TCRA Position Statement - Midtown Planning Methodology

Issue: we are concerned that the Visioning stage of Midtown Planning is not capturing the uniqueness of Midtown’s relationship with the Town of Oakville. Oakville has a mature community culture and is an existing regional destination. Midtown is being developed right in the center of it.

It is believed that some future residents will select Midtown in order to participate in the activities and services available in the Town. They will wish to become part of Oakville. 

There is a methodology gap if the profile and activities of these residents are not considered as input to the Vision.

Unlike some Urban Growth Centers (UGCs) that are more standalone (for example Vaughn):

- Midtown is only a km away from a renewed downtown, lakefront, and planned cultural hub 

- Midtown will be an easy walk to Oakville Place, a regional retail center 

- Midtown is right on the doorstep of the mature, century old, neighborhoods of Old Oakville

The Vision for Midtown should not be the same as for other UGCs which have emphasis on creating new urban centers. We believe the emphasis should be on integration.  To that end we believe that planning focus should be directed at maximizing connected community/family spaces and facilities and not on trying to force another urban “main street” into the limited space not claimed by development projects.

We understand that some Midtown residents will be primarily interested in the transportation links, GO and QEW, and may have few interests in Oakville outside of Midtown. These residents also need to be accommodated.