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Engineering services
Report
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Clerk at 905-623-3379 ext. 2102.
Report To: General Purpose and Administration Committee
Date of Meeting: May 25, 2015
Report Number: EGD-010-15 Resolution: � C -
File Number: By-law Number:
Report Subject: Bond Head Public Information Centre
Recommendations:
1. That Report EGD-010-15 be received;
2. That staff be directed to hold another Public Information Centre with preliminary design
options to improve public safety along Mill Street , and
3. That all interested parties listed in Report EGD-010-15 and any delegations be advised of
Council's decision.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-010-15 Page 2
Report Overview
On November 19, 2014 a Public Information Centre (PIC) was held to obtain resident input on
future improvements to the transportation network for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in the
Bond Head area, as well as a future expansion of the Bond Head Waterfront Park. A number
of potential options that are being considered to improve safety on Mill Street South and other
area streets were displayed and presented by staff, as were concept plans for the future
proposed expansion to Bond Head Waterfront Park and associated parking. Thirty five
residents signed in at the PIC and twenty eight comment sheets were received.
1 . Background
1.1. Bond Head Waterfront Park
Clarington's Official Plan identifies a District Park in Bond Head on the east side of the
Graham Creek where it meets Lake Ontario. District Parks are intended to serve the
recreational needs of the entire municipality. The existing Bond Head Park was built in
1991 and contains a boat launch, small parking lot, shade structure and seating area.
Since that time the municipality has acquired additional land on the east side of Bond
Head Park to expand the park and provide greater public access to the waterfront as
was identified in Clarington Council's 2010 Strategic Plan. Expanding the park and its
uses would also require additional parking because the park is intended for use by both
local residents and residents from beyond Bond Head.
A conceptual master plan for the proposed park expansion was displayed at the PIC
(Attachment 1). Staff explained the concept plan and answered questions from
residents who attended. The features shown on the plan include a children's play area,
a park gazebo, open lawn/picnic areas and a park path system.
Resident feedback on the park concept plan was mixed. Some residents liked the
concept plan as presented, others suggested adding a water play area, and some
suggested that the new parkland be left undeveloped. Litter was cited as a concern by
several residents who suggested that the existing park did not so much need to be
improved but rather, needed to be maintained more frequently, both the grassed area of
the park as well as the beach area.
Four options for an additional twenty parking spaces were also displayed (Attachment
2). Three of the parking options included on-street parking along the Boulton Street
park frontage and one option showed a parking lot on the north side of Boulton Street
opposite the park in the George Manners road allowance.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-010-15 Page 3
Resident feedback on the parking options was more definitive. There was little support
for providing parking on the north side of Boulton Street in the George Manners road
allowance. The preferred option was to provide 90 degree or angled parking directly
along the south side of Boulton Street.
1.2 Transportation Improvements
In response to concerns raised by some residents in the Bond Head area Engineering
Services has undertaken a number of speed studies on Mill Street South. Specifically,
staff have recorded speeds in the area eight times since 2006 (the last two studies
occurred over a one week period). Additionally, the Durham Region Police Services
(DRPS) Traffic Liaison Officer has recorded speeds on seven occasions since 2013,
and has requested other DRPS officers to monitor the area. All studies have shown
relatively good compliance with the posted 50 km/hr speed limit. DRPS has reported
that four tickets have been issued since January 2013.
Engineering did receive a request for speed humps on Mill Street South in the hopes
that they would slow traffic. Mill Street South however, does not meet the Council
endorsed Speed Hump Warrant on a number of levels. In particular, speed humps are
never recommended:
a) On a rural road.
b) Where there are no sidewalks.
c) Where speed studies have not confirmed a speeding problem.
Speed humps are also discouraged on roads which have public transit, in this case
school buses, and on roads which are a primary emergency service route.
Staff's observation in all cases was not that there was a speeding problem, an opinion
which is Shared by DRPS and by the Municipality's Traffic Watch consultant, but that
Mill St. S. is not very conducive to shared use between people who drive their vehicles,
ride their bikes or walk along this road section. As shown in Table 1 below there are a
significant amount of non-vehicular users of Mill Street south and for this reason staff
turned their efforts to investigating opportunities for improvements to the transportation
network in the area that would improve safety for all road users.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-010-15 Page 4
Table 1: June 22, 2015 Miovision Traffic Count
Mill Street South North of Boulton Street
Total (Both Directions)
Time Car Motorcycle Cyclist Vehicles Pedestrian
7:00 16 0 2 18 3
8:00 38 1 4 43 4
9:00 51 5 14 70 5
10:00 52 6 18 76 6
11:00 79 15 27 121 1
12:00 114 26 20 160 5
13:00 128 19 5 152 6
14:00 120 23 9 152 6
15:00 112 28 4 144 2
16:00 123 19 5 147 0
17:00 86 14 6 106 0
18:00 64 6 5 75 10
19:00 70 5 2 77 5
20:00 54 6 6 66 3
21:00 28 1 0 29 4
22:00 22 2 0 24 0
Totals 1157 176 127 1460 60
Common to these three options was the provision of a 3 metre (9.8ft) wide multi-use
trail and the extension of the existing 1.5m wide sidewalk on the west side of Mill St. S.
to Metcalf St., and the extension of the 1.5m wide bike lanes on both sides from just
south of the bridge on Mill St. South to Metcalf St.
