Main Street Revitalization Strategy - Stonewall, MB

John Baanbil, Max Neustaedter, Rudolph Nsoh, and Neha Prakash 

Image of the Main Street Revitalization Strategy with text about healthy streets, a regional map, and vision statement for urban revitalization.
Design document detailing main street revitalization strategies with text, a historical street photo, and a stylized "toolkit" title.
A detailed layout titled "TOOLKIT ICONOGRAPHY" with sections on urban planning aspects like public amenities and accessibility.
An infographic detailing urban revitalization strategies with text and images on multi-purpose lanes, crosswalks, sidewalks, crossings, restrooms, and street furniture.
Informational poster on urban planning strategies with text and images showcasing topics like event spaces, parklets, lighting, and art.
A structured layout detailing community development strategies for Stonewall, with headings and images.
Image of Stonewall's urban interventions map with photo-callouts detailing proposed features and scoring of planning categories.

Introduction

Main streets provide people with the avenue to interact with the physical, social, and cultural fabric of communities. They often serve as the commercial hub of most towns and cities across the world. The various sectors of a community are dependent on each constituent part which gives it the impetus to run as a successful system. This report aims to understand how the Town of Stonewall’s Main Streets can be improved, by making it more inclusive, accessible, and vibrant. To understand the nature and uniqueness of main streets in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region (WMR), we developed a toolkit that assessed main streets by the standards of best practices. This enabled us to assess the urban centres, rural centres, and settlements within the WMR. The toolkit was then revised to improve clarity and ease of use. The revised toolkit was then used to make an in-depth evaluation of Stonewall’s main street to better understand its vitality and the opportunities that are available to improve and make it more vibrant and livelier (see Appendix A). The assessment was done on eight major areas: transportation, public amenities, urban design, urban form, culture, environment, economy, policy and planning.

Vision

Our vision for Main Street revitalization is to create a dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable urban environment that celebrates the community’s unique identity while fostering economic prosperity and social well-being on Main Street. We envision Main Street as a vibrant hub of activity where residents, businesses, and visitors can come together to connect, innovate, and thrive. Through strategic planning, collaborative partnerships, and community engagement, we aim to enhance the physical, social, and economic fabric of Main Street, creating a welcoming and vibrant place that reflects our values and aspirations. Our vision is for Main Street to be a model of urban revitalization, showcasing the power of innovation, creativity, and community spirit to transform and revitalize the town’s heart.

Supporting the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region

Our vision for Main Street aligns with the goals of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region (WMR). One of the WMR’s strategic priorities is revitalizing the main streets of its small towns, recognizing them as hubs of social and economic activity. Our vision for Stone Wall Main Street mirrors this commitment by aiming to create a dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable urban environment. We recognize that main streets are vital for community health and well-being, providing a sense of place, identity, and belonging. Additionally, Stone Wall main streets will offer opportunities for commerce, culture, and recreation, which are essential for economic activity and social interaction. With this, we believe the Town of Stone Wall Main Street will not only contribute to the WMR’s strategic priorities but will also ensure that the town’s main street areas remain vibrant and integral to the overall fabric of the region.