Okanagan Falls is located at the south end of Skaha Lake in BC. A private landowner and commercial real estate developer hired McElhanney to design alternative concepts for the community’s town centre. Their goal was to strengthen Okanagan Falls as a viable community and to make it more attractive to businesses, residents, and industry.

A plan was previously developed by the local government, but several alternative design concepts were being examined. They wanted to create a vibrant and unique urban area for both residents and tourists, and wanted to boost economic growth.

McElhanney evaluated previous town centre plans and developed two unique design options. This included visualization graphics, site plans, and precedent materials. The key considerations included visual character, quality of public space, added vitality of the downtown economy, and improved access and pedestrian conditions.

These design options were used to advance discussions with the local government to provide a more realistic, commercially viable center without negatively impacting the surrounding private property.