Uptown Waterloo BIA

Waterloo, Ontario

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Uptown Waterloo BIA

Creating a Cohesive Experience Through Placemaking

The introduction of cohesive wayfinding and placemaking elements such as public art, pavement graphics, banners, and interpretive elements throughout main streets and other public places can support tourism and local businesses by drawing people to the area and helping them access local destinations. Placemaking can also create a sense of arrival, reflect a municipal brand, and convey community character. We recently worked with the Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area (BIA) to support their mandate of promoting, beautifying, and enhancing the urban experience by developing a “Wayfinding Framework for Strategic Placemaking” planning report, which identifies strategic goals and milestones for these initiatives. Municipalities and BIAs are unique in that they often operate with phased funding models and/or have to apply for grants to realize projects: planning reports can be a crucial tool in this endeavor.
  • Client

    Uptown Waterloo BIA

  • Location

    Waterloo, Ontario

  • Sector

    Civic

  • Discipline

    Research, Planning, Strategy

Understanding Uptown Waterloo

We began by researching Uptown Waterloo, an area with over 500 businesses, including retail stores, medical/holistic offices, financial services, and tech/digital companies. There are live music venues, a diverse food scene, public parks and trails, and world-class research institutes.

 

A detailed site audit of the area identified existing branding and wayfinding elements, circulation paths, and navigational challenges. Workshops with BIA members determined key destinations, landmarks, design preferences, and priorities for implementation.

The research findings helped us organize Uptown Waterloo, a complex space with a lot to offer, into distinct zones, making the area easier to understand and navigate. We identified entry points, paths of travel, and uncovered underused connections to existing trail systems and surrounding communities. A comparative analysis of benchmark targets identified an overall lack of wayfinding and signage elements, and while placemaking interventions were plentiful, they were often hidden away and lacked the necessary cohesion to make them effective.

 

A Roadmap for the Future

The strategic recommendations that resulted from this process provide a road map for future placemaking and wayfinding initiatives in Uptown Waterloo. We addressed:

 

  • design considerations
  • public engagement strategies
  • digital opportunities
  • factors essential for future maintenance and adaptability

 

These recommendations not only aim to enhance navigability but also play a pivotal role in supporting tourism and fostering discovery for residents and visitors. In addition, they allow for the evolution of Uptown Waterloo through a phased approach for how specific initiatives are prioritized, adapting to the region’s growth over time with a step-by-step plan that ensures a return on investment.

Uptown Waterloo has so much to offer! We want to work with their colourful brand to create a cohesive and welcoming experience with a focus on accessibility and inclusivity through visibility, legibility, and optimal placement.

The Uptown Waterloo BIA is currently securing funding for next steps. We look forward to further developing the program in future phases.

Learn more about Uptown Waterloo BIA here.

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