MANOTICK MESSENGER
The MessengerCOMMUNITY
Friday, June 21, 2019 Page 15
Task Force on revitalization of village core presents plan
The Task Force on Revitalization of the Village Core presented its draft revitalization plan to about 20 members of the community on June 12 to kick off its consultation process. The plan is the culmination of two years of research and discussion and presents a number of recommendations for consideration. The objective of the Plan is to create a revitalized Village Core that will attract visitors and residents. Manotick residents will have until September 1 to provide input on the draft plan. The plan is based on the review of previous reports, some as old as 1995, on making Manotick a vibrant village. It is also based on a series of discussions with government officials, landlords, local residents and developers as
VILLAGE
VOICE by Grace Thrasher, President, Manotick Village and Community Association (MVCA)
well as on surveys of residents, shoppers, and businesses. The results showed consistent concerns about vacant buildings along Main Street, pedestrian safety, communications, parking, signage and protecting the Village feel of Manotick. To help guide its work, the Task Force identified a Vision for Manotick as follows: Manotick is a village where we celebrate our cultural heritage and natural beauty while embracing the fu-
ture through sustainable growth. The Task Force also identified three key areas and recommendations for actions in each area: Economic Development which could include attracting new businesses, improving parking, and improving transit options. Liveability which could include improving the look of Main Street with design guidelines, upgrades to building façade and improved greenspace. It could also include improving communication about community events to local and external audiences as well as improving pedestrian access to the core. The third key area is rebranding the Village once there is progress on actions for economic
development and liveability. In identifying the actions, the Task Force took into consideration potential road blocks to some actions, the need for financial support and the need for human resources. It also divided the actions into short term and long term priorities. The short term priorities include: 1. Attract new businesses through an information package distributed through BIA and Realtors 2. Identify parking spaces in the Core and determine where there are gaps 3. Improve communication about community events through a centralized web site and signage about events 4. Improve the look of Main
Street in keeping with our heritage through design guidelines and new street furniture Longer term priorities include: 1. Improve pedestrian access through improved sidewalks, implementation of safety measures and extension of the sidewalk network. 2. Improve transit options, within the Village and between the Village and nearby suburban neighbourhoods 3. Develop a new brand for the Village The Task Force is inviting local and area residents and businesses to review the plan and provide feedback on its proposed actions. The Revitalization Plan, along with key supporting documents, can be
found on the MVCA web site at www.manotickvca.org Information session on Beryl Gaffney Park The City is hosting a presentation and discussion about the future of Beryl Gaffney Park on Monday, June 24 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. This session follows a public meeting and online consultation held last year about how to allocate over $600,000 in funds on enhancements to the park. City staff will present the results of that consultation at this meeting. It is being held at Monterey Boardroom, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA), 3889 Rideau Valley
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