City Launches Master Planning Process to Guide Future Capital Projects

Port Alberni, BC – Over the next two years, City staff are developing a series of master plans for a number of key program areas such as parks, facilities, fire services, transportation, watershed protection and stormwater management.

Master plans provide a conceptual layout to guide future growth and help reduce costs over the long term. It also allows City staff to conduct a more methodical, multi-year strategic rollout of capital projects. In cases where there has been master planning work already undertaken, the City will build on previous studies and recommendations to create updated master plans that are broader in scope with updated cost estimates.

The following individual master planning projects will be initiated in the order shown:

1. Parks, Recreation & Culture (includes Facilities Management and Urban Forests Planning)
2. Fire Services
3. Stormwater
4. Transportation (includes Active Transportation and Trail Network Plans)
5. Watershed Protection
6. Climate Change Action
7. Wastewater & Water

“This is a big undertaking for the City but will put us on a good path of being able to improve our capital planning process and plan more effectively in the future,” said CAO, Mike Fox. “We want to ensure we are making investments where they are most needed and where they meet Council’s strategic priorities.”

The first master planning project, Parks, Recreation and Culture, will start by May, with the remainder to begin over the next four months.

Community engagement is an integral part of the master planning process. Consultation will be undertaken at key stages for each master plan project which may include a report on feedback gathered from the community. Each Master Plan will have additional information available on the City’s Let’s Connect page, at https://www.letsconnectpa.ca/master-planning

For more information on the master planning process, please contact Dave Arsenault, Project Manager, Engineering at dave_arsenault@portalberni.ca.

For more information:

Mike Fox, CAO
City of Port Alberni
250.720.2824
Mike_fox@portalberni.ca