Sudbury: Greater Downtown Vision, Plan and Action Strategy
Sudbury: Greater Downtown Vision, Plan and Action Strategy
Sudbury: Greater Downtown Vision, Plan and Action Strategy
Yallowega
IBI J.C. Williams
Bélanger
Group Group
Architecture
J.C. Williams
Group
Yallowega
J.C. Williams
Bélanger
Group
Architecture
GDD09-16
Table of Contents
Appreciation 1
Approach 3
Team 9
Experience 13
Image Source: disregard_mel., Flickr
Image Source: Ideanorth, Flickr
Over the past few decades, the City of Greater Sudbury has transformed itself
from a rugged mining town to the leading regional centre for northeastern Ontario.
There is much success; there is also much more to do. The purpose of this study is
to define the role that the downtown can play in the city’s continuing transformation.
At the heart of the city, downtown’s character and role have In establishing a bold yet achievable Downtown Master Plan, we will
also evolved. Downtown’s expanding cultural assets include the need to take a fresh look at downtown’s image, its role within the
successful Market Square, a well established independent music city and the region, and the broader socio-economic trends that are
scene, a growing artisan base, and grassroots organizations like reshaping urban environments. A strategy must be both aspirational
Jane’s Walk and Eat Local Sudbury. In addition to its cultural and reality-based. It must involve a range of big and small actions.
offer, downtown also benefits from wonderful natural amenities, It must provide a vision to unite all those interested in downtown’s
such as Memorial Park, proximity to Lake Ramsey’s boardwalk future. Following are some opportunities at hand:
and trail system, and an increasingly tree-covered topography
that shows off Northern Ontario’s rocky charm at every turn.
Many of downtown’s streets are lined with trees and flower beds,
Downtown Sudbury: A Call to Action!
adding splashes of colour in the warm months. The soon to be
There is increasing recognition of the value a vibrant downtown
implemented Downtown Streetscape Project will further enhance
can bring to Sudbury’s overall vitality and role as regional centre.
this quality urban environment.
Growing community support exists for the revitalization of downtown;
a number of City- and interest group-led initiatives are already
Downtown is also an important employment destination
underway, including the aforementioned Laurentian Architecture
for the City. Its strong provincial and municipal presence is
Laurentienne, Imagine Sudbury’s and Bruce Mau’s concept for the
complemented by a diverse mix of private sector businesses.
Centre for Massive Change, the Options for Homes housing proposal,
Most recently, the Laurentian Architecture Laurentienne has
and the renewal project for the City’s well-respected Sudbury
committed to locating in the downtown, and will contribute
Secondary School. The Downtown Master Plan is an opportunity to
a much desired higher education presence to the existing
build on the momentum already happening by engaging new and
institutional focus of downtown. There are several other potential
existing stakeholders, interest groups and the broader community
initiatives that could augment this trend.
in a collaborative effort. Building on work already underway on
several downtown initiatives, as well as our own targeted stakeholder
However, despite these impressive strengths, Sudbury’s
consultation, open houses and interactive downtown workshops,
downtown is lacking the hustle and bustle of a regional centre. Its
we aim to build excitement about the future, raise aspirations and
retail focus is uncertain; its café/restaurant/cultural role still soft;
cultivate innovative ideas for the revitalization of downtown.
its sense of place not fully realized. A cohesive strategy is needed
to pull together its assets and provide a detailed plan of action to
rekindle revitalization and cement downtown’s role as Sudbury’s
‘Main Event’.
A Destination for Everyone vital, are not sufficient to sustain the city’s long-term growth.
Downtown’s commercial role has been usurped by suburban The appropriate response, which is largely underway already, is
style commercial centres such as the New Sudbury Centre. A to supplement them with knowledge sectors such as education,
realistic retail role that acknowledges this competition must professional services, medical, institutional, etc. Knowledge
be determined for the downtown. To be successful, downtown sector jobs attract professionals with urban lifestyles and tastes
needs to continue to distinguish itself with specialty retail and who look for a downtown experience. Downtown needs to capture
capitalize upon its unique character if it is to compete with the some of the activity offered by those sectors. Strategies should
new format retail and entertainment options of today. be developed to strengthen the tourism industry, support service
Downtown should develop several uniquely viable themes; jobs, and position downtown as an attractive and competitive
a specialty retail and café/restaurant environment; a tourist option for innovative businesses and institutions.
destination to complement Sudbury’s existing offer, including
the nearby Art Gallery of Sudbury, Bell Park, and Science
North; a more established office centre for an increasingly Big Moves/Little Moves
professionalizing regional economy; and, the community There is no magic formula for successful downtown renewal; each
heart for celebration and events. place is special. There is however clear evidence that success is
best funded on a rich menu of big, mid-sized and smaller actions.
