Led the planning and execution of two strategic planning processes for the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ (2014-2016 and 2017-2019). These extensive planning processes engaged and consulted with businesses, sponsors, and community partners, asking the question: what components are needed for a vibrant, exciting downtown? This dialogue provided the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ with an assessment of its strengths, values, and opportunities moving forward. This self-appraisal helped to reconfirm and reset vision statements, set priorities, and discussed downtown challenges on the horizon such as urban sprawl, heritage preservation, safety, Indigenous inclusion, and dense development.

 

Pop-up district engagement sessions, social media engagement, an urban lab, and other tools were utilized to mobilize the community to share their ideas. Both strategic plans required an extensive topography of public/stakeholder engagement, research design, analysis, and writing/editing. Highlights: thousands of ideas generated, and 85% completion of actions in the 2014-2016 strategic plan.

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To learn more about the process, check out these blogs: http://www.placemakers.com/tag/minecraft/