Windshield surveys are a quick and easy way to make observations of someplace and its community. The present project aims at evaluating such aspects of the community’s life as the housing condition, quality of streets and stores, cleanliness and services, and other crucial issues. The paper contains some data about the selected aggregate followed by the findings reached in the process of the windshield survey. In the conclusion, the main aspects of the project are identified.
The Information About the Aggregate
The aggregate that has been selected for the project in Miami, Florida. The city is located in the South of the USA. Over 440,000 people live in the aggregate, their average age being 39.7 (“Miami, Florida population 2018,” 2018). The city occupies a territory of 93.21 square kilometers (“Miami, Florida population 2018,” 2018). The history of the aggregate goes back to 1896 when it became linked to the rest of the state with the help of the railroad (“Take a trip,” 2015).
There were several reasons for choosing the aggregate for the capstone project. First of all, I live and work in this area, and it was interesting for me to observe the facilities available for the community. Secondly, it was quite a challenging and rewarding goal to view the place from the professional side rather than from the point of a citizen. Lastly, selecting Miami offered an opportunity to note the strong and weak areas, which could be further used in my professional practice.
Observations
I performed the windshield survey during the day and then returned in the evening to check out for neighborhood hangouts. To make the observation more convenient, I asked my friend to drive the car. By doing so, I could take notes without any distractions. I surveyed a workday to avoid traffic jams. I put down everything I noticed and arranged the notes later to prepare this report.
The majority of the people in the community are white, but there are representatives of other ethnicities, such as Asian, African American, and Hispanic. People walk, ride bicycles, sit on the benches, or use public transport. Community members look tidy and happy; they seem to like the place where they are and the people accompanying them. The community is clean; there are many dustbins, so no one litters in the streets.
Homes are in very good condition; there are no old, dilapidated, or abandoned buildings. Streets and sidewalks are neat and have appropriate signs and options for individuals with poor vision or limited physical abilities. Public transportation is rather popular, but many people own personal cars or bicycles. There are many trees to provide shade, and there are many parks and other recreational areas where people can have rest and play some sports games. These locations are clean, and it is pleasant to observe them. Parks are situated close to living areas so that people should not spend much time getting to them.
There is no strict division between homes and business, some of the latter being situated on the first floors of the former. However, the working hours of such companies do not exceed 6 p.m., so people living close to them do not experience any inconveniences. The major types of stores are supermarkets, clothes shops, and pharmacies. The most popular businesses are concerned with tourism and traveling.
Billboards and other media most frequently advertise the services of travel agencies, law firms, property sales and rent, and healthcare facilities. Also, some billboards are informing about the upcoming events in the community. From one of them, I found out about a popular neighborhood hangout — Wynwood Arts District, which is also advertised on the Internet (Aguiar, 2017). When I visited that place in the evening, I realized that it was indeed rather popular with the citizens and tourists.
A particular place in the survey belongs to churches and healthcare services. I could see several religious institutions, including Catholic, Orthodox, Presbyterian, and some other ones. What concerns healthcare facilities, they are present in sufficient quantity. There are many dentist’s offices, recreation and social centers, and hospitals. There are several centers for young patients in the aggregate, such as Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Holtz Children’s Hospital. Healthcare institutions for adult patients are well-represented, as well, including such centers as South Miami Hospital, Mercy Hospital, and others. The majority of the facilities that I saw had emergency care units with ambulances standing at their exits.
Conclusion
The aggregate community windshield survey allowed observing people and places in Miami in natural circumstances, which excluded artificial behaviors and showed the real state of things. The community is clean and tidy, with many facilities aimed at making people’s lives more convenient and safe. There are different options of transportation and healthcare, as well as religious centers. From the observations made during the survey, it is possible to conclude that people living in Miami have many opportunities for developing their interests and are granted options for taking care of their spiritual and health needs. The project was rather useful in terms of professional development.
References
Aguiar, L. (2017). Spend a day in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. Where. Web.
Miami, Florida population 2018. (2018). Web.
Take a trip through time in Downtown Miami. (2015). Web.