THUNDER BAY WAYFINDING PLAN

Transcription

1 THUNDER BAY WAYFINDING PLAN

2

3 Aahnii/Boozhoo - Hello Acknowledgements The City of Thunder Bay wishes to acknowledge the following individuals and organizations for their contribution to this project: Mayor Keith Hobbs and Thunder Bay City Council Project Leads Pat Forrest (Initiatives Coordinator, Tourism Northern Ontario), Karen Lewis Director, Corporate Strategic Services, City of Thunder Bay and Paul Anthony Pepe Manager, Tourism Thunder Bay Administrative Committee Adam Krupper, Jon Hendel, Karen Lewis, Paul Anthony Pepe, John Cameron, Corey Anderson, Werner Schwar, Pat Forrest, Mark Smith and Leslie McEachern Communications Valerie Marasco, Supervisor of Communications. City of Thunder Bay Thunder Bay area focus group participants representing the accommodation, attraction, community accessibility and Indigenous sectors The City wishes to acknowledge the funding assistance of Tourism Northern Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Photo credits: Tourism Thunder Bay, Visit Northwest Ontario, Goh Iromoto, City of Thunder Bay Funding Provided By Tourism Northern Ontario is one of 13 not-for-profit regional tourism organizations funded by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. It is the largest tourism region in geography, the second largest in expenditure and the only region that includes sub-regions. Tourism Northern Ontario coordinates, aligns and invests in sub-regional programs and leads in identified pan-northern management functions; and provides co-ordination of marketing, product development, workforce and industry training, and investment attraction with the ultimate goal to significantly increase tourism revenues in Northern Ontario. Increased visitation and yield are achieved by delivering programs designed to enhance existing tourism products and developing new tourism opportunities for the North. Thanks to the Following for their Assistance Tourism Thunder Bay - Corporate Strategic Services Planning Services - Development & Emergency Services Mapping and specifications by Engineering & Operations including Roads and Parks & Open Spaces - Infrastructure & Operations Wayfinding by Transit Services - Comunity Services Canadian TODS Limited peter j. smith & company, inc.

4 Thunder Bay - Wayfinding plan Canada s premier outdoor city Contents Introduction What is Wayfinding? 1 Purpose of the Wayfinding plan 1 Vision 1 Goals & Objectives 2 Public Consultation 3 Wayfinding Process Methodology 5 Wayfinding in Thunder Bay Location 6 Wayfinding Model 7 Organizing the Wayfinding System 8 Circulation Hierarchy 9 Destination Hierarchy 13 Wayfinding Signage Plan 19 Wayfinding Signage, Policy & Criteria Best Practices: Accessibility 21 Regulatory Requirements & Precedents 21 Signage Hierarchy 22 Interpretive Themes 28 Wayfinding Policy 29 Destination Criteria 30 Implementation & Priorities Recommendations 35 Plan Integration 36 Maintenance Guidelines 36 Potential Funding Sources 36 Phasing Strategy 37 Cost Estimate 38 Appendix A - Proposed Wayfinding Signage Key Map of Proposed Wayfinding Signage 40 Proposed Wayfinding Signage Table 57 Appendix B - Existing Wayfinding Signage Map of Existing Wayfinding Signage 71 Existing Wayfinding Signage Table 79 Examples of Existing Wayfinding Signage 86 Appendix C - Background Document Summary Background Document Summary 89 Appendix D - Design Standards & Specifications Design Intent 93 Wayfinding Signage Design Standards 95 Specifications 104 The four cardinal directions in both First Nation and Western nomenclature peter j. smith & company, inc. Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding plan

5 Introduction Superior by Nature Wayfinding - Thunder Bay What is Wayfinding? The Primary objective of a wayfinding system is to move people through space to their destination. In order to do this, a visitor needs to navigate a logical proggression of orderly information, which becomes more detailed as they approach their destination. Once they reach it, they should also be able to orient themselves and simply navigate to other points of interest or need - Corbin Designs Wayfinding is a system that helps us to orient ourselves to an unfamiliar setting. It is knowing where you are, knowing where your desired location is and knowing how to get there from your present location. Wayfinding refers to the user experience of orientation and choosing a path within the environment. It also refers to the set of elements that aid orientation. Purpose of the Wayfinding plan The Wayfinding plan creates a wayfinding signage system for Thunder Bay that can also be used as a template for other Northern Ontario communities. The wayfinding plan develops an integrated system that orients people to their locations and directs them to selected primary destinations. A wayfinding plan adds the element of showcasing the city, offering people unfamiliar with its destinations clear instructions for moving about and interpreting the city as a diverse and unique place. Therefore, the wayfinding system: Promotes tourism and economic development Tells the story of Thunder Bay Capitalizes on Thunder Bay s unique location and identity Showcases the city as a destination on the Lake Superior Circle Tour Promotes the city s ethnic and cultural diversity and encourages private investment Vision Approaching Thunder Bay from the east offers visitors the opportunity to stop at the visitor centre and enjoy the Terry Fox scenic overlook, one of the most magnificent gateways and viewpoints in the province. As they approach from the west and north, visitors are greeted by attractive gateways, views of Lake Superior and the mountainous topography surrounding the city. The wayfinding system will direct visitors to the Fort William and Waterfront Districts, educational institutions and central city commercial core where interpretive nodes will disseminate all forms of information about the region in both traditional and, potentially, digital formats. Themed walking routes will direct visitors throughout the City to primary destinations and attractions. These destinations will be interconnected by a unique and attractive signage system reflecting the flavour of the region, the uniqueness of the people and the unusual character and flair of the culture, history and natural surroundings of the lake, rivers, mountains and waterfalls. Thunder Bay is defined by Highway 11-17, a primary circulation and city bypass route. The wayfinding system will encourage visitors to leave the expressway and turn toward the waterfront as the single most important and iconic destination in the city. The route will bring visitors to a continuous park, waterfront boulevard and promenade available in the future along the entire waterfront and linking the two downtown nodes captured as the civic centre and the Waterfront District. A third Intercity node forms a shopping, accommodation and commercial district; a relatively new commercial centre of the city. The waterfront is the spine or backbone of the wayfinding system and connects access to the primary circulation route/bypass to the waterfront route. The system will strengthen Thunder Bay s identity and character as a waterfront community. In time the waterfront route will be enhanced with streetscape and building façade improvements along the commercial corridor to become a scenic byway and primary image route. Other commercial corridors will also maintain their image route purposes and be much improved commercial streets, shopping areas and offices. Terry Fox Monument View of Thunder Bay from the Terry Fox Visitor Information Centre 1 peter j. smith & company, inc.

