City Releases What We Heard Reports for Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans

The City of St. John’s has released What We Heard reports summarizing public input from Phase 2 engagement for the Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans. These neighbourhood plans will form part of the City’s Municipal Plan and reflect the vision and feedback shared by residents, businesses and interested parties.

Phase 2 engagement took place between April 23 and May 25, 2025. The process focused on gathering feedback on emerging strategies related to land use, intensification, mobility, parks, and the public realm. Engagement activities were delivered both online and in person, using a variety of outreach methods to encourage community participation.

The What We Heard documents will be shared with Council at the Council Meeting on July 2, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Key Highlights from Cowan Heights Engagement:

Upgrading Parks & Trails: Participants strongly supported improvements to community parks, trails, and tot-lots, with many requesting an enhanced trail network.
Access and Accessibility: There was support for improvements in active transportation, pedestrian infrastructure, and transit. Upgrades to trail surfaces and lighting were identified as top priorities, along with consideration of broader accessibility needs.
Safety: Safety emerged as a significant theme. There was strong support for initiatives such as SHARP disposal strategies, Neighbourhood Watch programs, and more lighting in public areas.
Livability and Growth: While there was general support for housing options and mixed-use development, respondents emphasized the importance of maintaining livability for both existing and new residents.

Key Highlights from University Area Engagement:

Vision and Objectives: Generally supported, though some participants called for greater emphasis on residential neighbourhoods in addition to institutional areas.
Neighbourhood Strategies: Most strategies received support, though proposed intensification along Elizabeth Avenue and Freshwater Road prompted mixed feedback.
Land Use: Participants were supportive of more housing types and mixed-use development, with calls to ensure future growth is compatible with the neighbourhood context.
Mobility: A proposed shared-use path on Newtown Road was well received. Pedestrians prioritized connections to parks, while transit users highlighted the need for better seating, lighting, and bus shelters.
Parks: Respondents were enthusiastic about more events and activities in parks, especially those focused on nature-based activities and youth programming.
Community Activation: Ideas for community building were positively received, with feedback focused on the importance of taking next steps to bring them to life.

Promotional efforts resulted in over 1,500 visits to the Cowan Heights project page and 1,250 visits to the University Area project page. Comments were provided for both plans through surveys, online project pages, email, phone, pop-up events and meetings. Representatives from community groups, city committees, city staff, and working groups were also consulted.

Input gathered through this phase of engagement will be used to draft the Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans, which are scheduled for release in Fall 2025.

The City of St. John’s has a strategic direction to be a Sustainable City, planning for land use while preserving and enhancing the natural and built environment for residents. The Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans play a key role in advancing this direction.

City Releases What We Heard Reports for Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans

Key Highlights from Cowan Heights Engagement:

Key Highlights from University Area Engagement:

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