Making the links between community structure and individual well-being: community quality of life in Riverdale, Toronto, Canada

An inquiry into community quality of life was carried out within a framewor k that recognizes the complex relationship between community structures and individual well-being. Through use of focus groups and key informant inter views, community members, service providers, and elected representatives in a Toronto community considered aspects of their community that affected qu ality of life. Community members identified strengths of access to amenitie s, caring and concerned people, community agencies, low-cost housing, and p ublic transportation. Service providers and elected representatives recogni zed diversity, community agencies and resources, and presence of culturally relevant food stores and services as strengths. At one level, findings wer e consistent with emerging concepts of social capital. At another level, th reats to the community were considered in relation to the hypothesized role neo-liberalism plays in weakening the welfare state. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.