6 Goals & Objectives The goals and objectives reflect the elements that will make the wayfinding system effective. They offer a guide for decision making into the future and establish evaluation criteria to implement the wayfinding plan. The goals and objectives support long-term sustainable relationships among residents, business owners, elected officials, administrators and agencies for the promotion of Thunder Bay as a vibrant destination poised to attract visitors and investors. The following goals and objectives form the foundation and guidance of the wayfinding plan. Goal 1 ECONOMY Thunder Bay is a unique city with two traditional downtowns and an evolving and growing commercial node. The wayfinding plan will promote economic development in these three commercial areas, focusing on revitalization of the two former downtown cores. To promote the downtown cores of the former cities of Port Arthur and Fort William as primary destinations To view the Intercity commercial area as a primary destination and link between the downtowns To promote a wayfinding plan that supports business and economic development opportunities in feature areas throughout the city and region Goal 2 REGIONAL ASSETS Thunder Bay is defined by Lake Superior, the surrounding Great Lakes, boreal forest and high mountain cliffs. The Sleeping Giant and flat-topped Mount McKay dominate the view. The wayfinding plan will capitalize on these unique views and powerful scenery as orientation points and accent the overall character and identity of the community. To accent and interpret the natural features of the city including forests, topography, rivers and lake To expose visitors to the dominance of the water and accent experiences of lake, rivers, streams and waterfalls To protect and capitalize upon views toward the water Goal 3 HISTORY Thunder Bay has a powerful and encompassing sense of history due to its unique location at the lakehead. As a transportation hub and the centre of the country it expresses the culture and uniqueness of its heritage and region. The wayfinding plan should highlight and link the unique districts that tell the story of the city. To expose visitors to the city and regional destinations To identify the cultural and heritage districts and attractions To tell the stories natural, cultural, social and political that have helped to form the city To acknowledge traditional lands and heritage Goal 4 UNIQUENESS Thunder Bay demonstrates the unique identity of the region through the types and diversity of features and destinations. Thunder Bay as a brand is Canada s premier outdoor city. The wayfinding plan will capture the essence of that character and the assets of the community as part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour. To highlight the city as a featured component of the Lake Superior Circle Tour and Trans Canada Trail To maintain a common identity in all wayfinding signage that can be transposed regionally To link city and regional destinations Goal 5 INTEGRATION Thunder Bay moves people in a safe and expeditious way employing all modes of transportation. The wayfinding system will offer a simple, organized and understandable system to promote and include ethnic and cultural diversity, business opportunities and entrepreneurship. To be expandable and inclusive of all transportation opportunities To promote and separate, where possible, active transportation, focusing on trailheads as destinations To advertise, promote and educate visitors and residents about the multitude of destinations To be accessible to all regardless of abilities To orient people to their locations and direct them to selected primary destinations The Pagoda - Tourist Information Bureau Source: Donald K. Campbell, City of Thunder Bay Archives Built in 1909 to serve visitors, the Pagoda is Canada s oldest information building and bureau. Its design is a mix of Roman, Greek, Indian and Scandinavian architecture. The polka dotted roof, since removed, originated from a 1961 publicity stunt by the Thunder Bay Jaycees. It is currently located at the corner of Red River Road and Water Street. It was moved there to make way for area improvements. 2 Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding Plan

