| Until recently much of the interest in community has been centered around inclusion and integration; and exclusion and alienation. This dissertation, though, approached community from a different perspective, one that is concerned with examining and understanding the aspects of how and to what extent people create a sense of community through place. A qualitative methodology using focus group data from a phenomenological perspective was used to examine a sense of community through place, specifically an urban greenspace, Bend-in-the-River. The findings show that while members of the Bend-in-the-River community, all with diverse interests, have a strong sense of community, this is largely due to the place itself. The strength of the community is rooted in its commitment to sustainability of the concept and the everyday practice that encourages the sustainability. As stakeholders, most participants perceived themselves to be vested in Bend-in-the-River, as they bonded and bridged their social capital to achieve a sense of sustainability. This study is important because it helps expand our knowledge of the interrelationship of place and people, and the processes through which sense of community through place are perceived and negotiated---thus contributing to fields of research related to the study of communication and community. |
