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Home My WebLink AboutOPS 06-22 Report to Executive Committee Report Number: OPS 06-22 Date: March 7, 2022 From: Brian Duffield Director, Operations Subject: Winter Control of Proposed Waterfront Trail Boardwalk - File: A-1440 Recommendation: 1. That Council receive Report OPS 06-22 regarding winter control of the proposed waterfront trail boardwalk for information. Executive Summary: At Council Meeting of December 13, 2021, Council endorsed Report ENG 25-21 regarding the Beachfront Park Rehabilitation & Needs Assessment (Resolution 745-21). The report provided a project status update and recommendation to proceed with the preferred design of a 6.6m wide elevated waterfront trail boardwalk to replace the original boardwalk removed in 2019. Detailed design of the Final Preferred Design Option drawings will proceed in 2022, subject to Council approval of the 2022 Capital Budget. At the February 7, 2022 Planning & Development Committee meeting, staff were directed to report on the possibility of making the new waterfront trail boardwalk, that is part of the Beachfront Park Revitalization Project, accessible for all four seasons and to provide options and costs associated with a safe de-icing program. Staff have considered the winter control of the proposed waterfront trail boardwalk and have indicated two other sections of the waterfront trail that staff intend to add to the winter control program once other capital infrastructure projects are completed. Financial Implications: Final costs and impacts on future Capital and Current budgets is best left until the design is completed; however, staff have prepared preliminary costs for the winter control of the proposed 6.6m wide elevated waterfront trail in Beachfront Park. Staff have reviewed the method and timing of exercising winter control for Beachfront Park, which is a high activity recreation destination in all four seasons. With this in mind, staff are recommending dedicating additional staff and equipment to provide winter control for Beachfront Park to avoid the considerable delay of services, should we have to complete all regulatory winter control before attending to the Parks winter control needs. In addition, staff are sensitive to the environmental concerns of the lakefront and will be researching and seeking approval for environmentally acceptable de-icing products in consultation with OPG and TRCA. The City has to be proactive in its risk mitigation strategy if this section of the trail is to be maintained all year round. As stated in the body of the report, regular scheduled seven days OPS 06-22 March 7, 2022 Subject: Winter Control of the Proposed Waterfront Trail Boardwalk Page 2 per week inspection and maintenance of the trail would be required to ensure that it is properly maintained and safe for Pickering residents to enjoy. This standard care will likely require an investment of funds through the annual budget process to ensure that the trail is properly maintained and safe. The challenge for staff may be to strike a balance between environmentally safe de-icing products and their ability to provide the required level of safety for Pickering residents. However, Council should be made aware, that in those rare instances where safe conditions on the trail may not be achieved through the use of environmentally safe de-icing products, those impacted sections of the trail may be restricted from pedestrian access until such a time that staff can address the situation satisfactorily. 2023 Capital Budget Implications: Public Works’ staff recommend adding the following vehicle and equipment expenditures totaling $142,000 into the 2023 Parks & Property Capital Budget. Item Approximate Cost Rationale One Ton Pickup Truck $114,000 This is the largest plow that the elevated trail can accommodate. 8.5ft Plow & Harness & 1.8 Yard Salter $28,000 Environmental de-icers are compatible with the bed mounted salter unit. Total $142,000 2023 Current Budget Implications: Public Works’ staff are proposing to submit the following labour and material requests totaling $108,000 annually in the 2023 Parks & Property Current Budget. Staff calculations are based on two staff attending to provide plowing and/or de-icing service 50 times in a winter season. Item Approximate Cost Rationale Maintenance Workers, Parks & Property (per winter season) $58,200 Allows staff to respond to winter events without waiting for all regulatory winter control activities to be completed. Environmentally Sensitive De-icer $50,000 De-icer delivered in 1 tonne tote bags that must be stored inside. Spread rate of 75 grams/m2. Total $108,000 Discussion: The waterfront trail is divided into the following three separate trail systems: 1. First Nations Trail – This trail starts at the Toronto/Pickering border at the end of Dyson Road and ends at Monarch Trail entrance on Beachpoint Promenade (3.0 km). 