7 Wayfinding - Thunder Bay 3 Public Consultation As part of the process of developing the wayfinding system, input was gathered from the public and various interest groups. The purpose was to understand their perspective regarding the current wayfinding signage and their wants/needs regarding the future planned wayfinding system. The following meetings were conducted: Four focus groups Two community workshops and online survey Four Steering Committee meetings to review work in progress The following public consultation occurred in Thunder Bay: Focus Groups Focus groups consist of individuals who had specific knowledge or a common perspective on the project. During the meeting, their opinions and understanding regarding the project were documented. Focus groups were structured with workbooks and interactive, encouraging discussion. Four focus group sessions were conducted in November 2015: 1. Municipal representatives and Circulation/ Access 2. Businesses, Tourism and Business Areas 3. Accommodations and Attractions 4. First Nations These sessions yeilded a list of the top destinations that should be part of the wayfinding system, offered suggestions for potential interpretive information, and identified places to stop and get bearings when entering the city. In general, it was said the existing wayfinding signage doesn t help visitors find their way around and visitors need to know the "big picture". A summary of comments from these discussions includes: Thunder Bay is the hub of Northwestern Ontario Thunder Bay is made up of diverse cultures, offering distinct neighbourhoods and multiple opportunities for visitors and residents, but as such has a split personality which needs to pull together and integrate its diverse areas Thunder Bay consists of four cities ; Port Arthur, Intercity, Fort William, and Fort William First Nation Other cities that have good wayfinding: Wisconsin on its bike paths, Chicago with easy-to-read and repeated signage, Winnipeg, St Paul and Minneapolis with signs over roads The identity/character of the City and its districts should be communicated Various interpretive themes should be further developed for inclusion onto pedestrian kiosks Gateways should be located at main access points Certain routes are the best/most attractive routes in the City and should be used for people to travel Universal signage is needed regarding accessibility; incorporate symbols for universal understanding (language accessibility), contrasting back/foreground, symbols, etc. Needs to have walking distances on any pedestrian signage/kiosk/maps Trails should be accessible and signed so people are aware of what to expect regarding grades, surfaces, washrooms, available seating, etc. Need better signage on main highways as well as trails The existing four signed routes in the City are not effective (poor language and graphics) with the signage advertising the routes and not destinations along them, are not productive for businesses and are confusing to tourists There is a need to accommodate outlying rural communities, as well as First Nations; visitors access resources that are available in the urban area A summary of comments when asked : What is the one best thing the City could do? Beautification in downtown areas Route numbers and visual cues with up-to-date contact information Better signage - especially from the east (at Hodder Avenue where it is confusing) Improve and increase Active Transportation (non-vehicle) corridors Every great journey starts with a surprise Artwork swims by as one travels across the bridge over the Kaministiquia River outflow into Lake Superior Identify places to stop and get bearings when entering the city (where people can get out of cars and determine destinations; especially from the east and south) Make signs more easy to read with more information and at proper locations (not right at turn); consider accessibility, font, colour, contrast, type of area and its character - i.e., residential, industrial, etc. A summary of comments when asked : What are the top ten attractions / destinations in the Thunder Bay area (in no specific order: City s waterfront Fort William Historical Park Mount McKay / Fort William First Nation Intercity Entertainment / Restaurant District University and College Hospital Terry Fox Memorial Bay and Algoma Neighbourhood City Hall (City Centre) / City Administration District Casino Chippewa Park peter j. smith & company, inc.

8 Community Workshops and Survey Two community workshops were held; both advertised and open to all residents and businesses. Likely due to the noncontroversial nature of the project and the weather, the first forum (December 1, 2015) was lightly attended. The second forum (March 2, 2016) was attended by about 25 participants, representing a range of interests including BIAs, hotels/ motels, chamber of commerce and accessibility interest group. The current state of the project was conveyed with panels of information and graphics. There were very engaging discussions with comments received and questions answered. The major discussions involved the naming of the wayfinding districts; diametric views of recreating the idea of two cities or celebrating the history of the city. The remaining responses to the wayfinding planning process and signage presented were positive. The online survey and open house handout questioned if the information presented on the project boards at the public open house met with the objectives of the wayfinding project. There were a total of ten responses received. Majority of responses agreed the project is meeting with the goals and objectives. Majority of responses agreed the wayfinding process, signage hierarchy and public consultation meet the objectives of the project. Split on issue of organizing the wayfinding system and gateways to the city; for and against. Majority didn t agree or disagree with the destinations section of the project. Here are some specific issues that came out from the public consultation: There is a need for letting people know the urban exits off the highways to the city (This report recommends the MTO install Next 8 exits Thunder Bay Urban Area signage on Highways 61 and 11-17) District names are of concern. (Propose use of geographic reference and existing terminology of business areas; thus giving Waterfront District and Fort William District (with an option for Civic District ) to go along with the less-controversial Intercity District and Current River Greenway names) The current named routes do not work well for wayfinding; route numbers would work better (This report recommends the Lake Superior Cirlcle Tour route be relocated from a section of the highway to along the waterfront - Hodder Ave, Cumberland St, Water St, Fort William Rd, Simpson St, Arthur St) James St Bridge closure needs to be resovled/opened (This report recommends this, if at all possible) It was questioned why Bay & Algoma Neighbourhood and Westfort Village had not been included as districts. (This report created districts to manage a large grouping of destinations; combined for wayfinding signage purposes. The business areas are treated as individual destinations and identified on directional signage.) It was suggested there is a need for overhead signage (more effective) along the higher speed routes, such as Harbour and the arterial roads and at the major highway entrances to the city. The full responses of the public consultations can be found in the appendix. The second community forum gathered public comments on the draft wayfinding plan A detailed report on comments and input from the public consultation is available from Tourism Thunder Bay. We need to take the visitors off the highway and bring them to their location. Shop. Dine. Play. Stay...easy...keep it simple Public consultation often gave opposing opinions on what to do. Please resist the temptation to simplify the city for the sake of a few tourists. Your goal should be to reflect the uniqueness of the city as a way of increasing its attractiveness to visitors. 4 Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding Plan

