Ottawa has hired a firm to write a master plan for its downtown. City Manager Thatcher Moddie told KOFO that downtown is a critical part of the city, and the plan will map what residents want the district to look like 15 to 20 years from now.

The city has awarded the contract to Olsson, the firm commissioners picked in August. The agreement on the City Commission's October 21 agenda is a lump sum of $250,000, with the plan expected to be finished by the end of October 2027.

The plan will look at parking, traffic, walking and biking routes, public spaces and downtown land use. The city plans several public forums for input, and the agreement also calls for questionnaires, pop-up events and workshops.

For details, see KOFO's reports on the downtown plan and the firm's selection, and the October 21 commission agenda.