Option 1
A multi-use trail on east side of Mill Street S., from Metcalf Street to Boulton Street.
This option would require localized curb, realignment of existing east road ditch further
east and utility relocation.
Option 2
A multi-use trail on west side of Mill Street S., from Metcalf Street to Boulton Street.
This option would require Mill Street S., to be relocated approximately 2 metres to the
east for approximately 200 metres, realignment of the existing west ditch and utility
relocation.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-010-15 Page 5
Option 3
A multi-use trail going east on south side of Metcalf Street, from Mill Street S., to
George Manners Street, a shared road facility on George Manners Street from Metcalf
Street to Queen Victoria Street, and finally the MUT would then be constructed from
Queen Victoria Street to Boulton Street, through the un-opened right-of-way of George
Manners Street.
The above 3 options are summarized on Attachment 3 of this report.
Also presented were some optional links to the Waterfront Trail between Bond Head and Port
of Newcastle, which would involve a multi-use trail bridge crossing of the Graham Creek and
an extension of the existing trail just west of Graham Creek. This link would improve the
connectivity of the Waterfront Trail in the area and provide residents in the Port of Newcastle
and Bond Head with improved access to each area. These concepts for the multi-use trail
crossing of Graham Creek would be considered more long term planning than an short term
solution to the safety concerns on Mill Street South.
1.3 Points Raised from the Public Information Centre Material
In response to the various potential concepts provided for the park and transportation
improvements provided, attendees provided their thoughts on the concepts as follows:
a. The impact of the Transportation Improvements will have on the rural environment
that currently exists, specifically the trees along the right-of-way.
b. The maintenance of the park currently and in the future.
c. Install a three way stop at Queen Victoria and Mill Street South.
d. Install a three way stop at Mill Street South and Boulton Street.
e. Make improvements at right angle turn at Boulton Street and Mill Street South.
f. Improve safety of pedestrians on Mill Street South.
g. The Municipality should consider buying property on north east corner of Mill Street
South and Boulton Street for additional parking and facilities for the park or
Information Centre.
h. Instead of a three metre trail, some residents suggested that widening the road to
accommodate the cyclists/runners.
i. Bond Head Park should be kept as a natural park. Perhaps we could minimize the
equipment added and maximize the green space.
j. A water play area should be considered for the park.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-010-15 _ Page 6
k. Improve access to the park for residents in immediate area and outside of Bond
Head.
I. Concern over snow clearing of sidewalk or multi use trail because of the large
frontages.
1.4 Next Steps
Based on the input received resulting from the information presented at PIC #1 it would
suggest that staff prepare some refined alternatives for both the park, showing some of
the themes garnered from the input, and improvements to the transportation network,
providing improved safety options for all road users. These refined alternatives should
be presented at another public information centre to be scheduled in September, 2015.
The safety improvements that staff will be preparing in greater detail will extend what is
existing on Mill Street South, just southeast of Graham Creek, which is a 1.5m wide
sidewalk along the west side of the road and widening of the road to accommodate
cyclists. Additional items that will be reviewed are improved street lighting for the area
and localized improvements to better connect pedestrians to sidewalks.
2. Concurrence
Not Applicable.
3. Conclusion
The November 19, 2014 Public Information Centre was held to provide options and
obtain input from Bond Head residents on proposed improvements to the local
transportation network for people who drive their vehicles, ride their bikes or walk, as
well as a future expansion of Bond Head Waterfront Park. Those improvements are
intended to benefit residents of Bond Head and the broader community.
The feedback received at the November 19th, Public Information Centre will be used to
refine the options for proposed improvements to the local transportation network and
the expansion of Bond Head Waterfront Park. The Engineering Services Department
recommends that a future Public Information Centre be held to display revised options
and obtain input from Clarington residents in Bond Head and beyond. A report to
Council would then be prepared to recommend improvements to Bond Head Waterfront
Park and the local transportation network.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-010-15 Page 7
4. Strategic Plan Application
The recommendations contained in this report conform to the 2010 Strategic Plan.
Submitted by: Reviewed by:
Anthony Cannella Franklin Wu,
Director of Engineering Services Chief Administrative Officer
ASC/ra/jb
Staff Contact: Ron Albright, 905-623-3379, ext. 2305, ralbright @clarington.net
Attachments:
Attachment 1 — Bond Head Park Concept
Attachment 2 — Bond Head Park Parking Concepts
Attachment 3 — Bond Head Transportation Improvements
List of interested parties to be notified of Council's decision is on file in the Engineering
Services Department
Attachment 1 to
Report EGD-010-15
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Attachment 2 to
Report EGD-010-15
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Report EGD-010-15
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