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Just what could the heart of Orillia look like in the next 20 years? That is a question that will be top of mind at a special meeting at 5 pm on Tuesday, July 17th, the next key date in Council's long-term vision for the downtown and waterfront.
Urban Strategies Inc., the consulting firm helping shape the Downtown Tomorrow project, will recommend a total of 33 strategic initiatives that the City may consider pursuing over the next two decades. The initiatives are based on input from residents and the consultant's design experts.
"The downtown and waterfront are among the city's greatest assets and play such a prominent role in the quality of life we enjoy in Orillia" said Mayor Angelo Orsi. "Hearing what people and the consultants say will help us move forward with a strategic vision for the heart of our community."
The strategic initiatives from the consultants are divided into broad categories which include but are not limited to:
• Increasing the residential population
• Celebrating Downtown's cultural heritage activity
• Enhancing the shopping and dining experience
• Creating new spaces for playing, gathering and relaxing
• Promoting Orillia and enhancing the visitor experience.
"Having such a consultative process is ideal from a planning perspective" said Ian Sugden, Orillia's Director of Planning and Development. "Hearing those ideas from people who live, work and play downtown is a great asset to this project."
One of the goals of the project is to inspire private development in the downtown and waterfront areas.
"There has been a great deal of interest in this exercise from private developers and other stakeholders in both the downtown and the waterfront area" said Dan Landry, the city's manager of economic development.
People curious to see a model of a revitalized downtown and waterfront may want to drop by the foyer at the Orillia City Centre. The consultants developed the model using ideas received during this past spring's design charrette, a four-day consultation workshop.
After hearing from Council Committee, Urban Strategies Inc. will then refine the draft vision before bringing it back to Council Chambers and hosting a public open house on the project later in the year.
For online information on the Downtown Tomorrow project, visit: http://www.downtowntomorrow.ca/
Media Contact information:
Ian Sugden
Director of Planning and Development
City of Orillia
705-329-7256
isugden@orillia.ca
Dan Landry
Manager of Economic Development
City of Orillia
705-325-4884
dlandry@orillia.ca
