Daily News

Posted on Sept. 24: Words of peace and roses among the stones

Candles representing the four corners of the world were lit and rose petals were strewn among the stones. And for a moment, there was silence. Perhaps Nina de Villiers was present among the small group that gathered in the Nina de Villiers Garden at noon Wednesday. The garden of memory was named after the young McMaster student who was sexually assaulted and murdered. The sixth annual Roses Among the Stones service for non-violence began with messages of peace and a "hoop dance" by the Kanata Native Dance Theatre on the steps of Gilmour Hall. Following this, students, administrators and faculty gathered in the garden for a candlelight vigil and a moment of silence. "When we gather for this service each year, it's an opportunity for us to think more clearly about how we can make the McMaster community a safer community," said ecumenical chaplain Carol Wood.

Posted on Sept. 24: Study examines health in the city

Exploring how health outcomes and determinants of health vary at the local level is the broad goal of a large collaborative research project recently conducted by the McMaster Institute of Environment and Health and its community partners. "We know that there are lots of things that influence our health - environment, lifestyle, health services and so on," said medical geographer John Eyles, who is the lead project researcher and the institute's director. "In Canada, most work has been done at the national and provincial levels. This research is unique as it examines these factors and health at the neighbourhood level." A survey, the first of its kind in Canada, was administered to 1,500 Hamilton adult residents, grouped into five zones in the Hamilton area: Chedoke-Kirkendall; central downtown core; northeast industrial; southwest mountain and the former City of Hamilton. Interviews were also conducted with a number of study participants in each of these neighbourhoods. The survey included questions about health status, lifestyle behaviours, social networks, community involvement, health service use, and demographic questions, including age, education, occupation or status in the workforce. People were also asked if they liked their neighbourhood, how it may be improved, and about features of their home, such as the age of their dwelling, and if it was in need of major repairs.