The Town of Okotoks held two open house sessions yesterday to give residents a look at plans intended to guide future downtown design.

Poster boards outlining each of the draft downtown urban design master plan's eight big moves were on display and residents were invited to provide feedback on the concepts.

Healing Elements Acupuncture owner and president of Olde Towne Okotoks Dr. Jared McCollum says he thinks the vision for downtown okotoks is fanstastic and the ideas are progressive.

But he points out that there's been several plans introduced over the past ten years, and he says local business owners would now like to see some action on changes.

"Our concern, as Olde Towne Okotoks, is this is another study, this is more ideas," McCollum explains. "I've been here ten years and this is the third downtown study and survey and plan on what to do. Ever since ten years ago, when we straightened out McRae and we did all the paving stones, not much has changed, not much has been done in ten years."

McCollum says he likes the concept of introducing higher-density buildings on Elma Street to bring more people to live downtown, as well as new plaza spaces to draw people to the area.

He says downtown businesses have been working together to help create successful events, like the Wizarding World of Okotoks, to bring more people to the area.

And he adds they're hoping for more collaboration as they continue their efforts to make downtown Okotoks a vibrant destination.

"We need to all work as a team; local organizations, the town and the businesses, to make these events so amazing, that we are the place to go to on the weekends and for events," McCollum says.

Town of Okotoks Senior Planner Colin Gainer says this plan addresses the need for design guidance in the downtown.

"This plan is meant to look holistically at that downtown," Gainer explains, "at those different character areas, like the historic nature of Elma Street, the more commercial and varied nature of Elizabeth Street and also that area bordering onto the Sheep River, and really look holistically at what the design thinking should be in those areas as sites redevelop."

He says they're trying to strike a balance by protecting the walkable pedestrian feel of the downtown, while also considering traffic generation for businesses.

"And I know parking is always going to be a main concern, for visitors coming to the downtown and for businesses, and there are a lot of concerns about that," he says. "And that's something that is not going to be addressed in specific detail in the plan. But as we go forward, looking at how to best manage parking across the whole downtown is going to be fundamental and we'll certainly be working with downtown groups in that regard in the future."

Gainer says residents are invited to check the draft plan out on the town's website and provide any thoughts or concerns they have to the town.

This is the final round of public consultations scheduled on the plan and feedback from the open house sessions will be used to tweak the draft Downtown Urban Design Master Plan, which will be presented to council once again in about another month or so.

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