In April, Ms. Brocks Geography 1 class took a field trip to Agricola Street and surrounding areas to do their gentrification fieldwork activity. For this activity, the students were asked, "To what extent has Agricola Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and its surrounding area been gentrified?"
The students gathered data to answer the question and help them develop fieldwork skills for their IB assignment, and deepen their understanding of the gentrification process and how it has impacted the community.
Gentrification is the process of a low-income, typically urban area, coming under new developments to change the look of the area to attract new residents and businesses, which is at the cost of low-income families and individuals being displaced from the area due to a rise in living costs from the gentrification process.
The students walked around Agricola Street and the surrounding area to discuss the details of the neighbourhood and how gentrification has taken place there throughout time. The assignment required the students to be observant and critical of the apparent changes in the community.