Essay on Community Assessment: Prevalence of Poverty in Spryfield, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Located just a few kilometers from the city center of Halifax, Spryfield is considered as an urban community with easy access to both natural environments and commercial/business structures. In terms of community health jurisdiction, Spryfield falls under Community Health Network 2 or the Chebucto Community Health Team. Spryfield is a great neighborhood to live in in terms of accessibility to essential establishments. However, just like any other community, Spryfield suffers from a number of health issues. One of which is the prevalence of poverty.

This paper is aimed to present the issue of poverty in the community of Spryfield. A community assessment was conducted to be able to understand and create a snapshot of Spryfield as a community. Determinants of health within the community that contributed to the issue of poverty will also be discussed. Programs that are in place to help solve this issue as well as the role of the Community Health Nurse will be presented in this paper.

Community Assessment

The community assessment was accomplished through different methods. Observation of the community was done through walking and driving around the neighborhood. Online information about the health demographics of the community was also utilized as well as online news articles. Finally, interviews were conducted with neighbors and members of the Community Wellness Centre.

Locale/Structure

Spryfield Community in Halifax, Nova Scotia is abundant with the natural environment and built environments. Natural bodies of water such as lakes, streams, ponds, and a river are found within this community (We are Spryfield, 2006). As I was driving around the community, I was able to come across a lot of greenery. Even though Spryfield is just outside the city center of Halifax, it doesn’t feel like you are living in an urban area because you are surrounded with nature.

Spryfield has several grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors’ offices, banks, restaurants, barbers, hairdressers, veterinary services, and other establishments all within a 5 to 10-minute drive. You will find most of these establishments along Herring Cove Road and Dentith Road. The area surrounding these two roads is considered the center of the community. There is a Community Wellness Centre located at the Spryfield Shopping Centre where residents can access various health services.

Most of the apartment buildings in the area are run down and need repair or renovation. I live in one of these apartment buildings and when I moved in, the unit was in really bad condition. The condition of the hallway also reflects how old the building is. It took a lot of convincing in my part to have the owner do repairs. In an interview, G.McGillis, a fellow churchgoer, mentioned that they have the same issue in their apartment building (personal communication, March 8, 2020). Most housing in the community whether rental or owned appears to need major repairs. There is one public housing community located in Spryfield which is Greystone (Capital Health, 2014).

Captain William Spry Community Centre which has a pool and meeting rooms is one place where residents of the community congregate. People also congregate in various churches with different religious affiliations. I was able to go to two of these churches and it is where I met the residents of Spryfield. It is also where I felt a sense of community.