2. Monarch Trail – This trail starts at Beachpoint Promenade, goes around Frenchman’s Bay, and ends at Beachfront Park at the bottom of Liverpool Road (4.8 km). OPS 06-22 March 7, 2022 Subject: Winter Control of the Proposed Waterfront Trail Boardwalk Page 3 3. Peak Trail – This trail starts at Beachfront Park and ends at the Pickering/Ajax border at the end of Frisco Road (4.2 km). Currently, the City provides winter control for a total of 6.1 kilometers of the 12.0 kilometer waterfront trail. First Nations Trail currently has 1.3 kilometres that the City provides winter control for (the on-street sections of the trail along Rodd Avenue and from Marksbury Road over to Beachpoint Promenade). Monarch Trail currently has 4.0 kilometers that the City provides winter control for (both on street and residential concrete sidewalk sections of the trail). Peak Trail currently has 0.8 kilometers that the City provides winter control for (the 3.2 metre wide asphalt waterfront trail section from Sandy Beach Road to Brock Road). There are three sections of the waterfront trail that have planned capital improvements that will allow these sections to be added to the winter control program (see attachment). 1. First Nations Trail – With the recent acquisition of properties on Marksbury Road and West Shore Boulevard, and in collaboration with TRCA, the road route of the waterfront trail via Surf Avenue will be eliminated and replaced by a new section of waterfront trail between West Shore Boulevard and Marksbury Road. The design and construction of this new section of waterfront trail will be included in a future Capital Budget, and will be subject to Council approval through the Capital Budget approval process. This link will then be added to the winter control program upon completion of construction. 2. Monarch Trail – The reconstruction of the existing walkway between Elvira Court and Bruce Handscomb Memorial Park was included in the approved 2021 Capital Budget. The current width and alignment of this section of trail does not allow for safe winter control operations, however, when the reconstruction is complete, it will be able to be added to the winter control program. 3. Peak Trail – The Beachfront Park Master Plan includes the installation of the 6.6m wide elevated waterfront trail boardwalk that replaces the original boardwalk removed in 2019. This link will be added to the winter control program upon completion of the new boardwalk. In addition, the link from the south end of Liverpool Road, through Millennium Square to the west end of the new waterfront boardwalk will have to be added to the winter control program. Final design details of this section have yet to be completed. The section of waterfront trail on Montgomery Park Road between Sandy Beach Road and Brock Road was reconstructed to a 3.2m wide asphalt trail in 2018. This section of the waterfront trail has always been on the winter control program, as it provides a safe walkway for OPG staff attending their training centre. Operations’ staff will be working with Engineering Services’ staff on the Beachfront Park waterfront trail boardwalk design and will ensure that it is designed and constructed in a manner compatible with future winter control by Operations Parks’ staff. Operations’ staff will also complete a full review of de-icer products available, prior to assuming winter control of the boardwalk, and, in collaboration with TRCA and OPG, will select the most appropriate product accounting for the environmental sensitivity of area in which it will be used. OPS 06-22 March 7, 2022 Subject: Winter Control of the Proposed Waterfront Trail Boardwalk Page 4 Attachments: 1.Winter Sidewalk - Waterfront Trail-Display Map Prepared By: Approved/Endorsed By: Original Signed By: Original Signed By: Brian Duffield Stan Karwowski, MBA, CPA, CMA Director, Operations Director, Finance & Treasure BD:nm Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer Original Signed By: C/L C C C F F RC TO W N O F A J A X L ROUTE LEGEND CURRENTLY MAINTAINED WATERFRONT TRAIL SNOW REMOVAL NOT MAINTAINED Operations Department SCALE 1:11 250 PROPOSED FOR FUTURE MAINTENANCE WINTER 2022 TRAIL BOUNDARY