The City of Guelph invites all interested community members to participate in a placemaking workshop on the program and function of Downtown Guelph’s streets and public spaces.
The interactive workshop, which includes a walking tour, is scheduled for next Wednesday, March 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. at City Hall, 1 Carden St.
To continue supporting growth and intensification of the downtown core, the City wants to develop the detailed vision of the community’s and local businesses’ needs for the area’s parks, squares, and streets. The placemaking discussion will help shape the short- and long-term activities and projects for these spaces. Placemaking is an urban design process that helps cities to achieve public spaces that are engaging, practical, and well designed.
“Incorporating these needs into Guelph’s future design will allow the Downtown’s public spaces to play an even greater role in energizing the city’s civic heart and local economy,” says Ian Panabaker, corporate manager of Downtown Renewal.
The City has retained internationally recognized Project for Public Spaces (PPS), a non-profit organization committed to best practices in revitalizing public spaces, to facilitate the workshop.
Input received at the workshop will lead to short-term projects and provide direction for future capital projects including road reconstructions in the downtown core, and the long-term revitalization of St. George’s Square. The community’s feedback will also be used to help update technical documents such as the Downtown Streetscape Manual and Built Form Standards.
Individuals interested in attending the workshop are asked to RSVP by contacting Michelle Mercier at 519-822-1260 x 2459 or [email protected]. Related workshop materials can be found at guelph.ca/placemaking.