OKOTOKS DOWNTOWN URBAN DESIGN MASTER PLAN
EIGHT BIG MOVES
1
PLAZA AND OPEN SPACES
2 GATEWAYS
3 GREEN MAIN STREET
4 VETERANS WAY AND DAGGETT STREET
The development of a new public plaza has been identified in previous studies as important for the Downtown. A public plaza could host large events and provide a centre of civic identity for the town. The plaza would act as a meeting place and be lined with shops and cafes to animate the space and attract both visitors and residents.
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The creation of a distinct and attractive gateway into the town centre of Okotoks will welcome residents and visitors alike. Gateway elements will highlight the existing characteristics of areas such as Elma and the Riverfront, as well as guide people into the new public plaza. Blank facades and inactive spaces will be enlivened with public art installations, demonstrating the Town’s creativity and supporting its aesthetic quality.
The transformation of Elizabeth Street and other main streets across the Downtown into a continuous green main street will reinforce sustainability. Sustainable urban design approaches incorporated into the green main street include street trees and absorbent landscaping such as bioswales. These design strategies benefit the ecological health of the town as well as the social and cultural advantages gained from a vibrant pedestrian environment with widened sidewalks.
The redesign of Veterans Way will allow for larger outdoor events at the Okotoks Municipal Centre and will reactivate the public space. This space could be closed off during larger events to provide a larger venue. Designating Daggett Street as a pedestrian-priority street would allow for businesses to front both streets.
