Station Street Placemaking Project

View the 2020 CONCEPT PLANS

The design for the Station Street Placemaking Project was developed in 2020 by residents and interested parties through a series of workshops facilitated by Mark Lakeman, a well-known placemaking advocate and designer. This project will transform an underutilized empty lot into a dynamic public space that will serve as a hub for community events, festivals, and other activities.

The Station Street Placemaking Project is an essential component of the City's efforts to support the downtown businesses and attract more visitors. The new space will be attractive, functional, and reflective of the community's values and needs. The Station Street Placemaking Project is expected to be completed by spring 2024.

With a letter of support from the Downtown Duncan Business Improvement Association, the City successfully applied for a grant in the amount of $1 million from the Government of B.C. through the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) to undertake this Project. The REDIP funding is part of a broader effort by the Province to support economic diversification and infrastructure development in rural communities throughout BC. Together with a contribution of $200,000 from the City, this $1.2 million initiative will revitalize a business node in downtown Duncan through the creation of a vibrant public space.

At its August 14, 2023 meeting, Council directed staff to incorporate the following refinements and considerations into the design:

1. Respecting how the existing park is being used and incorporating those uses into the design.
2. Increasing the number of tables and seating opportunities.
3. Using motion-activated lighting.
4. Removing the water feature.
5. Repainting the existing forest mural.
6. Ensuring full accessibility.
7. Incorporating the use of large shade trees.
8. Focusing design efforts on the pedestrian crossings at the intersection rather than reconstructing the centre of the intersection with art and brickwork.
9. Moving the climbing vines/plantings closer to the washroom building so they do not conceal a potential mural on the wall at the north end of the site.
10. Using trellises or pergola-type structures for the covered seating rather than full rain protection.
11. Adding colour to the pavers accessing the park.
12. Adding wiring for food trucks, with decisions on applicants to occur at a later time.

The drawings and concepts on this page do not yet reflect these changes because they are the original 2020 concept plans. Once the design consultant prepares updated concept plans, they will be posted on this page.