Consultants are updating the plan for the Greater Downtown area which includes the city centre, Cannery Row, Parkvale, and other areas in the river valley, south of the river.
The Greater Downtown area also includes Riverlands, where the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce has proposed a “Riverwalk” development featuring canals and water features. “At the Ideas Workshop we hope to hear the public’s impressions of the original Chamber proposal, as well as creative ideas for the other districts of downtown,” said Lorne Daniel of Grandview Consulting Inc., Project Co-leader.
The evening begins with an informal ‘downtown mapping’ exercise at 6:30 p.m. where participants will identify their favourite locations on maps and areas where improvements are needed. At 7 p.m. the workshop itself will begin.
Internationally renowned urban planner Michael von Hausen and his team of urban, landscape and graphic designers will conduct the June 23 workshop. They will then complete three days of intensive work to produce concepts and images to be presented on Thursday June 26.
“The June 26 Concepts Presentation will be a great opportunity for people to see their ideas professionally presented,” said John Hull of John Hull Architect, Project Co-leader.
The June 23 workshop and follow-up June 26 presentation will provide opportunities for preliminary input and give The City direction for development of more specific proposals to be brought back to the public in the fall.
The City of Red Deer and Chamber of Commerce are currently collaborating on a feasibility study to assess technical aspects of the Riverwalk canals proposal. The Riverwalk technical study is expected to be complete by this fall. The results will be considered as part of the overall GDAP planning process.
More information on the Greater Downtown Action Plan and June 23 to 26 community participation events are available at http://www.downtownplan2008.ca/ or www.reddeer.ca/downtownplan.
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