Much of the discussion above has been focused on incremental
Authentic History & Heritage and evolutionary change. The study must also embrace the
A critical part of shaping a liveable community is preservation
search for some ‘game-changing’ initiatives that can help re-
and protection of both natural and cultural heritage resources.
position the city and its downtown. Our team’s broad international
Although downtown Sudbury has an impressive array of historic
experience will help here, to fuel the debate about what those
buildings, only seven buildings across the entire city are formally
moves might be. This is not just a plan, it is an action strategy
designated as heritage sites. An important aspect of the study
and we all need to be ready for the imagination and risks that
will be to work with the newly formed Municipal Heritage
mandate implies.
Committee to understand what is important to preserve, and
how it can best be accomplished. Mechanisms and incentives
should be identified by which to facilitate upkeep and maintain
heritage stock. These assets must then be placed in a bigger,
more robust sense of place, landscape and streetscape that can
amplify the downtown’s unique competitive advantages.
Phase 3 Deliverables:
∙ Draft Downtown Master Plan
∙ Draft Action Strategy
∙ Materials for Stakeholder Design Charette
∙ Public Event #3 Materials
∙ Materials for the City to Update Project Website
Phase 4 Deliverables:
∙Draft Final Master Plan & Action Strategy
∙Presentation of Draft Final Plan to Policy Committee
∙Final Vision, Concept Plan & Action Strategy
∙Final Presentation to Policy Committee
∙Materials for City to Update Project Website
•w
hat type of retail are most appropriate to fill existing gaps; •p
riority streetscape improvements to further improve the quality
•w
hat are the most appropriate location for the different types of the pedestrian environment.
•h
ow can the Downtown best attract new retail uses; work to bring forward some of the ‘next steps’ identified in the
•h
ow can the Downtown best support and retain its existing retail Strategy, namely identifying an appropriate location for a potential
base; and new parking structure in the downtown and the future role of the
•h
ow the Downtown differentiate itself from other retail centres. Energy Court municipal parking facility.
The focus of this work will be on creating an action oriented To complete the above scope, it is expected that the City will
plan that places emphasis on ‘the how’ and not on a statistical provide IBI with all available annual average daily traffic counts,
market evaluation. We understand that technical data for the turning movement counts and other available technical traffic
market analysis will be provided by the City from existing sources, data.
including: the recently completed Downtown Market Analysis
(including data on trade areas, expenditure categories for primary The assessment of alternatives and individual strategies will be
trade areas, demographic data for primary trade area residents, based on experience from other jurisdictions, sketch planning type
and a Business Mix Analysis (consisting of a Commercial Structure approaches and the consultants’ knowledge from similar projects.
Analysis, a Community-to-Community Comparison and a Market Detailed macro-modelling or intersection capacity analysis is not
Threshold Analysis). Also available are the Customer Origin proposed as part of this study.
Survey, Residents Survey (2009), Downtown Business Retention
& Expansion Program (2007), all completed by the DVDC. If study Task 1.3d Team Working Session
timings can be co-ordinated, a key feature will be to integrate this Prior to the hard launch of the project (Public Event #1), the team
work with the Gap Analysis currently being planned by the DVDC. will hold a team working session discuss issues and brainstorm
opportunities for the downtown. As part of this session, IBI and
Task 1.3c Transportation & Parking Review JCWG will meet with relevant City Departments for interviews and/
IBI Group will investigate mobility and parking in the downtown. or roundtables. These sessions would be followed by a site tour
As an action-oriented strategic piece, IBI will identify issues facing and team working sessions.
the existing road network and advise on what modifications could
be undertaken to enhance movement within and access to the
downtown. A priority will be placed on understanding how to
improve and balance pedestrian and cycling opportunities with
Urban Strategies Inc. 5
Task 1.4 Prepare Base Map of Existing Conditions Throughout the project life, the team will feed appropriate
Using digitized maps and aerial photography provided by the City, content to City Staff - including project updates, reports, images
we will create a base plan of existing conditions of downtown and and videos, notification of events – who will revise as needed
its immediate surroundings. and update the Project Website. The City will be tasked with
monitoring and maintaining the web site, ensuring that materials
Task 1.5 Prepare CAD Model of Study Area are formatted appropriately and that all comments are moderated.
