"A good city is like a good party. People don't want to leave early."     -Jan Gehl

A City of Vibrant and Exciting Places

Being a great city is as much about culture, arts, night life, and a diverse social demographic, as it is about nice neighbourhoods and a healthy economy. Not only must a city accommodate these aspects, it must provide an infrastructure to nurture and cultivate them. These characteristics enhance a city's distinction; assist in retaining a young, creative and talented workforce; and are the basis of tourism and economic development.

An urban design strategy for the Regional Centre should reinforce the vitality of both downtowns by continuing to direct concentrations of civic and cultural attractions to these areas; by improving the quality of the civic infrastructure; and most importantly, through a targeted strategy of residential intensification. The best and most enduring urban destinations are living and breathing communities that are dense with activity and people at all hours and seasons – a community that theme parks, museums, stadiums and casinos alone cannot build.

There are many existing areas and potential opportunities to create vibrant and exciting places at the community-wide or neighbourhood level. More traditional retail streets such as Spring Garden Road, or neighbourhood centers such as that in Hydrostone, are examples of existing urban "focal areas" where there is a vibrant mix of uses, public amenities and places for people to meet - be it a cafe or civic open space.

The urban design strategy should seek to identify and reinforce vibrant areas across the Regional Centre. This strategy can begin to cultivate the transformation of unimaginable places such as Wyse Road and all the shopping malls along the periphery into areas that can become as vibrant and exciting as Spring Garden Road.