Okotoks Downtown Vitalization

Fall 2020 – Winter 2021

The Town will work with the public to understand the community’s desired look and feel for North Railway Street. At this stage, rough illustrations and preliminary 3D renderings are used to show initial ideas and potential designs.

Engagement

Initially, the Town will be asking community members and businesses about what priorities should guide the design of the streetscape improvements. Once we understand which priorities are important to community members and businesses, and weigh them with the priorities identified by the Town for the project, the project team will develop two illustrative options for the project corridor.

We will share these two illustrative options with community members and businesses. At this stage, we will be asking participants to help us understand which illustrative option for North Railway Street they believe includes the streetscape elements that best reflect the design priorities initially identified by community members and Town staff.

How Your Input Will Be Used

The input received during this initial stage will contribute to the list of priorities the Town will use to design the streetscape improvements; once the illustrative options are developed, public input will help the Town understand and select which option best reflects these design priorities.

What We Heard Report One

As part of the Downtown Vitalization project, administration asked for community input through an online survey from November 2- 16, 2020. This first public participation opportunity was step one of a multi-step engagement process. Key findings and verbatim results from the survey have been summarized in the “What We Heard Report One.”  To review, please click the button below.  These results, along with stakeholder input from upcoming public participation activities and other considerations, will be used to inform the design for this project.

What We Heard Report

Spring 2021

The Town will use the information collected from the residents, businesses, affected property owners and Town staff to make the selected streetscape design for North Railway Street and Triangle Park work on-the-ground. This step involves the development of detailed drawings that outline how deep utilities, landscape and streetscape components will be built by contractors. When this step is complete, the project is shovel ready.

The Town will be completing the detailed drawings that will make the selected illustrative option come to life. This involves ironing out the details, finalizing measurements, and selecting appropriate materials.

Engagement

The Town will not be seeking input from the community on the detailed design work.  Instead, the Town will be asking affected community members and businesses about the ways that the Town can partner and support the economic vitality of North Railway Street and support business continuity as the construction schedule is contemplated for the following year.

The Town will use the input received from community members and affected businesses to inform the timing of the project construction schedule.

Fall 2021 – Fall 2022

The Town will construct the project, including deep utility replacement, landscaping, and streetscape improvements.

Engagement

• The Town will use established communication channels to share construction schedule and promote business activity in the downtown.  
• The Town will be informing the public of the upcoming and ongoing construction work.
• The Town will be working with affected community members and businesses to address construction-related questions and impacts.