Downtown Urban Design Strategy: Keeping
Keeping it Kimberley
The Downtown Urban Design Strategy: Keeping it Kimberley was prepared through an analysis of existing conditions, opportunities, and constraints and multiple rounds of engagement with residents, community members, organizations, and businesses to identify ways to increase inclusivity, resilience, and liveability in anticipation of the future needs of the community.
A vision and set of guiding principles were prepared to guide the development of concepts for key areas of the plan. The final plan is intended to direct future investments in Kimberley's Downtown that will work towards the realization of the vision and guiding principles.
Introduction
The following pages propose the vision and principles for Downtown Kimberley which were developed from two rounds of public engagement, related planning documents and best practices for downtown plans. The following preferred framework and designs have been created to continue to support the vision and guiding principles of the Downtown Urban Design Strategy: Keeping it Kimberley.
Policy Background
Relevant Planning Policy Documents:
• Official Community Plan (2017)
• Active Transportation Plan (2021)
• Housing Availability and Affordability Zoning Amendment (2022)
• Resort Municipality Initiative - Resort Development Strategy (2022)
• Wayfinding - Signage Strategy (2018)
Site Images
Guiding Vision & Principles
“ ”DowntownKimberleyisagoodplaceforpeople.The thrivingeconomicatmosphereandvibrantcharacter ofthePlatzlextendsandweavesitselfthroughthe downtowncreatinganinclusiveandsafeplacefor peopletogatheranytimeofday.
Itisfun,easy,andsafetotraveltoandwithindowntown becauseinfrastructureimprovementshaveanticipated andmettheneedsofagrowingpopulationdrawnto Kimberley'sdistinctstyle,entrepreneurialopportunities andloveoftheLandandWaterthatsupportsitall.
Guiding Principles
MOBILITY
• Ensure mobility options for people of all ages and abilities are included in the downtown transportation network including walking, biking, and transit options
• Create safe access to, through, and around downtown for all modes of transportation
• Ensure people of all ages and ability can access downtown comfortably and safely by foot or by wheel
SENSE OF PLACE LIVABILITY
• Provideinclusiveand welcomingspacesfor residentsandvisitorsofall ages,lifestyles,and abilities
• Prioritize spacesfor peopleinthedowntown thatcreateplacesfor memorableconnection
•Fosterenhancementsthat reflectthediversehistory oftheCityandcelebrate communityidentity
• Embrace downtown as a good and easy place to live
• Shape the public realm to serve as a “backyard” for downtown residents
• Invest in infrastructure to support the future needs of downtown residents
VIBRANCY
• Welcome creativity and innovation in downtown redevelopment
• Promote a vibrant atmosphere that attracts and supports businesses, entrepreneurs, and talent to provide diverse employment opportunities
• Encourage a compact mix of land uses to provide opportunity for everyone to access places to live, shop, interact, play, work, and eat
ENVIRONMENT
• Incorporate green spaces into the streetscapes and public places that reflect the beauty of surrounding natural areas
• Adapt to the changing climate by enhancing the resiliency of our infrastructure and reduce the impact of infrastructure on the environment
• Value the environment and protect ecological functions for everyone’s enjoyment
Framework Plan
Downtown Plan
Angled
(Right of Way) (Right of Way)
Cross Sections
Spokane Street
*the narrow portion is approx 50m necessitating queuing at either end
Bringing it Together
Sample Howard Street Plan
PROPERTY INTERFACE ZONE
BUFFER ZONE
TRAVEL LANE
BUFFER ZONE
PARKING LANE THROUGH ZONE THROUGH ZONE
PROPERTY INTERFACE ZONE
BROOM FINISHED CONCRETE WITH SAW-CUT JOINTS & SANDBLASTED DECORATIVE ELEMENTS IN FEATURE AREAS
PARKING ASPHALT OR STAMPED CONCRETE
SITE FURNITURE, PLANTINGS, STREET TREES
TRAVEL LANE(S) ASPHALT
STAMPED/TEXTURED CONCRETE
Note: The width and location of the through zone will vary along the corridor.
Precedents Palette
WOONERF-TYPE STREET
A 'Woonerf', implemented in the Netherlands and Belgium (Flanders), translates as “living street,”. A woonerf has strategies like traffic calming devices and low speed limits to slow down vehicles and safely share street space with pedestrians, cyclists, and others. The street design often accomplishes these strategies without raised curbs separating cars and pedestrians.
