Town plans walks in Caledon East for residents to provide feedback on streetscape

By Zachary Roman

Caledon East residents are invited to share their ideas for how to improve the streetscape of their community.

The Town of Caledon is currently conducting a streetscape and urban design study of the Airport Road corridor through Caledon East, between Cranston and Huntsmill Drives.

As part of the study, the Town has planned site walks beginning at the intersection of Airport and Old Church roads. They'll be taking place from 10 to 11 a.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. on April 12 and 13.

The Town's project is part of a larger Region of Peel Airport Road reconstruction project. According to the Town, the Region's project will improve transportation and safety, while the Town's will provide direction for streetscape design, as well as a long-term vision for Caledon East's downtown.

The site walks will be the first held by the Town for any project, and serve to provide a more casual way for residents to share their thoughts with the Town.

Jonn Barton, a landscape architect with the Town, is leading the study and site walks alongside other staff.

He explained that streetscape design means a lot of different things to people, but that in terms of this project streetscape design refers to above-ground elements such as benches, bike lockups, public art and trees — as well as anything below ground needed to support them.

“I'm trying to focus on the public… and build up wherever possible, those areas, those little stopping points where community happens,” said Barton.

The Town wants to collect as much resident feedback as it can so it can bring it to the Region of Peel and centre residents' ideas as much as possible in the reconstruction project.

“The residents [who use] that corridor in Caledon East are the ones who are going to be most affected by it. Hearing what works for them and what doesn't is most important,” said Barton. “The idea behind the walking tours was to get out there and actually experience what the people who are going through these spaces every day [experience].”