9 Wayfinding Process Methodology 2. Outline a Model for the Community 5. Define Districts within the Community Wayfinding - Thunder Bay In this report, the methodology for wayfinding fulfills two distinct needs. The first is to develop a wayfinding process that is applicable to all communities in the Tourism Northern Ontario (TNO) Regional Tourism Organization (RTO 13). The second need is to apply the wayfinding process to the City of Thunder Bay as a demonstration model. In general, the purpose is to communicate a common brand through wayfinding for all Northern Ontario communities and a common system to enhance wayfinding for the resident and visitor. The Northern Ontario Wayfinding System Action Plan as a Pilot Project Thunder Bay outlines the desired wayfinding, visual identity and specification of signage system elements. The methodology is applicable to Northern Ontario communities when developing wayfinding systems. However, it should be viewed as flexible as each community will have its own specific wayfinding needs and challenges. The process is reinforced through the accompanying flow chart and corresponding sign types. The methodology is summarized in the following simplified steps: 1. Inventory and Evaluate A comprehensive understanding of the community is determined through an inventory. This consists of all existing wayfinding signage, wayfinding elements, community character areas and background documentation including the transportation master plan, the official plan and planning for active transportation and community identity. The wayfinding model is an abstraction of the community s dominant natural features, significant wayfinding features, character areas/destinations, major entry points/gateways and circulation hierarchy. The model wayfinding system simplifies and facilitates the wayfinding decision making process into an easy-to-understand graphic of the community and system. 3. Locate Community Gateways When communicating wayfinding to travellers, the first consideration is major access routes entering the community. The second consideration is community gateways. These are the most important entry points along the major access routes into the community. 4. Identify Wayfinding Routes The wayfinding routes define how to get from gateway point to destination point. They usually coincide with the hierarchy of roads as defined in the community transportation master plan. On the wayfinding routes, wayfinding signage will lead to districts and specific stand-alone destinations. Districts can be defined as unique community character areas, like a downtown or waterfront, or as clusters of destinations. 6. Identify Community Destinations Destinations can stand alone or be in clusters or districts. Destinations in clusters may be amassed under a named character area (such as a park). Districts can be identified with their own unique sign header and colour. Stand alone destinations can be identified by a common community-wide sign header and colour. 7. Identify Regional Destinations The wayfinding plan also directs travellers to significant regional destinations. Wayfinding signage to regional destinations can be located where wayfinding routes exit the community. Process Flow Chart 5 peter j. smith & company, inc.

10 Wayfinding in Thunder Bay Everybody stops in Thunder Bay Location National Context The City of Thunder Bay is located in the geographic centre of North America, giving it access to both eastern and western Canada markets. As such, Thunder Bay is a crossroads city and the Gateway to the Great Northwest. It is located at the eastern terminus of the Dawson Trail and the western terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway system. It is a major hub for shipping to the U.S., Mexico and South America, as well as the American Upper Midwest, the Gulf of Mexico and points south. Both major railways and the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway run through the city. As a result of its location, Thunder Bay has one of Canada s largest port facilities. The waterfront of Thunder Bay has always attracted people The City of Thunder Bay is located in the south-central part of the Tourism Northern Ontario region Regional Context The City of Thunder Bay is located at the terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway The City of Thunder Bay is a regional centre for health care, education and cultural life supporting all of Northwestern Ontario with a wide variety of services and supplies. Located on Thunder Bay, along the Lake Superior Circle Tour Route, it is the largest city on the shores of Lake Superior. It is about 45 minutes by car along Highway 61 to Minnesota and the U.S. border. Thunder Bay is surrounded by regional parks and open spaces making it a favorite year-round destination for sports enthusiasts, and tourists. It is the gateway to great outdoor adventure in the heartland of boreal forest and the Canadian Shield. Thunder Bay is a one- to two-hour flight from major centres in Canada, such as Winnipeg and Toronto. The Thunder Bay International Airport is the fourth busiest in Ontario. Local Context Situated within the floodplains of the Kaministiquia, Neebing and McIntyre rivers and the surrounding hills, flanked by Mount McKay and Mount Baldy, the City of Thunder Bay has a beautiful, natural setting on Lake Superior with views to Nanabijou The Sleeping Giant. The area has four ski centres, waterfalls, hiking and biking trails, canoeing and kayaking, a National Marine Conservation Area and an abundance of parklands. 6 Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding Plan

