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HomeMy WebLinkAboutENG 21-21 Report to Executive Committee Report Number: ENG 21-21 Date: September 13, 2021 From: Richard Holborn Director, Engineering Services Subject: Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment -Public Engagement Process Status Update-File: A-1440 Recommendation: 1.That Report ENG 21-21 regarding the Public Engagement Process Status Update forBeachfront Park, as a follow-up to Report ENG 04-21 and in response to Resolution#543/21, be received for information; and, 2.That the appropriate officials of the City of Pickering be authorized to take the necessary actions as indicated in this report. Executive Summary: As a follow up to Report ENG 04-21 (Attachment #1), and Council Resolution #543/21 (Attachment #2), this report provides a status update for the Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study public engagement process. The City of Pickering retained The MBTW Group to complete the Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study and the public engagement process. Following consultation with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and City staff, both a passive and an active concept plan were developed and made available to the public for review and comment through the Let’s Talk Pickering platform. An online survey was also made available for public input and comment from June 14, 2021 to July 5, 2021. To prepare for the second round of public engagement, the consultant has created a single concept plan based on the public responses received. An online presentation has been prepared that provides a summary of the survey results from the first round and describes the revised concept plan. It will be posted on the Let’s Talk Pickering platform along with a second online survey for a period of approximately four weeks starting in late August. Following this period of public engagement, a final preferred concept plan will be prepared for Council endorsement in late 2021. Financial Implications: Funds for the preparation of a Waterfront Park Needs Assessment were approved by Council as part of the Engineering Services 2019 Current Budget. Funds in the amount of $30,000.00 to undertake the public engagement process were approved in the 2021 Current Budget. The cost of construction will depend on the elements included in the final preferred concept plan. Subject to Council endorsement of the final preferred concept plan, funds for the preparation of detailed design drawings and construction will be recommended in ENG 21-21 September 13, 2021 Subject: Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study Public Engagement Process Status Update Page 2 the 2022 Capital Budget and 4 year Capital Forecast for Council consideration through the budget process. Discussion: As a follow-up to Report ENG 04-21 and Council Resolution #543/21, staff have been working with The MBTW Group and Shoreplan Engineering on the public engagement process for the Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study. Based on the initial study and comments received from Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and City staff, two distinct plans were prepared; a passive option and an active option. These plans were presented to the public during the first round of the public engagement process through a pre-recorded video that was posted on the City’s Let’s Talk Pickering platform. An online survey was also made available from June 14, 2021 to July 5, 2021 in order to obtain comments and opinions from the public on the two plans. Public engagement was promoted through social media and a curbex sign that was located at the foot of Liverpool Road. A total of 957 persons visited the website and 171 of these completed the survey. Comments of note received through this first round of public engagement include: •insufficient parking available at the waterfront; •desire for a children’s play feature through another splash pad or playground facility; •desire to maintain and renovate the existing washroom on the beach vs a new washroomnear the parking lot; •location of the stage for waterfront musical performances with concerns for noise pollution for the local residents; •programming of the site to balance to the carrying capacity of the park and impacts on thesurrounding natural environment; and, •the active option was predominantly supported but there were concerns over the larger boardwalk footprint and that dedicated bike lanes would increase the cyclists speed withpossible safety concerns. The survey results and comments received have been reviewed by City staff and the consultants, and where applicable, have been incorporated into a revised concept plan for further public consultation for the second round of the public engagement process. As such, the concept plan has been revised and one option is being presented back to the public for further comment. The second round of the public engagement process includes placing the revised concept plan and a presentation of the design through a pre-recorded video on the City’s Let’s Talk Pickering platform, similar to the first round of consultation. An online survey will be made available for a period of approximately four weeks starting from late August to late September. The online survey will allow for the collection of comments and opinions from the public to