Onaping Falls is comprised of three communities: Levack, Onaping and Dowling.

The Onaping Falls Community Action Network is a group of dedicated residents from our three communities who meet monthly to discuss and act on issues that affect us all.

OFCAN is one of 15 Community Action Network groups in the City of Greater Sudbury.

Everyone is welcome to come to any meetings, take part, voice your opinion and make a difference.

Together we are a strong voice!

Community Action Networks
Community Action Networks bring people together to build a Healthy Community.  Healthy Communities are strong and vibrant.  They emerge from the collaborative efforts of citizens who care about where they live and want to make their neighbourhoods the best they can possibly be.  Community Action Networks provide resources to make this happen.
People have collective needs and concerns.  Instead of saying ‘why doesn’t the government do something’, when a problem arises, they are as likely to say ‘what are we going to do?
The City of Greater Sudbury recognizes the following benefits in establishing and supporting Community Action Networks:
CANs enhance the overall quality of life in Greater Sudbury in social, environmental, and economic sectors.
CANs enable citizens to participate, appreciate, and fully understand the services offered by community organizations and groups.
CANs help to identify community needs and establish co-operative working relationships.
CANs promote democracy and inclusiveness by giving participants (community members, City Council, and City staff) a unique vehicle to work in harmony toward common goals.
CANs provide a mechanism for planning at the community level by identifying the different projects with which individual Community Action Networks will be involved.

Background:

On June 10, 2001, City Council unanimously adopted recommendations from the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Involvement and Volunteerism, including a recommendation to initiate Community Actions Networks. Working in partnership with the Sudbury Roundtable on Health, Economy and the Environment, the City of Greater Sudbury introduced the concept of CANs to help in the planning, budgeting and implementation of community initiatives. CANs were also identified as a valuable resource in the encouragement of civic engagement within Healthy Community Strategy and the Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for sustainable Development.

CANs bring people together to build a healthy community giving each resident an opportunity to have their voice heard at City Hall. Residents in the former outlying areas felt disconnected from the City. CANs were established to help provide a better line of communication between the community, Council and City staff. Such groups embody the values of Active Living, Health Lifestyle, Natural Environment, Economic Growth and Civic Engagement/Social Capital.

Community Action Networks are not ratepayer associations, groups focusing on a single issue or mandate, political entities, policy creators and are not responsible for City personnel.

Community Action Networks are community driven and lead by residents. A CAN is non-profit in nature and is open and transparent to the public and strives to represent the broad interests of the community. Each CAN encourages active participation from all residents across a variety of ages and interests and reflect the cultural diversity of the community.

Each CAN will strive to engage the various service clubs and associations and businesses within their area.

City Support
The City of Greater Sudbury supports local CANs by providing:

meeting space
a CAN reference manual
office space
printing of 3 newsletters annually
inclusion on the City’s website
promotional space in the Leisure Guide
liability coverage for approved CAN activities
frequent CANmail
annual funding of $2500 per year
monthly attendance by a representative of the City

Accomplishments:

Since its inception, the Onaping Falls Community Action Network has been proud to play a role in the following (in no particular order):

planter boxes in downtown Levack and Dowling
replacement of pennants on poles in downtown Levack
more garbage receptacles in our three communities
improved street lighting on RR#8
creation of the Rio Encore Theatre
supported retention of the I.J. Coady Memorial Arena
creation of a Pump Park for bicyclists (in Levack)
improvements to the outdoor skating rinks in Onaping and Levack
seasonal events in our communities
a community improvement plan for local businesses
a skateboard park at the Dowling Leisure Centre
equipment for the Teen Centres in Onaping and Dowling
improvements to the gymnasium in the Onaping Community Centre

Future Goals:

The Onaping Falls Community Action Network welcomes new initiatives brought forth by community residents.

Your OFCAN has set the following goals and welcomes more:

retention of and improvements to the Onaping Falls Community Centre

splash pad/creative playgrounds for  Onaping
improvements to the Pump Park in Levack
continue support for local initiatives