11 Hinge of the Nation Wayfinding Model Wayfinding - Thunder Bay The wayfinding model is a signage system that incorporates the geography of the place lake, rivers and mountains as orientation points in the system. The Thunder Bay wayfinding model focuses on the waterfront with a purpose to: Promote the unique character of the city Promote a definitive brand or identity Capitalize on the scenic beauty of the city It focuses on the two downtowns with a purpose to: Revitalize and enhance their identity and character Increase the profile of the two urban areas as significant attractions Create and enhance cultural and heritage destinations Highway is an expressway meant as a bypass for the city and a truck route. Both Highways and 61 are primary regional circulation routes. Traffic entering the city will enter through gateways along this primary circulation route. The purpose of the wayfinding route is not to select the most scenic or most direct route. It is to move the visitor in an understandable way to the primary destinations in the community. In time, with enhancements, the route will become the most attractive and build on its natural scenic qualities. The wayfinding routes link the Waterfront District with the Fort William downtown (civic centre), the waterfront and significant community nodes. Intersections of trails with the wayfinding routes offers the potentioal to incorporate pedestrian/bicycle wayfinding into the system. Signage directing travellers to primary destinations only originates along the primary circulation and wayfinding routes; not from other roadways. Once signed on these designated routes, follow-up signage is located on any roads as needed to direct travellers to each primary destination. Destinations are signed from each direction along the wayfinding routes. Generally, wayfinding signage only alerts vehicles to the nearest district and/or destination. The purpose of the model is to simplify the structure of the wayfinding system in order to understand where the system is focused and how we plan to move visitors through the city to the major destinations. The graphic below distills the wayfinding system to its essential components. The detail of numerous destinations and even more numerous and different types of signs are added to the structure later. Intercity 7 peter j. smith & company, inc.

12 Organizing the Wayfinding System Districts In larger communities like Thunder Bay, it is often necessary to create named geographic areas or districts due to space limitations on signage. By teasing out the character of different areas, it is possible to formulate district names and areas. An area may be diverse and contain a mix of uses, but through an overriding theme, aesthetic quality, history or geography, the area is understood as one entity. This simplified understanding allows one district name to be used in place of many destinations, reducing sign clutter. Once in a district, individual destinations within that district are signed. Thunder Bay can be organized into four distinct districts: Current River Greenway Waterfront District Intercity District Fort William District (or optionally Civic District ) These district names were formulated from discussions with the Administrative committee, and comments recieved from focus groups and community meetings. Thunder Bay, being at the western end of the St. Lawrence Seaway, has an active port with ships constantly enlivening the bay 8 Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding Plan

13 Circulation Hierarchy Demand for Experiences Wayfinding - Thunder Bay In Thunder Bay, the major vehicular access routes to/through the city are Highways 11-17, 61 and 102; these are designated as primary circulation routes. Major access routes into the city are Arthur Street, the Harbour, Red River Road and Hodder Avenue. Primary wayfinding routes are defined as Arthur Street, Red River Road and the connecting roadways along the waterfront between these two routes: Simpson Street, Fort William Road, Water Street. The secondary wayfinding routes comprise the other two major access routes into the city: Harbour and Hodder Avenue. It is only on these circulation/wayfinding routes that signage originates to direct visitors to destinations. NOTE: 1. Ministry of Transportation and Canadian Tourism-Oriented Directional Signage are the only type of signage allowed on provincial highways. Municipal wayfinding signage is not allowed on these highways. 2. The focus of this project/document is the vehicular wayfinding system. Future phases would be to organize the wayfinding system at the pedestrian, bicycle and boat level. Once travellers get out of their vehicles, preferred non-vehicular travel routes are to be defined following a similar method as was done for the vehicular travel routes. HWY HWY 61 Kaministiquia River ARTHUR ST DAWSON RD EDWARD ST HWY GOLF LINKS RD HARBOUR EXPRESSWAY FORD ST VICTORIA AVE OLIVER RD BALMORAL ST WALSH ST MAY ST MEMORIAL AVE SIMPSON ST Kam River Park DAWSON ST RED RIVER RD BAY ST JOHN ST WATER ST ALGOMA ST Current R Chippewa Park Trowbridge Falls Park Centennial Park COURT ST iver Boulevard Lake Prince Arthur's Landing HODDER AVE ARUNDEL ST Lake Superior Legend HWY Primary Circulation Route Primary Wayfinding Route Secondary Wayfinding Route Trans Canada Trail Golf Course City Park 9 Red River Road, a major access route into the City, offers spectacular views of Thunder Bay and the Sleeping Giant City Limits peter j. smith & company, inc.

14 Urban Area Highway Exits When signs have a number, a colour and a symbol associated with the text, they are more readily understood by travellers. There is potential to organize Thunder Bay s urban area exits for better understanding. Given that the exits are located on two different highways, with each highway to be numbered differently by the MTO, numbering the exits may not help. The MTO has standard signage, not allowing different colour. One possible way of aiding wayfinding is to have signs at the exits informing the traveller of the districts. An existing sign reads Downtown via Arthur Street, The MTO may be able to place similar signs such as Current River Greenway via Hodder Avenue before the exit of the district. This recommended possible configuration of the exits is illustrated. This type of signage by the highway exits would enhance the wayfinding in the Thunder Bay area. Future Developments The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is currently undertaking a study of the Thunder Bay with completion expected in early Ultimately, the long-term vision for the expressway is a four-lane divided highway with controlled access at interchanges. As part of this study, the MTO is considering eliminating the exits at the Oliver Road and John Street interchanges, citing the need to have minimum interchange spacings of 2-3 kilometres for safety considerations. It is, however, still considering including a southeast off ramp at Oliver Road for hospital access and the development of a new interchange for the Northwest Arterial. This new interchange would be located between the existing interchanges of Oliver and John Street. Regarding changes to city access, it would direct travellers onto Golf Links Road, which currently is accessed by both Oliver Road and John Street. If the MTO study results in changes to the highway exit structure, the wayfinding system would need to be modified to suit the new circulation routes. The wayfinding signage proposed for the Oliver Road and John Street interchanges would be consolidated to the Northwest Arterial interchange. Also, a few additional signs would need to be located to maintain the continuity of the proposed wayfinding signage system. 10 Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding Plan

