GODERICH DOWNTOWN CORE AREA MASTER PLAN

The Planning Partnership prepared a Downtown Core Area Master Plan and Courthouse Park Design as part of a Re-build initiative led by the community and the Town of Goderich. The project followed the August 2011 tornado that devastated much of the downtown and surrounding residential neighbourhoods.

The Master Plan provides a design and implementation framework to guide future decisions regarding the look and feel of the public realm and built form. It enhances the existing heritage character, promotes a pedestrian-scaled and animated streetscape, re-establishes an urban tree canopy and creates functional and flexible public areas for community events and programs. The study commenced with our team's delivery of a comprehensive stakeholders and public consultation strategy, which was further refined with Town staff.

The effects of the tornado, and subsequent efforts to develop a Master Plan, were issues of great importance within the local community. Our team was able to successfully gain the trust of participants and generate buy-in for the resulting Master Plan by creating an open and inclusive environment through our communications, design charrettes and online engagement program.