Thanks to major land ownings in the area, the City of Surrey and TransLink had previously agreed to set off on a joint planning study to develop a new Neighbourhood Concept Plan to help revitalize Newton Town Centre. That planning study was launched this spring with major stakeholders, and led to a public charette design process over 3 days last week. The results of those community consultations are presented in the first concept draft plan.
The project’s principles include:
- Embrace Transit as a Mobility Option
- Integrate Civic Amenities into the Fabric of the Town Centre
- Leverage Public Investments
- Improve Connectivity and Create Livable Transportation Solutions
- Redesign the Environment for the Pedestrian
- Preserver, Enhance, and Utilize Open Spaces
- Expand Neighbourhoods Toward the Town Centre
- Increase Market Confidence
Keeping reading for more pictures.
Click through the slideshow to view higher resolution pictures with titles.
What’s great about the plan is that it includes the higher densities required to have an active streetscape; it includes many sustainability features, such as the green streets concepts; brings a lake to Newton (!); shows design concepts for bus rapid transit and light rail on King George (!); includes Main Streets and a Festival Street (semi public square space); and features wide sidewalk widths, something generally missed in master plans like these. I truly cannot understate how well thought out this draft plan is – it’s unlike anything ever seen in Surrey before, considering the timeline and process. Be sure to congratulate the planners if you like this draft just as much as I do.
