Muskoka Road Improvements, Gravenhurst

Envision-Tatham was retained by the Town of Gravenhurst to develop the overall streetscape concept for the two kilometer section of Muskoka Road which passes through the downtown core. Working collaboratively with the Town, the District of Muskoka, and the design engineers, our team advanced the concept into the detailed design and implementation of the first of two phases of the streetscape implementation. The project’s design objectives were largely based on the Town’s Retail Development Strategy and Urban Design Guidelines, with a special focus on reinforcing the downtown as a core retail area. Information gathering and community input were provided through integrated community and stakeholder open houses and municipal technical review. All streetscape improvements sought to embrace the Town’s historical context and heritage, to enhance connections to Muskoka’s outstanding natural heritage, and to maintain the “rugged Muskoka” theme supported by the community. As a result of this community collaboration, this key corridor into Gravenhurst was transformed into a tree-lined pedestrian and retail friendly environment with connections to surrounding trails and a focus on community identification through the enhancement of the iconic ‘Gravenhurst Arch’.