A major update to help residents and visitors find their way around Richmond is currently in the works.
City council will discuss whether to approve the Community Wayfinding Strategy draft for public input at the next General Purposes Committee meeting on Nov. 4.
Wayfinding help people understand their surroundings and their ability to navigate to a specific destination.
The Community Wayfinding Strategy aims to boost tourism with new directional signage and visual landmarks across the city.
These will be used to highlight public attractions and places of interest and make it easier for visitors and residents to explore Richmond.
“Over time, as the Strategy is implemented, the wayfinding approach in Richmond will enhance the experience for both visitors and residents as they move through the city,” says a city staff report.
The draft strategy is separated into two parts. The first shows the framework for an efficient local wayfinding system, and the second part showcases design details like sign types, colour options and beyond signage items.
Public engagement with Richmond residents and visitors
Public engagement played a significant role in developing the draft, using data from a “What We Heard” report from May 2023 that compiled inputs from a mix of Richmond residents and visitors.
The report gathered information from 160 participants from pop-up events, 39 participants from 28 organizations in focus groups, 999 visitors from Richmond's “Let’s Talk” page, and 203 respondents from an online survey.
On Oct. 10, 2023, city council endorsed guiding principles that would give direction to the preparation of this draft. The “What We Heard” report was handed to council on this day as well.
During public consultation, participants stated their top three wayfinding priorities: clarity and ease of use; inclusivity and accessibility for all backgrounds and abilities; and encouraging discovery and exploration.
Surveyed participants mentioned they frequently use a variety of modes of travel, with 13.6 per cent using public transit, 18.5 per cent biking, 29.3 per cent walking, and 36.9 per cent using a car or motorcycle. These responses highlighted the need for multi-modal wayfinding.
Results also showed nine of 10 respondents use their phone or car GPS to navigate, and they felt twice as confident navigating Richmond than a visiting friend.
When asked whether participants found it easy to find new places in Richmond, 40.7 per cent of respondents somewhat agreed, another 15.6 per cent were neutral and 18.1 per cent somewhat disagreed or less.
“This feedback points to the need for a new way forward that addresses current experiences and stated priorities around clarity, accessibility, and exploration,” read the report.
Wayfinding style and aesthetics
Those who participated in the public engagement activity were also asked about their preferred aesthetic and which one they thought best represented Richmond.
“Fun and playful” received the most votes in support, but also the most opposed votes. “Modern and fresh”, as well as “natural and authentic” also received strong support.
“Heritage and historic” was favoured only in specific heritage locations.
As a result, the draft includes elements from all aesthetics styles, focusing also on legibility, accessibility, and ease of maintenance.
Respondents stated Steveston Village, Richmond Olympic Oval and Britannia Shipyards were the top destinations for improved wayfinding.
If endorsed, the draft will move forward for public consultation, where additional community feedback on the strategy will be gathered and used to finalize the Community Wayfinding Strategy and Implementation Framework.
This final version will then be presented to council for approval.
The initiative’s guiding principles include being clear and intuitive; inclusive and accessible for all backgrounds and abilities; encouraging to discover and explore; considering the role of technology in navigation and placemaking; promoting the city and neighbourhood character and identity; and supporting local business and economy.
The Community Wayfinding Strategy draft was funded by the Municipal and Regional District Tax, with support from Tourism Richmond and the Richmond Hotel Association.
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