by Giselle Serafin
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC 2017) awarded grants to the City of Fresno, the Watts Neighborhood of Los Angeles and the City of Ontario, through the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program, a total of $140 million altogether with Ontario receiving $35 million for their Ontario Connects plan through a coalition with CCAEJ (SGC 2018). TCC funds community-led development and infrastructure projects that achieve major environmental, health and economic benefits in California’s most disadvantaged communities (SGC 2017). TCC, funded by Cap and Trade funds, allows the communities most impacted by pollution to choose their own goals, strategies and projects to create change. The Ontario Connects plan for Downtown Ontario (4.86 square miles) is outlined as followed:
- Emissions reductions: 19,700 tonnes of CO2e
- 101 new affordable housing units
- Increased frequency in bus service
- Transit passes for local residents
- Planting of 365 new trees
- Installation of solar panels on affordable multi-family developments and single family homes
- Over 5 miles of bike lanes and 3 miles of sidewalk construction and improvements
- New small business incubator space
- Creation of Ontario Carbon Farm, which will compost green waste from local restaurants and provide job training and fresh produce opportunities for the community
Growing up in Ontario, I’ve noticed a lot of recent changes in the city. The downtown area has already gone through a beautification project that built an interactive town square with an amphitheater and park for outdoor events. It is beautiful, and there is a lot of potential for these spaces to become more interactive for the community. The Ontario Connects plan is a good example in addressing community needs, and calling on the response of the communities perspectives of changes. The plan features collaborations with local businesses and community stakeholders like Huerta Del Valle, a community garden, to keep the Ontario community at the forefront of the plan.
On the other hand, new development does not always benefit the community. Ontario has become a center of new industry relocation as of the last 10 years bringing in new factories and warehouses into the area because of its cheap land compared to Los Angeles and Orange Counties. In general, Ontario is rated in the 95-100% highest score according to CalEnviroScreen, with ozone, PM 2.5, diesel, drinking water, and unemployment all ranking above 90 percentiles of concern (CalEnviroScreen 2018). We must not forget that new developments in industry that are currently on the rise will continue to keep air quality down and the public health of the community, especially their workers, at risk. However, access to funding specifically for green development sets the tone for positive change, and it’s excited to see green infrastructure for and by the community.