Orillia about to embark on the process to redevelop the waterfront and downtown.
The city wants to hire a consultant to begin the process of the development of a Downtown/Waterfront Revitalization Plan.
Orillia Manager of Economic Development Dan Landry says a consultant with expertise in urban design, and will engage property owners within the study area, community organizations, municipal committees and the public at large through a Design Charrette planning process.
He says that is an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development. It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to the designers.
More importantly Landry says, it allows everyone who participates to be a mutual author of the plan.
He says the lack of a direct connection between the waterfront and the downtown is the missing link as far as development is concerned.
Landry says part of the goal of this exercise will be to increase the potential for private investment in both the waterfront and downtown areas.
He hopes that the plan can be completed by the spring of next year.
