The city's current Official Plan (2014) is due for an update. The city of Kitchener 2051 Official Plan is currently being prepared by city staff. The Official Plan is a document that shapes the way that the city grows and changes. Staff is sharing an overview of the plan with the city's advisory committees, encouraging questions, information input and future opportunities for involvement.
The Kitchener 2051 Official Plan will guide growth and shape how the city evolves and changes over the next 25 years. The plan will align and reinforce other plans, guidelines and strategies that shape the city. The goals of the Official Plan will reflect the community, its values and creating groundwork for a thriving city that offers well-being, potential and quality of life, for everyone.
Key areas of focus will include:
- climate and energy study
- population and employment forecasts including a housing needs assessment
- non-residential land use study
- growth scenarios study and how to support it, as the city is expected to grow to about 450,000 by 2051
The shaping of the plan is spread over four phases. Currently it is in phase two of a more robust community engagement launch. Planned delivery of a finalized plan to Council is in 2026. So far, community consultations have revealed a gap of not including arts and culture in how it could shape the growth of the city.
Committee members suggested:
- to look at engagement data from local cultural institutions
- to look at engagement data from festival organizers active in the city
- consider opportunities for the creation of affordable space for working artists
- consider lobby spaces as semi-public spaces in developments with incentive similar to city's 1% public art policy
- consider seasonally convertible spaces for the public: from summer to winter months and vice versa
- similar considerations given by members as during the Bramm Yards study input would apply here, namely:
- create public spaces that are adaptable for arts and culture activities
- consider opportunities for public pop-up placemaking
- allow for pedestrian friendly areas
- dedicate some spaces adapted specifically for creation of art and culture
- consider good design in amenities such as washrooms
- continue to engage the multicultural community and multigenerational communities
- past member of ACAC did an audit of temporary art spaces in the city; this information may be helpful
Action: A& CI staff to share the audit findings with Tim Donegani.
ACAC is looking forward to the maintaining the conversation during the development of the 2051 Official Plan. Updated information can be found on the Engage Waterloo page.