Join the innovation – that’s the catch-phrase used to summarize Okotoks’ proposed new brand: at the intersection of innovation and creativity.
After a week-long “boot camp” compiling survey results and community input in a series of intensive workshops with Roger Brooks International, the Town’s branding committee presented its concept to the public on Friday morning.
Certain themes stood out as the committee narrowed its focus and to determine a brand that would encapsulate Town of Okotoks, according to Coun. Carrie Fischer.
“The scientific technology piece came out,” she said. “We’ve won so many awards in Okotoks for different innovative technologies we’re using, so it came together from there.”
The concept is largely focused on being forward-thinking in designing businesses and developments to attract innovative technologies, she said, and allowing space for creativity to occur.
It doesn’t end there. Marketing and tourism consultant Roger Brooks provided a list of recommendations to revitalize the downtown area – not the least of which is renaming “Olde Towne Okotoks” to the “Link District.”
The potential renaming of downtown Okotoks is something Olde Towne Okotoks merchants group president Mandy Patterson is excited about.
“I think it’s smart,” she said. “It ties in well with the new logo and tagline for Okotoks, that whole concept of being connected.”
Though she said she had no expectation leading up to Roger Brooks’ presentation on Friday, Patterson said she was “pleasantly surprised” by the direction the committee had chosen to take.
She said business owners downtown are excited about the change and believe it relates well to initiatives the Town already undertakes like Drake Landing, water conversation and sustainability.
“We’re a green community, but I do feel like there’s so much more room for us to grow in terms of that innovation,” said Patterson. “I do think they listened to our community and chose something that defines who we are.”
To get people connected with their downtown, which he referred to as “the heart and sole of any community,” Brooks had specific recommendations for Okotoks, including a plaza with regularly scheduled events.
The plaza is envisioned as a gathering space that could house skating in winter months and a splash pad in summer months, he said, with businesses facing onto it and other events hosted throughout the year like outdoor movies.
“When we talk about a programs plaza, we’re talking about 250 days’ worth of activity,” he said. “A year-round public park, that would be fantastic.”
In addition, he suggested the Town construct parking structures to remove vehicles from the side of the road along Elizabeth St., McRae St. and North Railway St., to make downtown more pedestrian-friendly and make businesses more visible.
The current parking lots, he said, could become smaller gathering places along the main street downtown.
“Maybe get some parking structures to make more people space instead of automobile space,” said Brooks. “Okotoks is an intimate setting, but it’s not very pedestrian-friendly.”
Another way for downtown to connect to residents, he said, is to ensure businesses are open later during the week, when people who work in the city or surrounding areas return home.
“Remember, half your population commutes out,” he told business owners on Friday. “When they come back, are you open? That’s what I thought.”
The Roger Brooks International team took away their boot camp results and input from the community and is currently writing up the branding plan, which will be presented to the Town within three months.
In the meantime, Fischer said a brand leadership team will be established to carry out the goals of the Town, and to be advocates for the new brand.
“Right now, we need members of the community to come on board and champion this,” said Fischer. “The team will take it on and really be champions for this in the community, to come up with a marketing plan and a direction.”
In its early stages, all recommendations for the brand made by Brooks and his team are on the table for discussion, she said, including the plaza and parking structure concepts.
The brand direction and boot camp results will come before Okotoks council on Monday for review and councillor input, she said.
“So we’ll take a look at it and how we assign priorities, what we want to do,” said Fischer. “This is a three to five year plan, trying to get most of this implemented.”
