The active city - ten pager 1
INTRODUCTION This is Okotoks, the active city. Okotoks is a growing town in Alberta. The municipality of Okotoks is anticipating the town’s population to grow to 87,000 inhabitants by 2080. The challenge for Okotoks is how to transform into a city that is able to host these newcomers. With the expected growth of the town, new challenges will occur, related to identity, mobility, placemaking and liveliness. Okotoks is planning for a bright future, which this 10 pager, for Okotoks, is emphasizing.
Core values
The masterplan created by SHAPE for Okotoks the active city consists out of 11 core values:
Vision
The vision has been developed on the basis of extensive knowledge as well as thorough and comprehensive analyses on every aspect of the city. These analyses covered all domains, ranging from society to technology and from environment to politics. The analyses in the first phase of the project showed that the railroad and the river are the main drivers for the town of Okotoks. The Sheep River is located in the center of the town, that is why - both literally and figuratively - it forms the core identity of the town and is a main point of interest for further developments and for the town of Okotoks. Figure 1: Core values
City branding
A city lives, breathes, grows, fails or succeeds. The town will transform into a city, therefor needs a new slogan: “Okotoks, the active city�. To let Okotoks succeed in becoming a city, a new image will make Okotoks more attractive. Okotoks the active city resembles the people living in Okotoks, rather than only the physical appearance.
Figure 2: New logo Okotoks
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By improving the image of Okotoks and increasing an active lifestyle, a new logo is designed (see figure 2). With the new slogan, efforts can be made to improve the image of Okotoks. the OKO part of the logo can be displayed along active pathways, as shown and explained later in this report. The logo also shows the river in the letter S, thus respecting the old logo of Okotoks. This logo will be used as city branding tool, to make Okotoks recognizable and to promote the active lifestyle within the city.
THE ACTIVE CITY The active city prepares Okotoks for the future. Active connects all values to reach the goal. The masterplan has been split up in three themes and different focus areas (figure 3):
• MOVE YOUR FEET; • HEART OF THE CITY; • GROWING THE MUSCLES.
Figure 3: 3d map with focus areas
Participation and co-creation
To transform Okotoks into a city, Okotokians should be involved to create their dream city. Letting Okotokians participate in designing phases. More than participation, letting Okotokians share their vision and ideas. This can be done by making public space available. Other parties such as businesses should also be able to come up with ideas and work together with the city of Okotoks to change spaces into places. Monthly sessions and an online platform will encourage Okotokians to take place in the transformation and be actively involved.
Communication
The Okotoks Today is a large news source. Large and important events should be put in it. To inform more people in Okotoks, the Okotoks newsletter should be changed towards a more newspaper like layout. Including reflective articles about events that have happened. The usage of the website of Okotoks could be improved. A platform on the website could improve the involvement of people by offering them a place to share their ideas. Also, this platform can be used to organize events and get things done.
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HEART OF THE CITY Want to go shopping? Head downtown Okotoks. A lively place with many facilities, restaurants and shops. Meeting people in downtown or in the park along the river. Combine the trip with sports or enjoy the nature. Downtown will actively function as the heart of the city where people can enjoy life and meet each other.
How?
Figure 4: Impression of new downtown
Together with Okotokians downtown will be improved to give pedestrians and cyclists more space. Creating squares and other areas to give room to events, markets and sporting people. The shopping facilities will benefit from the increased amount of people on the street. A more attractive place gives create potential to grow and expand. The space outdoors can be used by restaurants and others. By connecting the Sheep River Park with downtown a large area can be used by foot, bike and other active modes. Since the park is only accessible by foot or by bike, this creates a relaxed and cool atmosphere for all Okotokians at the heart of the city. Moreover, a place which is lively at any time of the day, throughout every season of the year. It should also contribute to the active, sportive and healthy image that Okotoks aspires to.
Figure 5: Sheep River Park during winter
Triangle principle: the iconic triangle and typical little square of Okotoks, with the clock in the middle, will form the backbone of the new design of downtown. Traffic bollard: a test will be done with a traffic bollard whether is works to cut off the main street to make it more pedestrian-friendly and more attractive, these barriers which can automatically be raised and lowered. A good communication strategy is a pre, because it will influence local shops and visitors. All seasons: throughout parts of the year lovely colors are displayed in the park by flowers and lighting. This will attract people. To make the area attractive during colder times of the year, when temperatures get below freezing point, the water can be used to sport on. Natural ice hockey fields, ice-skating courses, cross country skiing and curling can be put in place. These same places can function during summertime as a fishing pond or swimming area (see figure 5).
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MOVE YOUR FEET Go outside and look around. See people move, sport and having fun outside. Creating places so people can connect at every time of the day and every moment of the year. Enjoy and contribute to the nature and calmness of Okotoks, and overall quality of life.
How?
Get out of the car by increasing connectivity for cyclist and pedestrians. To have places in Okotoks to go. By giving people the opportunity to more modes of mobility, such as public transport, to improve travel options and traffic flow. Traffic cuts: To make it more appealing for people to take for example the bike instead of the car some radical changes are made. Several roads are cut by diverters such as Downey Road, Cimarron Drive, Woodhaven Drive, and Banister Drive.
