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REPORT
ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION r ,~/
Date: November 3, 2008 Resolution #: ~ ~~-lOd~~`-'b
Report #: EGD-048-08 File #: By-law #:
Subject: 2008 WATERFRONT TRAIL INVESTMENT PROGRAM
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
THAT Council endorse the Courtice Waterfront Trail project described in section
3.3 of this report as Clarington's submission for consideration in the 2008
Waterfront Trail Investment Program.
Respectfully by,
Submitted by: A.S. Cannella
Director of Engineering Services
ASC/PW/dv
October 28, 2008
Re ed by: Franklin Wu
Chief Administrative Officer
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379 F 905-623-9282
REPORT NO.: EGD-048-08
PAGE 2
1.0 BACKGROUND
1.1 The Waterfront Regeneration Trust (WRT) is preparing a proposal for the
Provincial Government describing the next phase of capital projects to complete
and enhance the Waterfront Trail and Greenway. They are inviting all lakefront
Municipalities to recommend waterfront capital projects that they would be
interested in pursuing with the assistance of funding from senior orders of
government (attachment 1).
While there is not an infrastructure program at this time, there is a great deal of
interest by the Province, in particular the Ministry of Tourism, to see what the
WRT and its waterfront partners will propose. The WRT wants to be ready with
well-developed plan to participate in any upcoming program.
Recommending a project at this stage will not obligate the Municipality to
participate in the Investment Program should it become a reality.
The 2008 proposal will be modeled on the 2003-07 Waterfront Investment
Program. In that program, the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program (COIP)
contributed $9 million towards the construction of 53 waterfront trail projects.
Local governments invested $22 million in the projects. The 2008 Program will
aim to have:
40 projects;
3 year timeframe for completion;
$30 M total investment in waterfront;
30% contribution by senior orders of government overall; but on a project by
project basis--propose a sliding scale for grant rates from 20% to 40% of project
total
As with the 2003 joint project to Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program, the
WRT will be applying to the Province as anot-for-profit organization. Therefore,
the Municipality's participation in any submission made by the WRT will not
preclude us from submitting another project to the Province on our own.
2.0 PROGRAM PRIORITIES
2.1 Projects proposed for the 2008 Watertront Trail Investment Program should have
the support of Council and address one or more of the following priorities:
1) Contributes to the achievement of a continuous Waterfront Trail
• Closes gaps in existing route
• Establishes connections from the Waterfront Trail to neighbourhood or
.regional trail systems
• Improves safety, increases access for users, reduces user conflicts
Installs interpretative and directional signage
2) Moves the Waterfront Trail off-road, closer to the water's edge
REPORT NO.: EGD-048-08
PAGE 3
3) Creates new amenities
• Parks, gateways or nodes, community centres, pavilions and staging
areas
Protect and/or restore natural and aquatic habitats
Celebrate and interpret natural and cultural heritage
4) Improves existing amenities
3.0 POSSIBLE PROJECTS
Staff has reviewed the program priorities to establish a short list of possible
projects. They include;
3.1 Port Darlington Waterfront Park (East Beach development)
This project is currently in Engineering Services 2014 long range forecast. The
East Beach development would include a large central gathering node proposed
near the waters edge to be used for special events, a nautically themed
children's playground, water play area, washroom building, parking lot, and
concession stand. The Waterfront Trail would pass through this section of the
park. The estimated cost for this project is $2.5 million.
To complete the development of the East Beach portion of Port Darlington
Watertront Park an existing section of East Beach Road would need to be
relocated to the north. The costs for that work are not included in the park cost
estimate park.
A less expensive first phase of the project is possible however the existing
location of East Beach Road is a constraint to constructing something that will
not be impacted by future work.
This project is not being recommended at this time primarily due to its cost. The
Director of Finance has indicated that there will not be sufficient funds for this
project until some time into the future, even if 30% funding is made available
from the application. Significant development charges in the park development
category must accumulate prior to any future consideration of this project.
3.2 Bond Head Waterfront Park expansion
The Municipality has acquired additional land on the east side of Bond Head
Park to allow for an expansion of the park. This project is currently in Engineering
Services 2013 long range forecast. It is anticipated that the park expansion would
include a park shelter, water play area, new playground, seating areas, and
walkways. The estimated cost for this project is $700,000.
This project is not the preferred recommendation of staff. Since the Newcastle
portion of the Watertront Trail has recently been officially opened, it seems
REPORT NO.: EGD-048-08
PAGE 4
reasonable to focus on other portions of the trail. Cost is also somewhat
prohibitive, again due to the lack of funds in the development charges- park
development category.
3.3 Courtice Waterfront Trail
With the development of the Courtice Water Pollution Control Plant the
Municipality obtained an easement from the Region of Durham on the south side
of their property for future waterfront trail. The trail would extend along the lake
from the south end of Courtice Road to the east end of the Region's property and
then north to meet Osbourne Road for a total length of 1.3 km. This project would
eliminate the current on-road section of Waterfront Trail on South Service Road
and Osbourne Road. The trail would be located outside the fenced limits of the
Region's Plant but it would still be on Regional property for approx 350m,
including a 200m section along the access road to the Plant. The Municipality
would require approval from the Region of Durham for this project. The estimated
cost for this project is $380,000.
