bridgewater downtown & waterfront master plan

Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanPrinciples Presentation

November 22, 2012Friday, 23 November, 12

Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master Plan

• Introduction

• Study Process

• What We’ve Heard

• Downtown Design Principles

• What’s Next?

• Questions & Comments

Presentation Overview

Friday, 23 November, 12

Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanConsulting Team

• Ekistics Planning and Design

• Colliers International

• SNC-Lavalin

• Form:Media



• Prepare a comprehensive long-term plan for the Downtown and Waterfront which will guide development and open space and provide detailed strategies for achieving improvements.

Project Goal


Monday, November 19 Tuesday November 20 Thursday November 2210 - 11:30 amSteering Committee Meeting

Bridgewater Days Inn

12 - 1:30 pmDowntown WalkaboutThe public is invited to join the design team on a walking tour of the downtown and waterfront.(weather permitting)Meet at King Street Court

6:30 - 8:30 pmPublic Visioning WorkshopThe public is invited to participate in a Visioning Workshop to dream ideas for the Design TeamBridgewater Days Inn

MorningYouth Visioning WorkshopA workshop will be held with students to better understand the desires of Bridgewater’s young citizens.

Bridgewater Jr/Sr High School

4:00- 5:30 pmFocus Group Workshop

Workshop for Downtown merchants, landowners, and interested organizations.Bridgewater Days Inn

6:30 - 8:30 pmPublic Open HouseThe public is invited to hear the results of the workshop and design forums.

Bridgewater Fire Hall

The Town of Bridgewater has initiated an exciting process to gather input from the community to develop a Comprehensive Downtown & Waterfront Master Plan. The consultation will include the following events:


Wednesday, November 219 am - noonDesign Drop-In

2 - 5 pmOne on One InterviewsThe study team will be conducting one on one interviews with key stakeholders.Locations TBD

6 - 7:30 pmTown Council VisioningWorkshop for Town Councillors and senior staff.Bridgewater Days Inn

The public is invited to drop in and visit with the Design Production Team to discuss and review the plans as they take shape.

Bridgewater Mall (Concourse)

Eric Shaw, Town of Bridgewater902.541-4368 ~ [email protected]

Jill Robertson, Ekistics Planning & Design902.461-2525 ext. 103 ~ [email protected]

For more information on the public consultation, or to learn how you can become involved, please visit our website:

www.bridgewater.ca/downtownplan

or contact:

Consultation Week



• Council’s Community Plan (Bridgewater Town Council, 2010)

• Municipal Planning Strategy (Town of Bridgewater, 1997)

• Municipal Land Use By-Law (Town of Bridgewater, 1997)

• Heritage Property Act (1980, amended 1990)

Planning Context: Policy Framework and Vision



• Bridgewater Downtown Revitalization Plan Master’s student project (Bluenose Planning & Design, 2012)

• Riverfront Renaissance Concept & Cost Plan (BDA, 2010)

• Active Transportation and Connectivity Plan (Terrain, 2008)

• Downtown Parking Study (CBCL Ltd., 2008)

• The Bridgewater Downtown Development Strategy (Ratcliffe et. al., 1989)

• Downtown Development Plan (Sperry Associates et al., 1981)

Planning Context: Past Plans and Studies



• Ecology & Environment

• Traffic/Circulation/Parking

• Programming & Activities

• Recreation/Open Space

• Signage/Identity/Tourism

Visioning Workshop



• Discussion Questions

• Define the Downtown (draw a line around the box)

• What are the 5 biggest challenges or obstacles?

• What are the 5 biggest opportunities?

• What three words describe Bridgewater?

Visioning Workshop



• Walkability

• Visibility of Open Space

• Where IS Downtown?

• Building Facades & Appearance

• Momentum for Change

• LOVE for Bridgewater

What We’ve Heard:



• Importance of the River

• Effectively Two Downtowns

• A Tale of Two Parkades

• Sustainable Bridgewater

• Importance of Programming

What We’ve Heard:



• History

• Connection

• Sustainability

• Identity

• Activity

• Design

Bridgewater Downtown Principles



• history as urban design inspiration

• preserve & enhance remaining built heritage

• reconnect to the river

• celebrate landmarks

History


Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanConnection

• Physical

• across the river

• topography

• to major destinations

• Social

• places to gather


Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanConnection

• Visual

• river

• parks

• downtown / mall


Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanSustainability

• water quality of the river

• stormwater management

• ‘green’ Bridgewater

• erosion control & shoreline ecology

• planning for climate change


Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanIdentity

• what IS the identity of Bridgewater?

• European Heritage

• The River

• Green Bridgewater

• Heritage


Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanActivity

• success of existing programs (i.e. sustainability festival)

• central gathering spaces

• flexibility of programmed and non-programmed places

• focus on year-round activity


Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanDesign

• streetscape improvements

• consistent material palette

• integrate Bridgewater’s identity into the urban design

• activate spaces in the downtown through design

• architectural guidance & policy


Bridgewater Downtown & Waterfront Master PlanDesign

• parking needs careful consideration

• public spaces should be diverse and occur on a variety of scales

• urban beautification!



• Comments & Questions

• Follow up Interviews

• Online Survey & Study Website

• Framework Plan

• Draft Presentation (February)

• Final Presentation (March)

Next Steps



• [email protected]

• 902.461.2525 ext. 103

• www.bridgewater.ca/downtownplan

• www.surveymonkey.com/s/downtownplan

Questions/Comments


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.bridgewater.ca/downtownplan

http://www.bridgewater.ca/downtownplan

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/downtownplan

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/downtownplan

bridgewater downtown & waterfront master plan

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