Once the boundary of the Study Area has been agreed, the City
will develop a digital CAD model of the area. Urban Strategies
will work with the city, to provide feedback and guidance when
necessary on various features and parameters of the model. Phase Two: Vision
Tests will be generated early on to ensure that file sharing and file [November 2010 – February 2011]
compatibility are successful. The objective of this phase of work will be to synthesize the
work undertaken in Phase 1 and focus discussions on the
The digital model will be an important tool for understanding and future opportunities for Downtown Sudbury to cement a
communicating the vision to the community. The CAD model will compelling and implementable Vision. Portions of the Phase 2
allowing us to illustrate how downtown Sudbury could change over visioning may run concurrently with Phase 1 analysis work.
time as the vision comes to life. This tool will be used to test ideas
and concepts in the second and third Public Event as well as the
Stakeholder Design Charette. Task 2.1 Prepare Materials for Public Event #1
In advance of the first public event, the consultant team will work
As an optional study component, we propose to build an to prepare an introductory presentation explaining the goals of the
architectural foam model that will serve as a base for exploring project, a summary of identified associated issues, key messages
built form, public realm and design options in a highly ‘user- from the stakeholder sessions, and agree with the client group, a
friendly’ format. The foam model will consist of a base with series of themes upon which the emerging vision can be built.
insertable pieces that can be modified during the consultation
sessions. This will help to facilitate discussion and act as an Task 2.2a Project Update Sessions
interactive tool to relay proposed concepts and redevelopment Prior to going public with findings at the first Public Event, the
opportunities within the downtown as they come forward. The consultant team will offer a series of Project Update Sessions
digital CAD model will also be utilized as a reference tool for the with the CSWG, the Councillor Group and the CLG. These update
construction of the foam model. meetings will be used to ensure that all key players are fully
informed on the project as it evolves towards the final Master Plan.
Task 1.6 Prepare Summary Report of Analysis
Task 2.2b Public Event #1: Community Visioning Forum
At the conclusion of the work phase, we will review, assess and
The Community Visioning Forum will explore what the future of
consolidate the output into a summary report of key findings and
Downtown Sudbury should look like in the short and long term and
submit to the client group for review and comment.
what functions it should serve within the local area context and the
wider region. This ‘Town Hall’ style event will include a introductory
Task 1.7 Finalize Summary Analysis Report
presentation on the study process, a summary of findings to
Based on feedback from the client group, the Summary Analysis
date and a hot button ‘downtown issues’ presentation to inspire
Report will be finalized.
discussion. A facilitated Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats analysis will follow the presentation(s). This will be
Task 1.8 Update Project Website
used to identify Sudbury’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
The team will work through City Staff to assist with updating
and external pressures/factors that face the city.
relevant project information to be uploaded to the project website.
•P
repare a short statement on what you think that the future of
Task 2.5 Prepare Draft Vision
Downtown should look and feel like.
Following any feedback from the client group, we will begin to
•U
se post-it notes to name and locate your favourite place in the
distill ideas into a preliminary Vision that will include:
Downtown. Talk to us about why these places are special.
• Supporting Principles
• L ocate on the aerial map those parts of the downtown that you
feel need to be improved the most. Talk to us about why these • Community Priorities for Downtown Revitalization
places need to be improved. • Land use option(s)
• Open space framework (existing and new provision)
The City may want to include a social media component (which
•M
ovement system to be preserved, modified or created
may include photos, webcams, videos, and liveblogging for
• Key opportunity and intensification zones
posting on Flickr, YouTube, and the project) that could be woven
into the engagement to allow others to participate who cannot • Identification of Character Areas
attend the workshop in person. • Programming ideas
• Big moves
Urban Strategies Inc. 7
Task 2.6 Prepare Materials for Public Event #2 Phase Three: Plan
In advance of the second Public Event, the consultant team will [March 2010 – April 2010]
work to prepare an updated presentation, any necessary panels Phase 3 will focus on translating the Vision into a structured
and other supporting materials required to run the event. All Master Plan for Downtown Sudbury, supported by actionable
materials will be circulated to the client group for approval. projects to guide public and private investment over the next
10 years.
Task 2.7a Project Update Sessions
Prior to going public with findings at the second public event, the
Task 3.1 From Vision to Master Plan:
consultant team will facilitate Project Update Sessions with the
Preparing the Draft Detailed Master Plan
CSWG, the Councillor Group and the CLG.