This project is much more feasible from a municipal cost perspective. While
there is still an ongoing issue with respect to funding in the development
charges- park development category, in this circumstance the municipal share of
the project would be in the vicinity of $266,000. In the event that this project is
approved for a grant through the Waterfront Trail Investment Program there still
could be a shortfall in the development charges- park development category. It is
however more feasible to find an alternate source for the municipality's portion of
the project. This may also avoid the circumstance whereby other park projects in
the forecast to be funded by the development charges- park development
reserve fund would not be deferred for a significant period of time in order to
accommodate this project.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The 2008 Waterfront Trail Investment Program has yet to be approved. If
approved it will provide funding between 20%-40% of project costs but typically
30%. The Municipality currently does not have a project within our 4 year
forecast that meets the eligibility requirements of this program.
If we apply and are successful, the Municipality will be required to fund
approximately 70% of project costs. All of the projects are all growth related so
90% of the municipal portion of funding would come from Development Charges
reserves.
Staff recommends the Courtice Waterfront Trail project as our submission for
consideration in the Waterfront Trail Investment Program. The existing
Waterfront Trail through Courtice has little connection to the waterfront. This
project would create a .9 km section of trail along the lakefront. It would also
create a more direct trail route between Darlington Park Road and Osbourne
Road. Since some of the trail would need to be located on Regional property,
REPORT NO.: EGD-048-08
PAGE 5
their approval will be required. The Director of Finance concurs with this
recommendation.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 -Letter Dated October 7, 2008
List of Interested Parties:
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October 7, 2008
Dear Mr. Windolf;
2008 Waterfront Trail Investment Program Phase II-Closing the Gaps
Request for capital projects for a joint funding submission to the Provincial
Government
The Waterfront Regeneration Trust is preparing a proposal for the Provincial
Government describing the next phase of capital projects to complete and enhance the
Waterfront Trail and Greenway. We are inviting your participation in the Trust's
proposal to the Province by asking you to recommend waterfront capital projects
that your municipality would be interested in pursuing with the assistance of
funding from senior orders of government.
While there is not an infrastructure program at this time, there is a great deal of
interest by the Province, in particular the Ministry of Tourism, to see what the Trust and
its waterfront partners will propose. We want to be ready with awell-developed plan
to participate in any upcoming program.
The 2008 proposal will be modeled in scope and scale on the successfu12003-07
Waterfront Investment Program. In that program, the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure
Program (COIP) contributed $9 million towards the construction of 53 waterfront trail
projects. Local governments invested $22 million in the projects. The 2008 Program will
aim to have:
• 40 projects;
• 3 year timeframe for completion;
• $30 M total investment in waterfront;
• 30% contribution by senior orders of government overall; but
• on a project by project basis--propose a sliding scale for grant rates from 20% to
40% of project total
There is widespread recognition that the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence waterfront is one
of the most significant natural assets in the Province. Forty-one communities, linked by
the Waterfront Trail, now have a shared vision of a regenerated and connected
waterfront. We've established a signed route from Niagara to Quebec and an inter-
provincial connection to la Route verte. This year we launched the first and very
successful end-to-end cycling tour for families and recreational cyclists-the Great
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Waterfront Trail Adventure-and have seen how effective this event and the Trail are in
promoting waterfront communities.
Despite this impressive progress, the Waterfront Trail, the backbone of the
environmental, economic and community work we have undertaken together, still has
gaps in its alignment that impede its ability to serve as alternative green transportation
route and provincial tourism amenity. Parts of the Trail lack amenities such as parks,
washrooms and cultural and natural heritage interpretation. Although we have an
impressive 700 kilometres from Niagara to Quebec through Prince Edwazd County in
place, there are another 200 kilometres from Trenton to Deseronto waiting to be
developed. Finally, there aze exciting new opportunities to move the Trail off-road, closer
to the water's edge.
As with our 2003 joint project to Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program, the Trust will
be applying to the Province as anot-for-profit organization. Therefore, your
municipality's participation in any submission made by the Trust will not preclude you
from submitting another project to the Province on your own account in accordance with
your own priorities.
Our (the Trust and waterfront communities) collective story of regenerating the
waterfront -our readiness to begin work, our track record in building creative
partnerships and the public's enthusiasm for the historic transformation shaping our
waterfront -presents the Province with a compelling case to participate in funding the
next phase of effort by local communities for waterfront revitalization.
If you have any questions, please call me or Vicki Barron or David Arcus at 416-943-
8080. We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Marlaine Koehler
Executive Director
Enclosures:
2008 Waterfront Investment Program Phase II
Eligible Costs.doc