Nova Scotia Main Streets Initiative
Create places and experiences so that Main Street is where people want to be.
Even if a place is accessible, people still need a reason to go.
Main Streets are an experience that tell the story of a community, and keep visitors coming back for more.
Truro Farmers Market (Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia)
Find your hub.
Every community has its heart, the center of its activity. This could be a park, farmers market, recreation centre, library, cultural space, shop or event venue; any place celebrated for bringing people together, but for many different reasons. Your hub may also be a cluster of these places that together attract and build social interactions.
Consider the experience of your Main Street.
There’s more to your Main Street than meets the eye.
When you close your eyes, what does it sound like?
Is there a town clock or church bell that sounds?
Are there children playing? Is there a band playing in a pub?
How does your Main Street smell and taste?
Is there a tree or plant whose aromas fill the air?
Can you smell coffee roasting or the salty ocean breeze?
Can you taste the bakery or pizza from down the street?
Where are you sitting, standing, or resting?
Is it comfortable? Are you protected from sun and wind?
Where would you go if it started to rain? … to snow?
Pijinuiskaq Park is a linear park sloping to the LaHave River in Bridgewater, offering views and public space connecting the water a pedestrian-oriented Main Street (Photo: Fathom/Scotty Sherin)
![The Walk[Your City] program (walkyourcity.org) allows communities to design and install quick, light and affordable street signs to let people know about the walkability of destinations. (Mount Hope, West Virginia)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5cdaca173560c32795d070ca/1597920357241-RNQIDE4PSA0MEBXUONCB/walk-your-city_mount-hope.png)
The Walk[Your City] program (walkyourcity.org) allows communities to design and install quick, light and affordable street signs to let people know about the walkability of destinations. (Mount Hope, West Virginia)
Highlight what matters.
Each community has a lot to offer, but rarely all in the same place. Wayfinding is key to guiding visitors and locals alike to the places tucked away just off the main drag, and highlighting places within walking distance. Sometimes it’s a park, trail, or community hall, sometimes it’s a historic moment or memorial, sometimes it’s a business or commercial district.
Wayfinding signage can be simple and delivered on a shoestring budget. Wayfinding isn’t limited to signage, placing a bench, planter, lamp, art, or other street furniture can draw attention towards a place.
Approaches
Power of 10+
Places thrive when users have a range of reasons (10+) to be there. These might include a place to sit, playgrounds to enjoy, art to touch, music to hear, food to eat, history to experience, and people to meet.
Small Public Spaces
No space is too small to be a place.
A place to sit and a planter together can turn an empty area into a public space to pause.
Wayfinding Signage
Signage can direct people to the key hub points in your community, highlighting destinations within walking distances of each other.
Façade improvements
Building façades age over time.
Some age gracefully, others less so.
Funding some improvements can boost curb appeal and bring buildings back to life.
Public Art
Art is a canvas for your community to express its character. Public art tells visitors the many stories of your community’s past, present, and future.
Creative use of Vacant Sites
Vacant sites can make a Main Street feel disjointed. Get creative and find inventive ways to test out different uses to inform a spaces future.