Background
The Flats Area Redevelopment Plan (the "Plan" or "ARP") area is defined by the South Saskatchewan River and IXL Brick to the east and South Railway Street SE to the west. The South Saskatchewan River frames the north edge of the Plan area and the Canadian Pacific Railway frame the south edge.
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Flats Area Revelopment Plan Boundary Map and Aerial Photo |
Flats Public Open House Comments
The comments from June’s Public Open House for the Draft Flats Area Redevelopment Plan are now available for your viewing. Please take a look and see what other citizens said.
Draft Flats Area Redevelopment Plan
Planning Services, along with city departments and the Flats Steering Committee invited the public to review and provide input on the Draft Flats Area Redevelopment Plan as presented below.
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Draft Flats Area Redevelopment Plan | |
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Draft Flats Area Redevelopment Plan Brochure |
The Public Open Houses were held June 1 and 2, 2009 in the Esplanade Studio Theatre. City staff and members of the Steering Committee were available to share the vision for the Flats community and gather public input both through conversation and in a survey.
If you were unable to attend the Public Open House then please do take the opportunity to review the Draft Plan on-line and fill out the attached survey. We look forward to hearing your input and evolving the Draft Plan into a Proposed Flats Area Redevelopment Plan that would proceed to Municipal Planning Commission and City Council in the Fall 2009.
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Public Open House Display Boards | |
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Draft Flats Area Redevelopment Plan Survey |
Rebranding
Several comments and input throughout the Draft Flats Area Redevelopment Plan process have included a re-branding of the community's name. These thoughts and discussions have evolved around the unique history that the community has become known for such as its CPR, clay industries, open space, and flooding. This history has contributed both positively and negatively to the image of the community.
Give the vision that has evolved for the community, there has been support for a new community name that both retains its historical connection as "the Flats" and is reflective of a new vision. The historical and natural assets combined with a higher-quality of redevelopment, investment in the public realm and land use opportunities makes this the perfect time for a rebranding of the area.
The Steering Committee would like to recommend the community be rebranded as "River Flats".
Please do take the time to provide your comments on the survey about the recommended new community name.
Flats Steering Committee & Public Input Process
The Flats ARP Steering Committee and Public Process began with an Open House in June 2007 to introduce the public to the project. From the Public Open House a Flats Steering Committee was formed to advise and work with the City's Planning team to:
- Create a community vision and principles;
- Review land use concepts, transportation challenges, open space, community preservation, redevelopment and design;
- Strike an appropriate balance between city-wide and community objectives; and
- Draft planning recommendations and policies.
The Steering Committee took part in an Action Strategy Workshop (2007), Visioning Workshop (June 2008) and several Steering Committee meetings. They represented the diverse spectrum of social, economic, physical and environmental aspects of the Flats community. This work has formed the basis for future design and redevelopment of an already historically unique community into a livable and thriving community for its residents, workers and tourists.
In the next 20 years, the Flats community could accommodate up to 3,500 new residents by sensitively-integrating new residential, commercial, office, tourism/educational-related and civic uses. The Draft Flats Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) presents a comprehensive vision for the future development of the Flats community that will successfully accommodate such sustainable growth for the community.
Updates/Timeline:
| June 2007: | Public Open House, Action Stategy Workshop and Steering Committee Meetings | |
| June 2008: | Steering Committee Visioning Workshop | |
| July 2008 - January 2009: | Planning Services, along with city departments and Steering Committee to formulated a Draft ARP | |
| February - May 2009: | Planning Services worked with the Steering Committee to review and revise the Draft ARP. | |
| June 2009: | Host a Draft ARP Open House. | |
| Fall 2009: | Take the Proposed Plan to MPC and Council. |
Flats ARP Contact:
Jeanie Gartly
Superintendent, Planning Services
403-525-8820
email: jeagar@medicinehat.ca