The City of Parksville is in the third round of community engagement for its transportation master plan and would like more feedback from residents.
The public is invited to the third engagement open house on Oct. 1 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Forum, located in the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre (100 Jensen Ave E), according to a news release by the city.
Presentations by the project consultant are scheduled for 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
"We are asking for your feedback to help guide project priorities as well as provide your final thoughts on areas for future improvement," the release stated. "Phase 3 will focus on developing practical recommendations for transportation infrastructure improvements to support the needs of Parksville over the next 20 years."
This final engagement will present the recommended projects and improvements across all modes of travel (auto, transit, walking and cycling) with the goal of confirming with the community that the plan is capturing a balanced and practical approach to achieving the city’s mobility goals.
There will be opportunities to provide this feedback at the open house on Oct. 1 and as part of a third online survey which will be open from Oct. 1 through Nov. 3.
The city began developing a transportation master plan in July 2023. In the first round of public engagement, ending in December 2023, the public told the city what they wanted in general terms.
This information was then used to develop direction for policies, projects and planning. Phase 2 engagement was completed in April 2024, with more than 700 people responding to the phase 2 survey.
The second What We Heard report was made available in July with the results helping to further refine the policies, projects and planning developed after the first engagement.
"Our thanks to everyone who participated to help shape this plan," the release said. "We look forward to completing the third and final phase of the transportation master plan project which will finalize recommended projects with costs, funding sources, and a plan for implementation."
The final recommendations will be presented to city council for consideration in early 2025. More information and details about this project may be viewed on Let’s Talk Parksville.
The Canada Community Building Fund Community Works Fund contributed a total of $150,000 to the Transportation Master Plan initiative, with $62,900 allocated in 2023 and $87,100 in 2024.