The 'woonerf' approach presents an opportunity to pull the Platzl feel out into the downtown and transition deliberately from a pedestrianfocused Platzl to the surrounding vehicular-focused spaces.
CATENARY LIGHTING
GATEWAY FEATURES
ON-STREET PARKLET
Design Guidelines & Palette
The following pages present formalized guidelines that standardize a palette for improvements in downtown public spaces and offer a resource for private spaces to align improvements with the municipal standard.
Building upon themes heard from the community engagements and collaboration with staff, the project team has prepared a palette of elements that are thematically and functionally suitable for Kimberley.
Themes Heard:
"Exciting signage / branding"
"More outdoor seating for restaurants"
"Lots of benches, picnic tables, and flower beds make people want to hang out together in the platzl"
"It would be cool to see some more seating options other than benches for outdoor spaces around the downtown area"
"Platzl needs upgrading, lighting, and seating"
Theoptionsforsitefurnishingsarepresentedbymanufacturer, and selecting a preferredsupplierwill ensurethatallthefurnishingsarecohesiveevenifvariationsofaparticularseriesaredeployedtosuit site-specificconditions.TheCitywillwanttostreamlinethesupplychainforfurnishingsasmuchas possible,butinthecaseofwastereceptaclesortreegrates,mayfinditpreferabletosourcethepreferred productfromaseparatesupplier.Inshort,wehopetofindpreferredsuppliersthatcanmeetasmanyof theneedsaspossibleforthesakeofconsistencyandeconomyofscale,butrecognizethatthepreferred palettemayincludemorethanonesupplier.
Downtown Hardscapes
Existing Pavers
Stamped Concrete
Stamped concrete is an alternative paving option for the pedestrian areas that are resilient to snow removal operations and the climate in general. The pattern Edinburgh presents a cast concrete surface while keeping the cobble paving charm that exists in the downtown. Integral colour and release agents used during installation can create multi-dimensional colour palettes that further create consistency with existing pedestrian surfaces.
Green Paving Materials
For areas with green parking suitability, paving materials that are more permeable to rainwater runoff such as pavers with drivable grass are best suited to minimize hard surface areas.
Tree & Trench Grates
TheCity'streegratesareanopportunitytohave designsthatcomplementthedowntownenvironment. ThepatternoptionsTwiggyandOblioareexamplesof interestingtreegratesforKimberley.
Patterns available from Streetlife and Iron Age.
EDINBURGH
Saw-Cut Concrete
The through zone for walking on the streetscape is a great opportunity to have broom finished saw cut concrete with decorative or thematic elements sandblasted into the concrete.
DECORATIVE/THEMATIC ELEMENTS SANDBLASTED INTO CONCRETE
Patterns available from Built-Form
TWIGGY GRATE
TWIGGY TRENCH
OBLIO GRATE
OBLIO TRENCH
Street Furniture
Seating
The community liked the heavy wood elements that compliment Kimberley's style. Examples below are available from Streetlife, however other manufacturers, like Columbia Cascade and MMCITE, have similar seating sets and are also available.
Bike Racks, Bollards & Light Pillars
The community prefers simplicity of bike racks and bollards. A loop style of bike rack is easy to install individually or in groups, and can be customized to align with Kimberley's branding. Wooden bollards are an option to complement the seating options. If the Twiggy tree grate is chosen for the downtown, the coordinating Twiggy street pillar is an elegant solution for enhancing pedestrian lighting.
Waste Receptacles
The Hide-A-Bag waste receptacle is a sleek and customizable design. A customizable wrap can be installed on the receptacle or alternative wood paneling to compliment other streetscape furniture and have a Kimberley touch.
Hide-A-Bag style available from HAUL-ALL.
Landscape Palette
The landscape palette proposes plant species to support open space and green infrastructure in the downtown. Each species presented is hardy in zone 4 or colder environments and have been observed to tolerate a range of conditions. The plant list, as it is refined through this process, is intended to serve as a resource for plant selection and evaluation within the study area, not the final word of permitted plant species.
Trees
STREET
TREES
Streettreesareimportantpiecesofgreeninfrastructureinurbanenvironments.Theyplayarole inmitigatingclimaticextremes, improving healthoutcomesandmanagingstormwaterrunoff.
