The town’s ambitious 10-month downtown action plan is hitting the streets looking for input from residents.
Dubbed My Downtown Ponoka, the goal is to hear what residents and businesses want to see using a survey and open houses. In a press release from the Town of Ponoka, Tim Schmidt, director of planning and development wants, “to hear people’s thoughts and ideas on what they value most about the downtown, and what could be done to make downtown Ponoka even better.”
The citizen-driven campaign started last fall with work conducted by town planners, supported by the Heritage and Downtown Revitalization Committee, which is also steering the project.
Committee chairperson Greg Braat looks forward to seeing this plan come to fruition.
“Our goal is to create a vibrant community hub that meets the community’s needs and will be a catalyst for future economic growth, attracting more businesses and citizens to the downtown area,” Braat states in the release.
There are three areas where the committee would like to see public input:
• On the Internet at www.DowntownPonoka.ca. This new site will provide regular updates and details.
• Open houses are set for March 8 and 9 at the Kinsmen Community Centre from 1 to 8 p.m.
• People can fill out a survey at the above website or can pick up a paper copy at Town Hall or from participating businesses.
“Downtowns are a vital part of a community and should be a source of community pride. That’s why it’s important that the whole community gets involved and adds their voice to this planning process,” says Schmidt in the release.
Promotion and advertising of the program is being featured through a series of posters and advertisements and each one showcases a local business owner or community member. Within the posters are comments from the individuals on their thoughts about the downtown area.
Local community groups that would like to have a member of the project team deliver a presentation to their group about the downtown revitalization process and Ponoka’s Downtown Action Plan can contact Schmidt at 403-704-0267.