bridge square may 14, 2014 open house presentation

City of Northfield

Community Workshop/ Public Open House #3

May 14th, 2014

Concepts for a Future Bridge Square

Agenda

1 Introductions

2 Planning Process

3 Summary of Community Input

4 Bridge Square Alternatives

5 Provide Feedback and Comments

6 Next Steps

Introductions1

Introductions

Project Team• John Slack, ASLA Stantec• Griff Wigley Wigley & Associates

City Staff Contact• Joe Stapf, Northfield City Engineer

Special thanks to Northfield Historical Society for providing all of the historic images you will see in this presentation.

See Stakeholders Webpage athttp://northfieldcitizenengagement.org/bridgesquare/stakeholders/

The Planning Process2and Schedule

Planning Process

Public Input• Transparent process to engage all stakeholders

in a meaningful dialogue about the future of Bridge Square

• Use public face-to-face meetings and online tools to both inform the community and learn their needs, desires, ideas, and feedback. Online tools will include:• Blog site, discussion threads 

• Online straw polls

• Live web conferences

• Ongoing updates via Twitter, Facebook, text messages, email and local media websites

NorthfieldCitizenEngagement.org/bridgesquare

Planning Process

Design Process• Understand the history of Bridge Square and

the role it plays in the community• Define design precedents to see how other well

known/loved spaces function • Engage in a civic discussion on the future of

Bridge Square• Provide recommendations for the future design

and programming of Bridge Square

Planning Schedule

Tonight’s Meeting

Meeting Purpose

Goals and Objectives for this meeting

• Review public input process• Review alternative designs for the redesign of

Bridge Square• Provide comments and feedback regarding

design alternatives

Summary of Community Input

3

Summary of Online Community Engagement

Blog/ Website• Blog posts: 31• Blog comments: 34• Blog commenters: 10

Twitter• Tweets by @Nfld_Engagement: 19

Online Straw Poll• 25 questions, 163 respondents; 852 comments

Summary of Online Community Engagement

Web conference/panel• 90 minutes, 20 attendees, 18 archive viewers

Blog/website traffic• Page views, Oct - December: 1,856• Monthly visitors: Oct - 216; Nov - 121; Dec - 424

Additional online publicity:• Northfield.org: Blog post, ongoing updates, RSS

Feed• Locally Grown Northfield: Blog post, ongoing

updates, RSS Feed, Facebook updates• City of Northfield: Notify Me email and texts;

retweets and Facebook posts by Northfield Public Works

Design Alternatives4

Alternative A – “Unification”

Attributes

• Maintains current design with very minor modifications

• Expands paved surfaces within the Square to improve maintenance and provide additional programming area

• Provides more seating• Adds Decorative paving along Water Street

Design Alternatives

Alternative B – “Lively”

Attributes

• Expands paved surfaces within the Square to improve maintenance and provide additional programming area

• Provides more seating• Raises level of Water Street and adds decorative

paving• Creates more flexible space for events and

programming• Relocates war memorial towards Division Street• Expands riverfront promenade• Incorporates more planting areas

Design Alternatives

Design Alternatives

Section

Alternative C – “Elegant”

Attributes

• Creates more flexible space for events and programming

• Relocates fountain towards Division Street• Creates a “formal lawn” for active and passive

recreation and programmed events• Creates an amphitheater towards the river• Expands riverfront promenade• Incorporates additional seating• Incorporates more planting areas • Closes Water Street• War memorial relocated to Riverside/ Lyons Park

Design Alternatives

Design Alternatives

Section

Section

Alternative D – “Dynamic”

Attributes

• Creates more flexible space for events and programming

• Relocates fountain towards Division Street• Introduces Arbor structure• Incorporates additional seating• Incorporates more planting areas and reduces lawn

areas• Raises level of Water Street and adds decorative

paving• Expands riverfront promenade• Closes “No Name” Street but provides for

emergency access and creates promenade along Post Office and commercial buildings

• War memorial relocated to Riverside/ Lyons Park

Design Alternatives

Design Alternatives

SITe

Section

Feedback and Comments5Process• Please provide comments via sticky notes or

comment cards regarding each of the designs.• Hand in your comments or email to John• Provide comments, or additional insights at... NorthfieldCitizenEngagement.org/

bridgesquare

Next Steps6Schedule• Prepare Draft Document• Present to Council and other Boards/

Commissions

Questions?