On the cloudy Sunday morning of August 18, nine Richmond families gathered at London Farm beside the dyke trail for a two-hour family design workshop. Together, we explored a simple question: What could Richmond’s dyke and waterfront become if children were invited to imagine its future?
Thanks to the support of Neighbourhood Small Grants, I was able to purchase and prepare a wide range of child-friendly model-making materials. I wanted even very young children to have the tools to express ideas that might be difficult for them to communicate through words or drawings alone.
We began by learning about Richmond’s dyke system and how it helps protect our low-lying community from flooding. Then the families gathered at the tables to imagine what else these spaces could be.
Altogether, 25 people participated, including 11 young designers between the ages of 3 and 7. Some children worked independently, while others built alongside parents and family members. There was no sample model to copy and no “right” answer. Instead, everyone explored the materials and turned their own ideas into three-dimensional models by hand.
The ideas surprised and delighted us. One child imagined a bike park on the dyke. Another connected homes, trees and bridges with power lines. Other models included tables and chairs beside the water, totem poles along the dyke, giant public art in the water, and even a snowstorm-themed park by the waterfront.
A memorable moment came at the end, when each child had the opportunity to present their creation. The children proudly explained the stories and ideas behind their models while families gathered around to listen, enjoy snacks and chat with one another.
One of my biggest lessons from this project was simple: children have a lot to say about the places where they live when we give them a way to express it. For young children, carefully selected hands-on materials can become a language of their own. Through building, they were able to communicate ideas that might have been difficult to explain only with words or drawings.
Thank you to Neighbourhood Small Grants for making this gathering possible and for creating an opportunity for Richmond families to learn, create, connect and imagine their community together.
