Equity in Resilience Hub Design and Transportation through Community Discussions

Abstract

This research highlights transportation, placement, and features of resilience hubs preferred by underserved populations, using Edmonton, Alberta as a case study. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with eight different underserved populations (n=52), and thematic analysis was performed to determine common themes and inform equity-centered engineering design. By talking directly with community members, we found that resilience hubs should be placed in locations that are easily accessible by walking or public transit, and additional infrastructure is needed to meet users’ needs. Most underserved participants prefer locations that are close to their neighborhood, indicating a proximity-based approach for future implementation.