Street tree species are often deciduous and are characterized by tolerance to pollution, inconspicuous or lack of seeds, and high mature canopies.
Available soil volume is a critical determinant in street tree longevity and success. While requirements vary from species to species, a minimum standard for any street tree is 15 cubic meters. Trees that share soil with other trees are more likely to thrive.
PARK TREES
Acer rubrum ‘Scarlet Sentinel’, Scarlet Sentinel Maple
Acer x freemanii ‘Armstrong’, Armstrong Maple
Acer x freemanii ‘Celzam’, Celebration Maple
Acer x freemanii ‘Jeffersred’, Autumn Blaze Maple
Franixus x ‘Northern Treasure’, Northern Treasure Ash
Fraxinus americana ‘Tuxedo Ash’, Tuxedo Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Green Ash
Gleditsia triacanthos ‘Harve’, Northern Acclaim Honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos ‘Suncole’, Sunburst Honey Locust
Tilia americana ‘American Sentry’, American Sentry Linden
Parktreesareimportantandexpectedelementsthatdefineopenandgreenspaceincommunities. Thesespeciesprovideclimatemitigation,screening, and erosioncontrolaswellashabitatvalueinthese spaces.
Parktreesfillabroaderrangeofnichesthanastreettreeandcanthereforeincludeadiversityofgrowth habits,seedtypesandenvironmentaltolerances.
Abies procera, Blue Noble Fir
Acer saccharum, Sugar Maple
Aesculus x arnoldiana ‘Autumn Splendor’, Autumn Splendor Buckeye
Betula platyphylla, Dakota Pinnacle Birch
Picea pungens, Colorado Spruce
Pseudotsuga menziesii, Douglas Fir
Populus tremuloides, Quaking Aspen
Quercus macrocarpa, Burr Oak
Quercus rubra, Northern Red Oak
Pseudotsuga menziesii, Douglas Fir
Abies procera, Blue Noble Fir
Acer x freemanii ‘Jeffersred’, Autumn Blaze Maple
Landscape Palette
Shrubs and perennial plants, including grasses, fill the niches of both mid-story and ground-covering in the landscape. These species bring much of the seasonal delight and aesthetic value that we associate with plantings. They also create habitat, can play a role in stormwater management, and help buffer pedestrian environments from vehicular-dominated spaces.
Shrubs that are planted in locations with inadequate space tend to become maintenance hassles for operations staff and are often pruned into shapes that render them eyesores. Selecting the right plant for a site, especially urban environments where space is frequently limited, requires understanding of plants' mature size and ensuring that their growth habit will not interfere with circulation or critical infrastructure. Generally, plants with an indeterminate growth habit are not appropriate for urban environments, but may be well-suited for parks and open spaces.
Planting
SHRUBS
Amalanchier alnifolia, Saskatoon
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Kinnikinnick
Ceanothus velutinus, Snowbrush
Cornus sericea, Red-osier Dogwood
Juniperus horizontalis, Creeping Juniper
Juniperus communis, Common Juniper
Juniperus virginiana, ‘Grey Owl’, Gray Owl Juniper
Ledum groenlandicum, Labrador Tea
Rosa gymnocarpa, Baldhip Rose
Spiraea betulifolia, Birchleaf Spiraea
Symphoricarpos albus, Common Snowberry
Vaccinium ovatum, Evergreen Huckleberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Kinnikinnick
Cornus sericea, Red-osier Dogwood
BIOSWALE/RAINGARDEN
Equisetum hymale, Scouring Rush
Calamagrostis stricta, Slimstem Reedgrass
Carex densa, Dense sedge
Carex pachystachya, Sand-dune Sedge
Carex pansa, Dune Sedge
Carex tumulicola, Berkeley Sedge
Equisetum hymale, Scouring Rush
Juncus ensifolius, Dagger-Leaved Rush
Lysichiton americanum, Skunk Cabbage
Scirpus microcarpus, Small Flowered Bullrush
Landscape Palette
Planting GRASSES (DROUGHT-TOLERANT)
Andropogon gerardii, Big Bluestem
Bouteloua gracilis, Blue Gramma Grass
