This petition is to pressure Stratford City Council to commission an economic impact study to determine the best location for a pedestrian square in Downtown Stratford. 

The Market Square committee should be commended for their perseverance over the years to convince Council to build a gathering place at City Hall. This will be a monumental change to our city and we have to be assured that it's economic impact will benefit the entire downtown core.

Here's what's happening right now:

• Based on the results from an anonymous respondent online survey, City Council has approved a budget to develop part of the back of City Hall using all funds available.
  
  

• In March 2013, Walmart offered the City $1,250,000 to develop a gathering place at Market Square by 2020. 
  
  
• Floodtides of Fortune defines Market Square as the triangle-shaped lot bounded by the stores behind City Hall, to where Downie and Wellington streets meet at the stop sign in front.
  
  
• The City has also received  $350,000 of federal funds towards the development from Canada's Sesquicentennial fund. 
  
  
• The current budget to develop the back of City Hall is $1,700,000. It is made up of both of these contributions plus additional City funds. 
  
  
• Although nearly $500,000 has been allocated for underground and predevelopment costs, no funds of the 1.7 million dollar project have been earmarked for relocating the public transit terminal or replacing up to 71 parking spaces that will be lost behind City Hall. 
  
  
• Three firms will receive $5000 each to submit design concepts for the back of City Hall. The winner, to be selected in early March, will be the prime consultant and construction of the back will begin later this year.
  
  
• Since the Walmart agreement, no studies have been conducted to confirm what location is best for a pedestrian square in downtown Stratford. Many citizens believe it is the front and not the back. 

We believe questions like these need to be answered:

1. Will the development of the back be the best option to provide a positive financial impact for the entire core?
2. How does the development of the back interconnect with the rest of the core?
3. How does the development of the back provide customer parking that is close to the store for short term shopping?
4. Shouldn't the entire downtown core be considered in any development proposed before these funds are expended? 

If you think a gathering place at the front that interconnects into the core and enhances the quality of the pedestrian experience is a better concept than one that only develops the back of City Hall, please take a moment to sign this petition to City Council to ask them to consider the square at the front of City Hall and compare it to the square at the back with an Economic Impact Study

We should all know where we are going before we begin and benefit from our investment. Let's see the big picture. 

Read enough? Sign.
Want more? Review this link and ask yourself, does the current plan consider the entire core? REVIEW HERITAGE SQUARE IDEAS