In consultation with the client group, the consultant team will
interpret the agreed Vision into a detailed Master Plan for
Task 2.7b Public Event #2:
Downtown Sudbury. It is anticipated that the Master Plan for
Test Draft Vision and Identify Emerging Projects/Priorities
Downtown Sudbury will contain preliminary recommendations for
The second Public Event will bring the draft vision and priorities
the following elements:
to the public for comment and feedback. At this point it may be
possible to begin to identify project champions to move forward •A
greed Vision Statement with supporting Planning & Design
some of the ‘Big Moves’. Following an introductory presentation, Principles
we will conduct and facilitate a series of workshops organized • A ‘Downtown Opportunities’ market positioning piece
around the specific issues necessary to secure consensus and •S
trategic economic/land use recommendations with market
move forward. The issues-based workshop sessions should rationale
operate on a rotating schedule and run throughout the workshop •P
ublic Realm Framework, highlighting Open Space hierarchy,
session, allowing participants to engage in more than one session streetscape character and recommended improvement zones
and encouraging inter-related and cross-cutting issues to be
•M
ovement Strategy for all modes of travel (vehicular, cycling,
explored more fully.
pedestrians, public transit) illustrating the required road
networks, roadway improvements, utilities, servicing and
It is recommended that the 3-D CAD model and/or foam model
parking.
be used as a tool for discussion and engagement as part of this
•A
rticulation of urban design strategies relating to streets and
workshop.
blocks, heritage features, open space, land use, built form,
Task 2.8 Update Project Website views and vistas. This will also include a piece on the Integration
The team will work through City Staff to assist with updating of of Downtown & adjacent neighbourhood to improve edge
relevant project information to be uploaded to the project website. conditions and access between these areas.
•G
eneral approach to built form (height, massing, siting) by
Character Area
• Identification of Future Growth Opportunities across the
Downtown and a related Development Parcel Plan, indicating
potential built form, yields, typical parking solutions and phasing
for priority development parcels. Areas of consideration could
include the Laurentian School of Architecture, the Art Gallery
and the Energy Court parking lot, amongst others.
•E
xploration of any achievable ‘big moves’ and the strategy for
thie realisation
•A
Project Plan, summarizing all major recommended
interventions proposed across Greater Downtown Sudbury.
Task 4.1 Refine Master Plan and Action Strategy Task 4.6 Present Final Plan to Policy Committee
Based on feedback from the Public Event, we will continue Once finalized, the Downtown Masterplan and Action Strategy will be
to refine the Master Plan and Action Strategy. The Draft Final presented to the Policy Committee.
Master Plan and Action Strategy will be circulated for comment
from the client group. Task 4.7 Publish Sudbury Downtown Plan & Action Strategy
The final document will be easy to understand, flexible and highly
Task 4.2 Prepare for Policy Committee Presentation illustrative to ensure ease of use and enthusiastic implementation.
In advance of presenting the Draft Final Master Plan and Action Twenty (20) colour copies and one (1) digital version will be
Strategy, the consultant team will work prepare a summary submitted.
PowerPoint presentation that summarizes the ambitions of the
Master Plan and highlights key objectives and strategies for Task 4.8 Update Project Website
delivery The team will work through City Staff to assist with updating of
relevant project information to be uploaded to the project website.
Task 4.3 Presentation of Draft Final Plan to Policy Committee
Prior to releasing our Final Vision, Plan & Action Strategy to Task 4.9 Public Event #4:
the wider community, a presentation will be made to the Policy Celebrating a Vision for Downtown Sudbury [Optional]
Committee. This session will introduce the more detailed As an optional event, the consultant team proposes that the
thinking on the Vision, Plan, preferred options and supporting conclusion of the project be marked with a major media event
strategies. to celebrate the study, further publicize the Vision for Downtown
Sudbury and pass ownership of the project over to the City, the
Task 4.4 Finalize Sudbury Downtown Plan & Action Strategy stakeholder and the community. Handing the Vision over to those
Based on feedback from the Policy Committee, we will work to who shaped it at this very public event marks the beginning of its
finalize the Vision, Master Plan and Action Strategy. The final realization - not simply the end of this study.
Vision will respond to the issues, trends, and ideas developed
throughout the consultation process, and will reflect community This event will be an opportunity to showcase the entire chronology
consensus. of the work leading up to the final vision, followed by an explanation
of the required next steps for making the vision a reality.