15 Gateways of the Wayfinding System Gateways are organized as primary, secondary and tertiary. Gateway to The Great Northwest Wayfinding - Thunder Bay Primary gateways are located along the major travel routes as they pass into the municipality s bounded area. These are the formal entrance points to the City of Thunder Bay and are located in five locations: I. Northeastern section of Highway II. Along Route 102 III. Western section of Highway IV. Exiting the airport V. Southwestern section of Highway 61 At this time there are gateway signs at three of the five locations (III, IV and V). Gateway I is priortizied for a Gateway Sign in Phase 2, subject to Clean Green and Beautiful Funding. Secondary gateways could be considered doorways into districts. Thunder Bay has four proposed named districts: A. Current River Greenway B. Waterfront C. Intercity D. Fort William (or Civic) If implemented by MTO, the urban area highway exit signs would act as secondary gateway signage. As an example, MTO signage at (A), the Current River Greenway exit, would be placed in both directions before the exit and read Current River Greenway via Hodder Avenue. 11 Primary gateway sign greeting people on Highway 61 peter j. smith & company, inc.

16 Thunder Bay s Trail System The trail system should also be implemented with a wayfinding signage system. This is to be designed and detailed in a future phase of the wayfinding system. Gateway Kiosks As part of this phase of the project, three gateway kiosks are recommended to be located along the highway at the north and south entries to the City of Thunder Bay and at the airport. The adjacent graphic illustrates the recommended locations and shows the City s existing off-road trail system. Pedestrian and Bicycle Wayfinding System In a future phase of development, pedestrian and bicycle wayfinding signage should be incorporated into the Thunder Bay wayfinding system. An information kiosk would be one aspect of this work. Concepts for information kiosks are detailed in the wayfinding signage hierarchy section of this report (starting point towards a final design). They should be located at major gathering points/high-volume attractions such as Fort William Historical Park, Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, Terry Fox Visitor Centre, Prince Arthur s Landing - Waterfront (Urban Kiosk) and at trailheads where the trail system interfaces with the wayfinding routes (trailhead kiosk). Other or alternative locations can be considered. The adjacent graphic illustrates five recommended locations for trailhead kiosks where the Trans Canada Trail intersects the wayfinding routes. HWY Thunder Bay International Airport ARTHUR ST DAWSON RD EDWARD ST HWY GOLF LINKS RD HARBOUR EXPRESSWAY FORD ST VICTORIA AVE OLIVER RD BALMORAL ST WALSH ST MAY ST DAWSON ST RED RIVER RD BAY ST JOHN ST MEMORIAL AVE SIMPSON ST WATER ST ALGOMA ST Current R COURT ST iver Boulevard Lake HODDER AVE ARUNDEL ST Lake Superior HWY Terry Fox Visitor Centre HWY 61 Kaministiquia River Legend Gateway Kiosk Trailhead Kiosk Primary Circulation Route Primary Wayfinding Route Secondary Wayfinding Route Trail Trans Canada Trail Norway Park Golf Course City Park Existing pedestrian wayfinding signage at the Pagoda (Tourist Information Bureau) City Limits 12 Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding Plan

