No radical shift of focus seen by planners post-pandemic: U of W survey

WATERLOO, ONT—A survey of urban planners conducted by the University of Waterloo has found they are not anticipating major differences in the way the downtowns of mid-sized cities are planned and developed post-pandemic.

The planners were asked to identify the attributes that contributed to the success of downtowns prior to the pandemic as well as the attributes that would facilitate their post-pandemic recovery. 

The results indicated planners are not preparing for any fundamental changes to past practices even in the face of changing reality, stated a recent release.

“Despite calls for greater creativity and innovation, there is essentially no difference between what planners viewed as important to downtowns pre- and post the pandemic,” said Pierre Filion, an emeritus professor in the School of Planning at Waterloo, in a statement. “There will not be any radical transformation of post-pandemic downtowns from the pre-pandemic downtowns of the early 21st century that would change the basic forms and functions.”

Priorities will be increased use of outdoor and green spaces; more mixed-use development, particularly in residential areas; and transportation models friendly to walking and biking.

“Downtowns are likely to remain distinctive places within the cities, characterized by a mix of higher-density land uses, including specialized retail, office employment and housing,” Filion said. “There will not be any radical transformation of post-pandemic downtowns from the pre-pandemic downtowns of the early 21st century that would change the basic forms and functions.”

The study identified government as an obstacle to the successful revitalization of mid-sized downtowns. However, many of the proposed recovery policies require government intervention, especially in public-private partnerships and collaborations where there is no single organizational structure that is appropriate.

The study, Planning for Post-pandemic Downtowns of Mid-size Urban Areas, was recently published in the journal of Planning Practice & Research.