HomeMy WebLinkAboutENG 10-24Report to
Executive Committee
Report Number: ENG 10-24 Date: June 10, 2024
From: Richard Holborn
Director, Engineering Services
Subject: Weed Harvesting in Frenchman’s Bay
-Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee-File: A-1440
Recommendation:
1. That the recommendation from the Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee for Councilto reconsider the funding for a second cut of weeds in Frenchman’s Bay be received forinformation.
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to present to Council the motion that was carried at the March 18, 2024 meeting of the Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee: “That the Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee request that Council reconsider the funding of a second cut of weeds in Frenchman’s Bay”.
Staff from various departments have reviewed and discussed the motion, and are not able to support this request for 2024. Additional funding to reinstate a second round of weed cutting, if necessary to maintain open water for recreational boating activities on Frenchman’s Bay , could be considered during preparation of the 2025 Current Budget. The pilot project should,
however, be transitioned into a sustainable weed management program that must include the
owners of the Bay.
Relationship to the Pickering Strategic Plan: The recommendations in this report respond
to the Pickering Strategic Plan Corporate Key to Deliver on Good Governance, and Open & Transparent Decision Making.
Financial Implications: There are no 2024 Current Budget implications to this report.
Discussion: The purpose of this report is to present to Council the motion carried by the
Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee regarding weed cutting in Frenchman’s Bay. During
the March 18, 2024 meeting of the Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee, there was a discussion regarding water quality and weed control in Frenchman’s Bay.
The committee was aware that in the 2024 Current Budget, approved funding was sufficient for only one weed cutting, rather than the two cuts that were performed in previous years. The
committee was concerned that with projected lower water levels and higher summer
temperatures, boating and other recreational activities would be disrupted due to excessive weeds in the Bay. Alternate weed control methods and the role that the Pickering Harbour
ENG 10-24 June 10, 2024
Subject: Weed Harvesting in Frenchman’s Bay Page 2
Company (PHC) has in maintenance of the Bay were discussed. Following these discussions, the following motion was moved and carried by the committee: “That the Waterfront Visionary
Advisory Committee request that Council reconsider the funding of a second cut of weeds in
Frenchman’s Bay”.
The cuttings completed over the last three years have been done in collaboration with PHC, the owner of a significant portion of the Bay, as a pilot project to provide the information required to develop a sustainable weed management program. The Toronto and Region
Conservation Authority (TRCA) is conducting a Water Testing and Aquatic Vegetation Survey
that will be concluded in Q3 2024, and this will provide important information to guide future weed management plans.
As Council is aware, the PHC real estate holdings, which include portions of the Bay, are currently being marketed for sale; as such, ownership of the Bay could change. Any ongoing
weed management program will depend on the City’s future relationship with the owner of the
Bay and their willingness to participate in weed management on their property. While it is not usual for the City to fund work on lands it does not own, the City is mindful of the public interest in enabling recreational use of parts of the Bay. Information collected by the City and by TRCA will assist in the formulation of a weed management program that serves the public interest.
With reduced weed height in areas previously cut, and given the uncertainty surrounding
ownership of the Bay, the 2024 Budget was set to allow for one cut this year. Thereafter, the pilot project will have met its goals and should then transition to a sustainable weed management program that involves the Bay owners, and is informed by the findings of TRCA’s Water Testing and Aquatic Vegetation Survey. PHC has confirmed that it will continue with its
weed control in the navigation channels to the marina and to the Frenchman’s Bay Yacht Club
for the 2024 summer season.
Attachment: None
Prepared By: Approved/Endorsed By:
Arnold Mostert, O.A.L.A. Richard Holborn, P.Eng.
Manager, Landscape & Parks Development Director, Engineering Services
Brian Duffield Director, Operations
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Original signed by:Original signed by:
Original signed by:
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Subject: Weed Harvesting in Frenchman’s Bay Page 3
Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council
Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer
Original signed by: