Downtown Kamloops may soon need a new map. Following a very successful pilot of the 4th Avenue Pedestrian Plaza last summer, the city published the results of their comprehensive community engagement and outreach process, which gathered community feedback about the project. Funded in part by a PlanH Creating Healthy Places grant, the engagement process found that respondents are overwhelmingly in favour of a permanent plaza.
The proposed plaza would create a permanent car-free and community-oriented space in the downtown core, addressing the needs for a public gathering place and improving the pedestrian experience in the city. During the pilot project, the plaza hosted street games, patio seating for nearby restaurants, workshops, and community events with great success: three-quarters of respondents to the feedback survey indicated they would like to see the plaza become permanent.
The 4th Avenue Pedestrian Plaza is a strong example of designing healthy environments by integrating and promoting walkability and social interaction. Many groups are working closely together to bring the plaza to life, including the City of Kamloops, the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association (KCBIA), BC Transit, Interior Health, Kamloops Arts Council, the Downtown Neighbourhood Association, the Sagebrush Neighbourhood Association, and Venture Kamloops.
Read the 4th Avenue Plaza Pilot Project Community Feedback Summary here, and the full Downtown Plan Community Engagement Summary Report here.
