City hall is asking residents how they want downtown Maple Ridge to develop in the future.
Next Saturday, Sept. 12, there will be WalkShop and open house events, with pre-registration required to ensure social distancing can be planned.
“We want the downtown to be open to business and families, and we want it to be vibrant and active,” said Mayor Mike Morden.
He noted a significant percentage of the downtown core is already under construction, and there is more to come with development applications already at city hall. Council will be balancing proposed residential developments with restaurants and entertainment.
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In the past, council allowed a lot of apartment buildings, and the city now needs to catch up with services. Morden said council would like to see more businesses on the street level of future condo buildings.
“We want commercial on the ground of everything.”
And the city wants the ideas of the public.
“The future is really bright,” said Morden. “Tell us what you think. Come and give us your opinions.”
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The WalkShop is scheduled for the morning of Sept. 12, and details come with registration. It is billed “an engaging walking tour of several areas within the Town Centre.” Participants will be encouraged to document what they experience during the tour by taking photos or other methods, and city staff will hear their ideas along the way.
The open house will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Memorial Peace Park, where participants will have more opportunities to provide input, including a community survey. The survey will also be available for completion at the open house event and accessible on the city webpage for approximately three weeks after the event.
If you’d like to pre-register for one or both events and/or be kept up-to-date on the Town Centre Visioning process, please send an email to planning@mapleridge.ca.
ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com
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