Figure 6: New infrastructural design
Design with all: To attract more Okotokians with the development of public transport, Okotokians can design bus stops. Resident meetings can be arranged to design the best bus stop. This contest will be supported by professional designers. As a result, Okotokians shape the system and are actively involved.
Figure 7: Hole in one, tactical urbanism intervention
Increased usage: To increase the number of users of active modes, several interventions are proposed. These measures are mainly focused on the soft side, such as a cycling ambassador, which promotes cycling in the city. An OKO chipcard can be of great importance in the attractiveness and convenience of the usage of the public-transport network. Infrastructural design: Sheep River Crescent has an active connection to the numerous active pathways along the Sheep River and throughout Okotoks. By making clear where people can walk and ride their bike throughout the city of Okotoks more people can be attracted. One uniform infrastructural design, with color and signing, will actively contribute to the active city of Okotoks (see figure 6). Hole in one: To actively enhance movements and reduce speeds within the city, street corners will be used differently. The corners can actively be used, and create spaces to implement miniature golf, benches or other creative solutions which could promote the active identity of the city (see figure 7).
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GROWING THE MUSCLES Okotoks is a growing city. A clean canvas creates new opportunities. Calmness and liveliness will be the main drives of theses expansion areas. A gradual expansion will increase active movements and facilitated the current and new inhabitants of the city of Okotoks. One new expansion area will host approximately 8,000 to 10,000 new residents. In total there will be 6 or 7 new expansion areas needed to accommodate the expected growth. The dynamic development will host all needs of an independent city and will create a vibrant city life.
How?
By actively using Okotokians in the he design process, by participation and co-creation, the new muscle of the city will be created. These processes will contribute to a circular design for the city which will be gradually expanded. The main infrastructure will function as vain and will promote the new active lifestyle and identity of Okotoks (see figure 9).
Figure 8: Impression of expansion area
Transport hub: a central place is the gate for a new area. This point will be used to change mode of transport. A bus stop with bicycle
Figure 9: Location and conceptual design expansion area
parking can be seen as a hub. From these hubs an active network connects into the area. These newly built active pathways will add upon the recognizability and wayfinding. These hubs are strategically placed among points of interest, such as school and local facilities. A high density around these hubs ensures that usage is possibly higher. Meeting place: stacking buildings will create more public space for the same density. Spaces can be used as dog park, restaurants and cafĂŠs (see figure 8). Mixed use pocket: besides meeting places and transport hub there are mixed use pockets located in the area. These places have functions bundled. Sport facilities, hairdressers and local supermarkets can be placed there. Development boost: the last, but maybe even most important step, is to reflect and check on the developments that have been done. Thereby giving spaces meaning and so, making it a place an active and dynamic city.
Public transport
Car infrastructure
Bicycle and footpaths
City boundry
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TIMELINE
CONCLUSION
Short term 2020-2025
The active city of Okotoks will help reach Okotoks’ goal to household 87,000 people by 2080. Okotoks will need to create an attractive place, where people want to go to, stay and interact. In this transition Okotokians should be actively involved by shaping their city.
In the early developments of Okotoks, the image of the town will be improved. This will give the opportunity to improve active modes such as cycling, walking and public transport. Starting with small scale interventions, tactical urbanism, such as transforming street corners into miniature golf. Nonetheless also by redesigning parts of the Sheep River Park and Downtown.
Medium term 2025-2035
After the first improvements, more challenging and bigger steps can be taken. Also, this is when the expansion of the town can take place in combination with an improved infrastructure network for cyclists and public transport. The attractiveness of the riverside and downtown could be increased by redesigning downtown and parts of the park.
Long term 2035-2080
To household all 87,000 people, Okotoks will have to make an attractive and inviting downtown with a connecting park. With all the new developments, the infrastructure will be improved throughout the whole city. New initiatives will be implemented such as extensive public transport network and cycling infrastructure. This to accommodate all the new inhabitants of the active city of Okotoks.
MORE INFO
Would you like to receive more information, please feel free to contact the team of SHAPE at: shape.space.place@gmail.com 10
Two important places that can change the image of the city are the Sheep River Park and Downtown. These places have high value and can add quality to the town. By giving space to pedestrians and cyclists there is more room for other things, such as events, sports and markets. Mobility in combination with the green characteristics should strengthen each other. Cycling and public transport should become more appealing to use as a mode of transport. Infrastructure with clear layouts, signs, color, lighting and wayfinding should improve the use of these modes. It is also important to get Okotokians familiar with these modes of transport and qualities in Okotoks. New developments should go gradually. A new area gives the opportunity to design it for the Okotokians and future. By adding facilities and daily needs into the city Okotoks will be less depended of Calgary, the new expansion areas are a clean canvas for these developments. Currently Okotoks is already an active town regarding sports and community, however with this new advise Okotoks will become the active city, with the needs for everyone.