holliston Community Association takes care of the disaster plans. Residents have home communication equipments like televisions, computers and telephones. Mails are delivered through individual mail boxes.
G. Politics and Government
Holliston is within Blackstrap federal electoral district. The area is a Municipality, within Ward 6, represented by Councilor Charlie Clark. The administrative body is the Saskatoon City Council.
H. Safety
Protective services are presented by the police and fire protection services. Sanitation services are provided by the municipal council.
Concerning the conditions of the streets, it should be mentioned that there are pavements, crosswalks and proper street lighting. The air quality is superb. Residents keep their pets within their compounds.
G. Community Evaluation Questions
Based on the observations revealed in the Holliston community assessment, it is notable that it is a well-knit community. The community is composed of middle-income residents. There is a high likelihood of diseases associated with physical health. The facilities for recreation help reduce this problem. The sporting activities also engage the youth to reduce the tendency to participate in drugs and crime.
Moving elderly parents from the farm into this community is possible, given the many support facilities present in the area. Since the parents are getting frail, movement can be hindered in terms of accessing grocery stores and other facilities vital to their comfortable stay. At Holliston, the elderly parents would feel comfortable given convenient transport system and easy accessibility of all buildings.
Given a chance, I would choose to live in this community. Some of the reasons include the clean environment, convenient transport system and activities that bring the community together. There is also high security provided by the police.
The determinants of health indicate a healthy community. They include proper sanitation, quality of the air and clean environment. Holliston community is a healthy community, due to its excellent performance in observing most of the health determinants.
One of the major strengths of this community is the ability to have activities that bring them together. This has been enabled by the formation of strong association units for all the residents. The activities include educational, social and recreational programs. Other benefits enjoyed by the community as a result of joint activities include increased security and the development of business ideas etc. One of the weaknesses is that the residents may be locked out from the rest of the world in terms of access to the information, which can be explained by the over reliance on the community website.