17 Destination Hierarchy A Gathering Place for Centuries Wayfinding - Thunder Bay 13 A necessary component of developing a wayfinding system is the identification of the destinations that will be included in the wayfinding system. Wayfinding destinations are designated based on their significance in Thunder Bay and the region. Destinations included in the wayfinding system are generally regional and local attractions. Most are publicly-owned. Some private destinations are also included because they are considered by the City to be significant tourism generators and should be part of the wayfinding system to avoid confused travellers. Canadian Tourism-Oriented Directional Signs Along Provincial highways, wayfinding signage to community (typically public or not-for-profit) and pay-to-play (private) destinations is limited to Canadian Tourism-Oriented Directional Signs (COTDS). COTDS is a program of the government of Ontario and managed by Canadian CTODS Limited, a private firm. This signage system is already in place in Thunder Bay. The existing pay-to-play signs were inventoried and are part of the sign inventory located in the appendix B. A separate municipallyoperated pay-to-play signage system was not incorporated into this wayfinding system, but could be considered for the future. However, if a primary destination was part of the existing COTDS signage, there was recommendation for one of the following: To be left in place as it is now To be revised (text and/or graphics) To be removed This recommendation ensures that the primary destination and its signage are in line with the proposed wayfinding system. Criteria for tourism generators and destinations are outlined in the Wayfinding Signage, Policy & Criteria chapter. Fairway, Chapples Golf Course source: thunderbay.ca Districts This study amasses some destinations into districts for organization. This is done to increase understanding of the wayfinding system, to reduce sign clutter and to address space limitations for the number of signs that may be located, given physical space constraints. The destinations contained in each of the four districts are shown below. District Name Fort William Intercity Waterfront Current River Greenway Destinations within district 1 City Hall 2 Thunder Bay (Historical) Museum 3 Fort Williams Gardens 4 Victoriaville Centre 5 Kaministiquia River Heritage Park 1 Confederation College 2 Thunder Bay Art Gallery 3 Baseball Central 4 Intercity Shopping Centre 5 Greyhound Bus Terminal 1 OLG Casino 2 Magnus Theatre 3 Paramount Theatre 4 Pagoda Seasonal Visitor Centre 5 Marina Park 6 Prince Arthur s Landing 7 Sail Superior 1 Trowbridge Falls Park 2 Centennial Park 3 Boulevard Lake Park 4 Fisherman s Park / Boat Launch 5 Cascades Conservation Area Canadian Lakehead Exhibition (CLE)Grounds There are several destinations located at the CLE grounds, as well as the annual summer fair. They need to be consolidated to streamline the wayfinding signage plan for similar reason that districts were used. The three destinations signed under the CLE in the wayfinding system are listed in the table below. CLE Grounds 1 Sports Dome 2 SilverCity Thunder Bay Cinemas 3 Thunder Bay Country Market Business Areas Thunder Bay has vibrant Business Improvement Areas (BIAS) and other business associations. They are a primary destination for both residents and visitors alike. The six business areas signed in the wayfinding system are listed in the table below. Business Areas 1 Balmoral & Central Ave 2 Bay & Algoma Neighbourhood 3 Fort William 4 Simpson Street 5 Waterfront 6 Westfort Village Chapples Recreation Area There are many destinations located in the Chapples recreation area. They need to be consolidated to streamline the wayfinding signage plan for similar reason that districts were used. Currently, there is no internal vehicle access between the north and south sections of the recreation area (divided by the Neebing River). Therefore, the North and South terms are used on signs to differentiate between the two different vehicular entrances to the recreation area. This is the breakdown of destinations. Chapples Recreation Area North Chapples Recreation Area 1 Chapples Golf Course 2 Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre 3 Thunder Bay Minor Football Association 4 Ball Diamonds North 5 Chill & Lakehead Express Soccer Clubs South Chapples Recreation Area 1 International Friendship Gardens 2 Fort William Stadium (The Royal Canadian Legion Track) 3 Delaney Arena 4 Ball Diamonds South The Centennial Botanical Conservatory is also part of the Chapples Recreation Area, but at this time will be signed with its name due to there being no internal road connections to the rest of the Chappel Recreation Area. If there are internal connections made in the future, the Conservatory entrance may need to be signed/referred to as East Chapples Recreation Area. peter j. smith & company, inc.

18 Primary Destinations What follows are the primary destinations included in the wayfinding system for Thunder Bay. PARK AMENITIES PARKING Boulevard Lake Park Beach with lifeguard, Current River Greenway, picnic areas (6), disc golf, washrooms, walking trails, mini-putt, boat rentals, Boulevard Lake, Current River 400 Centennial Park Current River Greenway, picnic area (indoor & outdoor), playground equipment, hiking trails, cross country ski trails, year-round chalet, food concession, logging museum, farm animals, Muskeg Express mini railway, sleigh rides by appointment, Current River Chippewa Park Sandy Beach with life guard, camping, wildlife park, amusement rides, picnic fields, pavilion, seasonal food concession, playground equipment, Lake Superior 300 International Friendship Gardens Located in the East Chapples Recreation Area; monuments representing 18 ethnic groups, picnic tables, paved walking trails, gardens, two small man-made lakes 45 est Kaministiqua River Heritage Park Boardwalk, docking facilities, canoe/kayak launch, "Animikii - Flies the Thunder" sculpture, vintage VIA Rail train exhibit, James Whalen tug, Merchant Marine WWII monument, annual Riverfest celebration, Kam River Marina at Marina Park / marina 271 slips for City residents and visitors, moorings, dryland storage facilities, services visitors water moorings 150 est. Prince Arthur's Landing at Marina Park Marina, washrooms, splash pad/skating, walking trails, skateboard plaza, summer concert series, public art, picnic facilities, playground equipment, restaurants, arts centre, Lake Superior Trowbridge Falls Park Current River Greenway, camping, walking trails, cross country trails, mountain biking, playground equipment, playing field, waterfalls, Current River 260 PARK - REGIONAL AMENITIES PARKING Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park Falls, boardwalk, overlooks, walking trails, cross country ski trails, visitors centre, washrooms, camping, picnic area, environmental education, Kaministiquia River 259 est. Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park Canyon, trail, visitors store, washrooms, picnic area 30 est. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park Walking trails, cross country ski trails, mountain biking trails, scenic lookout, picnic areas, cabins, camping, visitor centre, washrooms, outdoor amphitheater, playground, boat launch, store, conference centre, Pounsford Lake, Marie Louise Lake, Lake Superior CONSERVATION AREA AMENITIES PARKING Cascades Conservation Area (LRCA) Current River Greenway, picnic area, pavilion, interpretive displays, walking trails, Current River 55 est. Mission Island Marsh Conservation Area (LRCA) Viewing mound, boardwalk, interpretive pavilion, walking trails 40 est. COMMUNITY RESOURCE / ICON TYPE AMENITIES PARKING Fisherman s Park / boat launch Current River Greenway, boat launch, observation deck, picnic shelters, portable toilet, Current River, Lake Superior 12 est. Neste Boat Launch / boat launch Launch, scenic lookout, boat launch, accessible fishing pier 40 trailers/cars est. Greyhound Bus Terminal / transportation Bus station 35 est. Tourist Pagoda / visitor centre Seasonal visitor centre, National Historic Site 50 est est. 330 est. 160 est. Tourist Pagoda Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park James Whalen Tug, Kaministiquia River Park 14 Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding Plan

