Why Greater Forest Lawn?

It’s widely known that transportation is a big issue in the Greater Forest Lawn area and the research bears this out. The 2005 Calgary Children's Initiative report, “Exploring Transportation Options in Greater Forest Lawn”, identified transportation as a key barrier to families accessing health and human services programming, training and educational opportunities, and social activities.

Families experienced difficulties with public transit that included:

• Poor service to many areas
• Scheduling (especially for single parents riding transit)
• And the time spent using public transit (a parent and child might be facing a 1 to 2 hour bus ride each way, with transfers, at night, just so that the child can participate in a sport or other activity)

Car pools were one of the most-cited participant suggestions in the study. Carsharing addresses the report's conclusion that “Partcipants preferrred transportation options that also helped to address issues associated with cost, time and effort.” Carsharing has the potential of reducing time and effort while ensuring affordability.

For many people, especially single parent families, seniors, and people with disabilities, not having car means that an everyday activity like shopping for groceries is limited by distance, safety and how much you can carry.

Why Carsharing?

Having access to a reliable, affordable vehicle would allow individuals and families to make different choices:

• Shopping for healthy food at a produce market instead of the 7-11 on the corner.
• Saving money by buying household goods in large quantities at a discount outlet store.
• Going for regular medical appointments, at the clinic of your choice.
• Enrolling in an evening employment training program.
• Attending a play or concert with a group of friends.
• Having your children participate in extra-curricular activities

Socially, neighbours will build connections within their community around carsharing and other shared resources. Carsharing members will be able to get credit towards using the car by helping their neighbours with ride sharing. Having a minivan instead of a compact car will help facilitate group trips, car pooling, large grocery purchases and even moving furniture in a pinch.
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