Calamagrostis x acutiflora, ‘Karl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass
Deschampsia cespitosa, Tufted Hair Grass
Festuca idahoensis, Idaho Fescue
Festuca rubra, Red Fescue
Helictotrichon sempervirens, Blue Oat Grass
Koeleria macrantha, June Grass
PERENNIALS (SHADE-TOLERANT)
Adiantum aleuticum, Maidenhair Fern
Alchimilla mollis, Lady’s Mantle
Anomone sp. Rue Anemone
Blechnum spicant, Deer Fern
Cornus canadensis, Bunchberry
Dryopteris expansa, Spiny-Wood Fern
Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Oak Fern
Matteucia struthiopteris, Ostrich Fern
Polypodium glycyrrhiza, Licorice Fern
Helictotrichon
sempervirens, Blue Oat Grass
Calamagrostis x acutiflora, ‘Karl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass
Cornus canadensis, Bunchberry
Alchimilla mollis, Lady's Mantle
Landscape Palette
Planting
PERENNIALS (DROUGHT-TOLERANT)
Achillea millefolium, Yarrow
Actaea simplex, Bugbane
Agastache foeniculum, Anise Hyssop
Allium sp. Ornamental Onion
Anaphalis margaritaceae, Pearly Everlasting
Aquilegia formosa, Red Columbine
Armeria maritima, Common Thrift
Artemesia frigida, Pasture Sage
Artemisia ludoviciana, Silver Wormwood
Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Silver Mound’, Silver Mound Artemisia
Campanula rotundifolia, Harebell
Festuca ovina ‘Elijah Blue’, Elijah Blue Fescue
Gaillardia × grandiflora, Blanketflower
Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’, Johnson’s Blue Geranium
Geum triflorum, Prairie Smoke
Heuchera spp., Coral Bells
Lavandula x intermedia, Lavender
Monarda didyma, Beebalm
Nepeta faassenii, Catmint
Penstemon fruticosus, Shrubby Penstemon
Platycodon Grandiflorus, Balloon Flower
Rudbeckia hirta, Black-Eyed Susan
Schizachyrium scoparium, Little Bluestem
Sedum cauticola ‘Lidakense’, Lidakense Stonecrop
Sedum reflexum ‘Blue Spruce’, Blue Spruce Stonecrop
Sedum reflexum, Reflexum Stonecrop
Sedum spathulifolium ‘Carnea’, Carnea Stonecrop
Sidalcea malviflora, Prairie Mallow
Solidago canadensis, Goldenrod
Agastache foeniculum, Anise Hyssop
Rudbeckia hirta, Black-Eyed Susan
Gaillardia x grandiflora, Blanketflower Aquilegia formosa, Red Columbine
Artemisia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound', Silver Mound Artemisia
Achillea millefolium, Yarrow
Stage
2 Engagement What We Heard - Summer '23
Table of Contents
(52%)
(48%)
Draft Concepts
Draft Downtown Plan Framework Plan Concept 1
Draft Downtown Plan Concept 1
Cross Sections Concept 1
Howard St
Ross St
ROSS ST
KIMBERLEYAVE
Key Map:
(Right of Way)
(Right of Way)
Cross Sections Concept 1
Deer Park Ave
Kimberley Ave
HOWARDST
(Right of Way)
(Right of Way)
Cross Sections Concept 1
Beale St
Spokane St
Key Map:
Key Map:
(Right of Way)
Draft Downtown Plan
Framework Plan Concept 2
Draft Downtown Plan Concept 2
Cross Sections
Concept 2
Howard St - Section A
Howard St - Section B
(Right of Way)
(Right of Way)
Cross Sections
Concept 2
Ross St - Section A
Ross St - Section B
(Right of Way)
(Right of Way)
Cross Sections Concept 2
Deer Park Ave
Kimberley Ave
(Right of Way)
(Right of Way)
Cross Sections
Concept 2
Beale St
Spokane St
Key Map:
(Right of Way)
Stage 2 Engagement What We Heard - Spring '23
Table of Contents
Engagement by the Numbers
Draft Vision
Amenities and Events
Public Realm
Strengths
Challenges
Public Realm (25)
Pedestrian Safety (17)
Driver Safety/Traffic (22)
Cyclist Facilities (8)
Support for Local Businesses (6)
Existing Conditions: Kimberley Today
Future Possibilities
Community Mapping Exercise
Public Realm (13)
Amenities and Recreation (4)
Active Transportation (4)
Indigenous Culture (2)
Appendix 1 - Stage 1 Engagement Summary
Appendix 2 - Available Upon Request
Existing Conditions
Transportation
Downtown Vibrancy
Environment and Recreation