help shape the final preferred concept plan. The final preferred concept plan and supporting summary report is anticipated to be completed and presented to Council for endorsement in late 2021. Subject to Council endorsement of the ENG 21-21 September 13, 2021 Subject: Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study Public Engagement Process Status Update Page 3 final preferred concept plan, staff will recommend funds for the preparation of detailed design drawings in the 2022 Capital Budget and phasing of construction as part of the 4 year Capital Forecast. Attachments: 1. Report ENG 04-21 dated March 1, 20212.Council Resolution #543/213.Location map Prepared By: Original signed by: Arnold Mostert, OALA Senior Coordinator, Landscape & Parks Development Approved/Endorsed By: Original signed by: Richard Holborn, P.Eng. Director, Engineering Services AM:mjh Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Original signed by: Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer Attachment #1 to Report #ENG 21-21 Report to Executive Committee Report Number: ENG 04-21 Date: March 1, 2021 From: Richard Holborn Director, Engineering Services Subject: Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment -Public Engagement Work Plan and Project Status Update-File: A-1440 Recommendation: 1.That Report ENG 04-21 regarding a Public Engagement Work Plan and Project StatusUpdate for Beachfront Park, as a follow-up to Report ENG 12-20 and in response toResolution #465/20, be received for information; 2.That the Draft Concept Plans attached to Report ENG 04-21 be used to commence the public engagement and consultation process to arrive at a final preferred concept plan forCouncil endorsement through a future report; and, 3.That the appropriate officials of the City of Pickering be authorized to take the necessaryactions as indicated in this report. Executive Summary: The City of Pickering retained The MBTW Group to complete the Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study. A number of concept plans have been developed in consultation with City and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) staff. The concept plans have been refined into two distinct options; a passive option and an active option. These plans will be made available to the public for review and comment and ultimately refined to provide one preferred concept plan for Council endorsement. As a follow up to Report ENG 12-20 (Attachment #1), and Council Resolution #465/20 (Attachment #2), this report provides a status update of the study and concept plan designs, and discusses the work plan for the public engagement component. Financial Implications: Funds for the preparation of a Waterfront Park Needs Assessment were approved by Council as part of the Engineering Services 2019 Current Budget. Funds in the amount of $30,000 to undertake the public engagement process are being requested in the proposed 2021 Current Budget. The cost of construction will depend on the elements included in the final preferred concept plan. Funds for the preparation of detailed design drawings and construction will be recommended in future Capital Budgets for Council consideration. ENG 04-21 March 1, 2021 Subject: Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study Work Plan for Public Engagement Page 2 Discussion: Concept Plans: As a follow-up to Report ENG 12-20, and Council Resolution #465/20, staff have been working with The MBTW Group and Shoreplan Engineering to complete the Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study. At the request of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), who have regulatory authority along the Lake Ontario shoreline, some additional investigations were completed including an update of the flood hazard report and performing geotechnical investigations to obtain a gradation analysis of the existing beach sand and gravel. Based on these findings and further staff input, the four concept plans previously prepared were refined into two distinct options; a passive option and an active option (Attachment #3). The passive park option features a 5.0m wide elevated boardwalk structure between Liverpool Road and Alex Robertson Park. The elevated boardwalk would have a jogged routing to promote cycling speed control (or dismount) along with elevated observation platforms that feature individual and group seating elements. Millennium Square would receive some minor improvements including the renovation of the existing washroom building and the removal of the water play area in place of a shade structure and additional seating. The active park option features an 8.0m wide elevated boardwalk structure, having 5.0m as a dedicated pedestrian promenade and 3.0m as a dedicated cycling path. The elevated structure would run straight between Millennium Square and Alex Robertson Park. Viewing platforms would extend between the beach and Hydro Marsh and would provide opportunity for group seating as well as access down to the beach. Millennium Square would be redefined with expanded paving, seating, and a raised stage. The existing park washroom and water play area could be removed as well to provide more space for waterfront events. Both concept plans consider the construction of a new park maintenance, change room and washroom facility that would be located adjacent to the existing parking lot at the end