Task 4.5 Prepare for Final Policy Committee Presentation
In advance of presenting the Final Master Plan and Action
Strategy to the Policy Committee, the team will prepare an
updated PowerPoint presentation that summarizes the ambitions
of the Master Plan and highlights key objectives and strategies
for delivery.
We have assembled an exceptional team for this assignment, combining local, national
and international experience in urban planning, urban design, downtown retail strategy,
innovative outreach and communications, and multimodal transportation consulting.
Urban Strategies will be the primary consultant for the Greater Downtown Sudbury Vision, Plan and Action Strategy, responsible for all
aspects of the project. In assembling a team, we have selected from our most experienced policy planners and urban designers. IBI
Group, one of Canada’s foremost multidisciplinary engineering firms, will provide advice and direction on transportation, parking and
heritage issues. Retail Market Analysis will be provided by the J.C. Williams Group, recognized as the leading Canadian and North
American expert on retail repositioning strategies. We are also pleased to have on our team as a strategic advisor, Yallowega Bélanger
Architecture, whose wealth of knowledge about Greater Sudbury will be invaluable to the project. We have included a brief introduction
to Entrinsic Partners, an innovative Toronto-based social media firm which we recommend the City consider as a consultant to help
design and implement web-based tools to engage the public. The qualifications and role of each team member are summarized below.
Full resumes and additional details on each firm and our related project experience are appended to our submission.
The Urban Strategies team offers the City Downtown Revitalization, UK Experience
of Greater Sudbury a diverse team with an Urban Strategies has been playing an ongoing role in the urban
regeneration of several cities in Northern England. Joe Berridge acted
impeccable track record both nationally and
as project lead for all of these projects.
internationally in delivering complex planning
– In Manchester, Urban Strategies was initially appointed to advise on
projects. The decades of collective experience Master Planning in response to the 1996 bombing which devastated
embodied in this team include the design and the heart of Central Manchester. Urban Strategies has continued to
assist the city in re-discovering its riverfront and regenerating edge-
delivery of vision strategies, master plans,
of-center districts.
development frameworks and engagement
– In Central Salford, across the river from Manchester, Urban
processes for some of the most progressive and Strategies prepared a Strategic Regeneration Framework for this
innovative (as well as complex and contentious) industrial city. As part of its ongoing role in the implementation,
planning and design projects in the United States, Urban Strategies created detailed master plans of the priority
districts.
UK, Ireland, mainland Europe, the Caribbean
– Urban Strategies was appointed as an on-going strategic
and Canada. This section highlights our team’s
planning advisor to the Liverpool Vision Company, a body of public
experience in and capacity to drive this large- agencies and private sector representatives charged with developing
scale project forward. a new vision for the centre of Liverpool.
St. Louis Downtown and Waterfront Plan Brantford Downtown Master Plan
Urban Strategies led a Community Visioning exercise to establish
The St. Louis Development Corporation retained Urban Strategies
a master plan for how the downtown should evolve and continue
as part of a large, multi-disciplinary team to create a Downtown
to build on recent investments. The study provided the necessary
and Waterfront Plan to inject new life into the city. We developed
tools, such as design guidelines, regulatory changes, infrastructure
key strategies and priority actions for revitalization. We then
modifications and an implementation plan to guide private and
defined the major development and design initiatives and linked
public sector investment towards the realization of the master plan.
them to an overall budget and sources of funding. Joe Berridge
Ross Burnett was the project manager for this project with IBI Group
was the partner in charge of this project.
as sub-consultant. IBI were responsible for the development of
transportation and parking recommendations, shifting the balance
Ottawa Downtown Urban Design Strategy from an auto-focused environment to a more pedestrian-friendly
For this award-winning project, Urban Strategies led a multi- environment. This project recently won the 2009 Award of Excellence
disciplinary team in developing a comprehensive plan for the for City Planning, OPPI.
enhancement of the public realm and urban experience of
Canada’s National Capital. As both a visionary document and Mimico 20/20 Revitalization Action Plan
an action-oriented plan, the study established a new vision The goal of the Mimico 20/20: A Revitalization Action Plan was to bring
for Ottawa’s downtown core as a gracious destination for new forward the established Mimico Community Vision and Community
residential and commercial development, while articulating how Priorities through the creation of a conceptual development plan
to best achieve the vision through a series of area-wide and site- for the area. Urban Strategies led a three-day Mimico 20/20
specific design guidelines. Ross Burnett was the project manager Revitalization Charrette, a community event with almost 20 separate
for this project. public, sessions, attracting over 200 participants. Ross Burnett was
the project manager for this project.