19 Primary Destinations (continued) Wayfinding - Thunder Bay SPORT VENUE AMENITIES PARKING Sports Dome Trampoline arena 120 est. Baseball Central Lit senior baseball field, batting cages, site of 2010 World Junior Championships 200 est. Canada Games Complex Aquatic centre, fitness 250 est. Chapples Golf Course Chapples Recreation Area Located in the North Chapples Recreation Area ; 18 hole municipal golf course Divided into North, South and East; East includes Centennial Botanical Conservatory; North includes Chapples Golf Course, Ball Diamonds North, Soccer Clubs, Tennis Centre, Football Association: South includes Fort William Stadium, Delaney Arena, International Friendship Gardens Chapples Recreation Area Ball Diamonds Located in both the North (six diamonds) and South (three diamonds) of the Chapples Recreation Area; dugouts 120 est. Chill & Lakehead Express Soccer Clubs Located in the North Chapples Recreation Area; bleachers, four large multi-use fields, shared clubhouse (concessions, change rooms, washrooms, storage) 100 est. Delaney Arena Located in the South Chapples Recreation Area; one sheet indoor ice skating rink is open year round, shares parking with Fort William Stadium - Fort William Gardens Concerts, conferences, trade shows, circuses and various sporting events (hockey, curling, skating, basketball, wrestling) 87 est. Fort William Stadium Located in the South Chapples Recreation Area; Fort William Stadium (The Royal Canadian Legion Track) has synthetic turf, soccer, track and field, shares parking with Delaney Arena 70 est. Port Arthur Stadium Site of 2010 World Junior Baseball Championships 160 est. Strathcona Golf Course Municipal golf course 150 est. Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre Located in the North Chapples Recreation Area; nine tennis courts, office, washrooms 30 est. Thunder Bay Minor Football Association Located in the North Chapples Recreation Area; multi-use field, shared clubhouse (concessions, change rooms, washrooms, storage) 35 est. HIGHER EDUCATION AMENITIES PARKING Confederation College Lakehead University Community college, publicly-funded, postsecondary, 3400 full time students 7000 full time students 350 est. total 15 Fort William Gardens - multi-purpose facility hosting a variety of events (i.e. concerts, conferences, trade shows, circuses, sporting events) source: netnewsledger.com by Shelby Ch ng Lakehead University street banner Aquatic events are hosted at the Canada Games Complex source: thunderbay.ca peter j. smith & company, inc.

20 Primary Destinations (continued) CULTURAL FACILITY AMENITIES PARKING Centennial Botanical Conservatory Tropical arboretum, waterfall and wishing pond, guided tours, washrooms, picnic tables, gardens, beehives, trail access, part of Chapples Recreation Area 30, incl 4 bus est. Duke Hunt Historical Museum (regional destination) Local history and pioneer artifacts, Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge 20 est. Hillcrest Park Playground equipment, Lake Superior Regiment & WWII memorial, sunken gardens, scenic views (city, bay and Sleeping Giant), picnic tables, portable toilet 37 est. Terry Fox Monument and Visitor Centre Terry Fox monument, scenic lookout, visitor centre, washrooms 45 plus 8 buses MUSEUM / ART GALLERY AMENITIES PARKING Thunder Bay (Historical) Museum Located in historic police/court building, six galleries of local, regional and national heritage, gentlemen s games room, music gallery, and military exhibit 20 est. Thunder Bay Art Gallery Public art gallery, permanent collection includes over 1600 works, vast majority of the collection is Aboriginal art, more than 20 exhibitions per year, gift shop 120 est. THEATRE AMENITIES PARKING Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Performing arts centre, 1500 seats, non-profit 450 est. Magnus Theatre Professional theatre, theatre education, films, conferences, 250 seats 30 est. Paramount Theatre Movies, festivals, family parties, conferences, and theatre events, 230 seats 50 est. WAYFINDING DISTRICT GENERAL AREA Current River Greenway Area surrounding / encompassing the Current River Greenway Fort William (or Civic) Former Fort William downtown Intercity Area along Harbour, between former two cities Waterfront Former Port Arthur downtown and waterfront HISTORIC SITE / DISTRICT AMENITIES PARKING Finnish Labour Temple National Historic Site - includes Hoito Restaurant street parking Fort William Historical Park National Historic Site 400 est. Waverley Park Heritage Conservation District Cenotaph, Hogarth Fountain, picnic tables 50 est. BUSINESS AREA GENERAL AREA Balmoral & Central Avenue Business Area Located within the Intercity District Bay & Algoma Neighbourhood Located west of the Waterfront District Fort William Business Area Located within the Fort William (Civic) District, encompasses May Street and Victoriaville businesses Simpson Street Business Area Located on the eastern side of the Fort William (Civic) District Waterfront Business Area Located within the Waterfront District Westfort Village Business Area Located within Westfort Village Trading Post at Fort William Historical Park Walkway to the Terry Fox Monument and vista of Thunder Bay Magnus Theatre - situated next to the Central School Historic Building 16 Northern Ontario Pilot Project - Thunder Bay Wayfinding Plan