What are the ingredients that make a vibrant and youthful downtown?

As part of the “Visioning” phase of the updates to the Markham Centre Secondary Plan, the City’s aim is to create a collective vision and guiding principles in collaboration with stakeholders and the community.

In September 2020, Urban Minds hosted a 90-minute online Design Jam where Markham youth were asked to reimagine the future of Markham Centre. 

After a brief presentation by the City of Markham and Gladki Planning Associates, our participants compared their current impressions of Markham Centre and their ideal vision of the area. 

Then, the participants worked in teams to create idea boards and pitched their visions to the panel of City staff. ​

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Reviewing the team’s pitches and idea boards, five themes emerged: 

1. Social gathering spaces for people of all ages
2. Active transportation infrastructure that connects the social spaces
3. Public art and cultural events that are interesting to youth
4. Access to open and green spaces
5. More urban and diverse community through residential and commercial development

Urban Minds recommends that the City and the consultant team re-engage youth in the following phase of the Secondary Plan updates by inviting new and returning participants to evaluate the Development Options for Markham Centre in a youth-friendly setting.

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Cover Image: City of Markham, Dong Jiang