of Liverpool Road. TRCA do not consider the expansion of the existing washroom within Millennium Square to be feasible due to the newly determined high lake water level and wave up-rush limits, and its close proximity to the edge of water. The area west of Liverpool Road leading to the Frenchman’s Bay harbour entrance is similar for both concept plans. It features a refurbished and upgraded 5.0m wide granular promenade. The existing memorial benches would be moved to the north side of the path and clustered into seating nodes. Beachside plantings, protected by post and cable railing to provide controlled access points to the beach, would be introduced for dune creation and shoreline stabilization. The two draft concept plans will be accompanied by other renderings, images and text to clearly describe the proposed elements and will be suitable for public engagement. Public Engagement and Consultation: Funds in the amount of $30,000 to retain The MBTW Group to assist with the public engagement and consultation process have been recommended in the proposed 2021 Current Budget. The consultant’s services would include preparation of the graphic materials, visual aids and survey questionnaires, preliminary construction cost estimates ENG 04-21 March 1, 2021 Subject: Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study Work Plan for Public Engagement Page 3 of the concept plans and coordination with staff on the uploading of the presentation materials and questionnaires to media outlets. A three step approach is being recommended for the public engagement and consultation process with two public engagement exercises followed by a technical report and final preferred concept plan for Council endorsement. The current concepts of the passive and active park options will be presented to the public as part of the first public engagement exercise. The public feedback received will be compiled and summarized in a report back to staff from the consultant. Based on the comments, feedback and design ideas received, one final concept plan will be prepared and presented to the public in a second public engagement exercise. Similar to the first exercise, public feedback will again be compiled and considered for the development of the final preferred concept plan. A construction cost estimate and technical report will be prepared for the final preferred concept plan and submitted to Council for endorsement. An on-line platform such as bang-the-table, or similar, is proposed to be used for the public engagement and consultation process. This format allows for the posting of drawings and other presentation materials, questionnaires, and forums for public commenting. The public engagement process will be promoted through the City’s website, social media, newspaper and roadside curbex signs. Staff propose to host the first public engagement exercise in late spring 2021 and the second during the summer months. The final preferred concept plan and technical report is anticipated to be completed and presented to Council for endorsement in the fall of 2021, in time for staff to consider including funds for the preparation of detailed design drawings and the first phase of construction as part of the 2022 capital budget process. Attachments: 1.Report to Council, ENG 12-20 dated November 2, 20202.Council Resolution #465/203.Draft Concept Plans – Active Park Option and Passive Park Option4.Location map ENG 04-21 March 1, 2021 Subject: Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Study Work Plan for Public Engagement Page 4 Prepared By: Original signed by: Arnold Mostert, OALA Senior Coordinator, Landscape & Parks Development Approved/Endorsed By: Original signed by: Richard Holborn, P.Eng. Director, Engineering Services AM:mjh Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Original signed by: Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer Attachment #2 to Report # ENG 21-21Legislative Services Division Clerk’s Office Directive Memorandum March 26, 2021 To: Richard Holborn Director, Engineering Services From: Susan Cassel City Clerk Subject: Direction as per Minutes of the Meeting of City Council held on March 22, 2021 Director, Engineering Services, Report ENG 04-21 Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment -Public Engagement Work Plan and Project Status Update Council Decision Resolution #543/21 1.That Report ENG 04-21 regarding a Public Engagement Work Plan and Project Status Update for Beachfront Park, as a follow-up to Report ENG 12-20 and in response to Resolution #465/20, be received for information; 2.That the Draft Concept Plans attached to Report ENG 04-21 be used tocommence the public engagement and consultation process to arrive at a finalpreferred concept plan for Council endorsement through a future report; 3.That staff be directed to report back with a status update on the Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment Project no later than the third quarterof 2021; and, 4.That the appropriate officials of the City of Pickering be authorized to take thenecessary actions as indicated in this report. Please take any action deemed necessary. Susan Cassel Copy: Chief Administrative Officer Attachment #3 to Report # ENG 21-21 LIVERPOOL ROADANNLAND STREET WHARF STREET 1:5,000 SCALE: Engineering ServicesDepartment Beachfront ParkLocation MapFeb 12, 2021 DATE: q Frenchman'sBay Lake Ontario