REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY BYRON PETERS

ABOUT ME Director of Planning and Development BACKGROUND HOMETOWN TEAM TITLE Mennonite La Crete, AB Blue Jays

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY THEORY While decisions pertaining to economic development and to land-use planning and design are intuitively interrelated, the conventional approach has been to address the relevant policy documents, whether it be an economic development strategy, a municipal development plan, or a streetscape design, in isolation. This project uniquely combines what would typically be three independent projects into one, while promoting an interdisciplinary approach. The rationale to combine the projects was informed by the realization that the process required to achieve success were the same for each of the components. 3 Separate Projects Interdisciplinary Approach Similar Processes

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY GOAL Economic Development Strategy for the entire County and Streetscape Design guides for two hamlets Create a multi-dimensional vision, goals and strategies that the County and individual hamlets within the County can all actively work towards, that will have a real impact on items like; community pride, sense of place, social capital, business retention & expansion, people retention & attraction and investment attraction The components of each helped to inform the other

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 101 OPERATIONAL PLAN 3-5 year operational plan to direct daily initiatives of the EDO Economic Development DECISIONS Establish decision making and funding priorities RESOURCES Define resource requirements TIMELINE Identify timelines for key strategies POLITICS Establishes political buy-in

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY STREETSCAPE 101 LA CRETE LA CRETE Create complementing streetscape design and façade standards for the harsh 100 Street corridor and the Downtown Façade Design and Streetscape

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY STREETSCAPE 101 FORT VERMILION FORT VERMILION Create a streetscape and façade design for River Road and the Downtown that builds on the existing character and heritage Façade Design and Streetscape

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY INITIATION Received many great proposals Needed to extend deadline Consultants needed to create new partnerships Start: 3 Separate Projects Combine Projects Receive Proposals Originally budgeted as three projects Drafted two separate RFPs LIGHTBULB! Both RFPs called for community visits and a similar scope of public engagement Why not combine the projects to eliminate the methodology/ engagement overlap?

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY LET’S TALK Business Conversation IMPACT Street Traffic Foot Traffic Assessment $$ CONCERN These topics don’t really influence streetscape, but are real concern for businesses DISCUSSION Viewpoints are heard, counted, and considered

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY LET’S ENGAGE Project Identity Created Steering Committee Key Stakeholder Sessions One on One Interviews Open Houses Project Website Community Sounding Boards Community Advisory Committees What We Heard Reports School Presentations

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY STREETSCAPE 201 LA CRETE Currently in the process of taking latest community feedback and creating a final concept Design goal is to create a clean cut, workman-like identity DOWNTOWN GATEWAY FEATURE

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY STREETSCAPE 201 FORT VERMILION Currently in the process of taking latest community feedback and creating a final concept Design goal is to capture the natural and historic features and make the community ‘pop’

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY = + LET’S PRESENT Façade Design and Streetscape Economic Development Holistic Placemaking

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY What most drives people to love where they live (their attachment) is their perception of aesthetics, social offerings, and openness of a place. PLACEMAKING FUNDAMENTALS Placemaking ‘Softer sides’ of place matter to economic development Important & significant correlation between how attached people feel to where they live and local GDP growth

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY Uses and creates social capital PLACEMAKING TAKEAWAYS 1.Optimize Place 2.Lead with Strengths 3.Place optimism matters 4.Young talent is leading 5.Corporations already know this 6.A solution for the growth and no-growth tug of war 7.You’ll see impact sooner 8.It’s totally scalable 9.The power of place Placemaking

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY KEY TAKEAWAYS Façade Design and Streetscape Economic Development Placemaking Resilience, Renewal and Reinvention Remote, rural Alberta is resilient The project is about community renewal Project approach is about reinventing the typical thought process Project combined what is normally three independent projects into one, dictating an interdisciplinary approach. Realized that the processes required to achieve success were the same for each of the project components.

REDESIGNING THE APPROACH FOR ECONOMIC RENEWAL MACKENZIE COUNTY QUESTIONS & CREDITS Project Partners: O2 Planning & Design | InnoVisions & Associates