TEMPLE, Texas — Temple city leaders are sharing their ideas and goals for the downtown area through a Facebook video and they're looking for your feedback on it all.
It's important to note that everything is a recommendation and just an idea -- nothing is set in stone.
"We hope with those improvements, we will really be able to soften the environment, create a pedestrian experience and really encourage inter-district pedestrian traffic," said Nancy Glover, Director of Housing and Community Development.
Glover is one of the many on the city's Neighborhood Planning team, a group designed to improve areas across the city through recommendations and plans.
In the video from the City of Temple's Facebook page, the neighborhood planning team highlights the downtown zone which has a lot of commercial and residential areas in it that the city wants to change.
They're hoping changes and additions will help in walkability, increase foot traffic and make it safer for all sorts of transportation.
But, also grow the area to draw the people to it.
One of the concepts the plan is looking at is whether or not Adams Avenue and Central Avenue should revert to being two lane traffic.
"The current configuration has multiple lanes of one way traffic and it begins to feel like a highway," said Jason Deckman, the city's senior transportation planner. "We want this to be a street. We want you to enter downtown, slow down because it's not a highway. We want to have a sense of safety for pedestrians and bicyclers; have all modes of transportation be able to move around freely into the downtown area."
The City of Temple has been focusing on revitalizing it's downtown area for a while now. Recently, the much anticipated renovation of the historic Hawn Hotel and Arcadia Theater broke ground and that's just the start of what's to come.
"A great opportunity for Temple to have permanent residence downtown, I think that's a game changer," said David Patrick with Kasberg Patrick & Associates, LP.
For a w long time now, tax payers have requested more parking which the downtown area needs as it continues to be developed.
The city mentions parking garages are in the works in the Facebook video. They also say more on-street parking and meters are in consideration.
They're trying to make the old city new again by focusing on drawing more people downtown by making it more pedestrian friendly and safe.
Amongst the long list of recommendations from the neighborhood planning team: landscape improvements, free public Wi-Fi, some public restrooms and more sidewalks.
"That would really enhance the overall pedestrian experience as well as provide a lot of safety measures," said Erin Smith, the city's assistant manager.
The neighborhood planning team also thinks a permanent location for the farmers market and more interactive parks for all ages would help get people downtown.
The City of Temple is asking for your feedback on the overall plan they released for the downtown zone by Dec. 13.
For more information, contact Neighborhood Services at 254.298.5997, email npdnews@templetx.gov, or visit their website.