The best wayfinding systems do much more than simply guide people to their destinations. They provide consistency and a sense of familiarity in the navigational system, making residents and visitors feel at home and welcome. Great wayfinding enhances the ambiance and attractiveness of the community, and it builds and promotes a community’s brand, theme or character. The new wayfinding system will provide the Town of Okotoks with opportunities to:
- promote key destinations throughout the community such as shopping districts, recreation facilities, parks and pathways;
- provide navigational support to visitors so they can more easily find their way to their planned destinations;
- help visitors discover new points of interest as they travel;
- promote a sense of civic pride; and
- facilitate the potential for economic benefits due to increased visitor traffic through local businesses and services.
Wayfinding is a spatial problem-solving process people undertake as they travel. Generally, this involves determining where you want to go, getting direction as you travel, understanding paths and points of transition, and confirming you have arrived at your destination. How you find your way is fundamental to the larger experience of a place with easy, intuitive wayfinding helping to make places feel friendly, connected and easy to explore.
