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© 2015 Thinkspace Architecture Planning Interior Design - All Rights Reserved Feasibility Study Community Safety Building Town of Sidney, B.C. Final Report September 26, 2014 Bradley Shuya Architect Inc. 762 Ralph Street Victoria, BC V8X 3C9 T: 250-727-0605

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© 2015 Thinkspace Architecture Planning Interior Design - All Rights Reserved

Feasibility Study

Community Safety Building

Town of Sidney, B.C.

Final Report

September 26, 2014

Bradley Shuya Architect Inc.

762 Ralph Street

Victoria, BC V8X 3C9

T: 250-727-0605

Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

Town of Sidney

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Table of Contents 1.0 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................1

2.0 Background ............................................................................................................................1

3.0 Purpose of the Study ...............................................................................................................2

4.0 The Site ..................................................................................................................................2

5.0 Methodology ..........................................................................................................................3

6.0 Traffic ................................................................................................................................... 13

7.0 Findings ................................................................................................................................ 19

Appendix A – Study Participants ....................................................................................................... 20

Appendix B – Reports to Council ....................................................................................................... 21

Appendix C – Program Areas ............................................................................................................ 23

Appendix D – Traffic Study ............................................................................................................... 25

Appendix E – Fire Insurance Grade Update Report ............................................................................ 27

Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

Town of Sidney

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1.0 Executive Summary

This study follows previous work on relocating the Sidney Fire Hall. It focuses specifically on the feasibility of

utilizing about a third of the nine acre existing Sidney Elementary School site located on Henry Avenue at Seventh

Street, in Sidney, B.C.

In addition to the Fire Hall, the Sidney Community Safety Building will include the town Emergency Operation

Centre (EOC), training facilities and the BC Ambulance Service (BCAS). The total building area will be about 3527m2

(37,968 sqft). Conceptual layouts of the facility were prepared and separate investigations on the present and

future needs of the site for educational purposes were completed. The Traffic impacts of this development were

studied.

These concepts were reviewed by Town of Sidney staff, Fire Hall personnel and the School District No. 63 Facilities

Department.

The findings confirm that the location is suitable for the proposed Community Safety Building and that it can be

located on the school site without compromising the current and future educational needs. There is an

opportunity to develop a civic amenity to enhance this neighbourhood and provide essential emergency services

for current and future Sidney residents.

2.0 Background

Options for relocating the existing fire hall have been discussed over the past several years. In 2009 the Sidney Fire

Hall Expansion and Renovation Study indicated that the existing building, completed in 1989, needed renovations

to address seismic, architectural, plumbing and electrical deficiencies and to address additional space

requirements for the administration and apparatus areas. Recent Fire Underwriters Survey study and Royal Roads

University Emergency Management Review confirm these findings. These reports also stress that a larger building

is required to meet current needs and to house larger apparatus and provide space for an on-site training facility

and hose tower.

In 2010 alternative site options were evaluated including the existing fire hall site, although the school site was not

included. All the sites had limitations, in particular, ability to acquire the property, access by volunteers,

emergency response capabilities, land size and costs. Victoria Airport Authority (VAA) lands were determined to

not be an appropriate location due to its proximity to the threshold of runway 09/27, which is the primary arrival

and departure runway for larger jet aircraft.

In 2012, the possibility arose of acquiring a portion of School District (SD) No.63 lands, at 2281 Henry Avenue,

where the Sidney Elementary School is currently located. It was determined that the 9.19 acre site exceeds

current and projected educational facility needs of the Sidney Elementary School and that use of a portion of the

site for a fire hall and community safety building had merit.

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In accordance with legislative requirements for the SD to dispose of the land, a feasibility study is required:

subsequent steps led to the appointment of the consultant team of Bradley Shuya Architect Inc., Graham Hoffart

Mathiasen Architects, and Bunt and Associates in 2014 to undertake this feasibility study.

3.0 Purpose of the Study

The objective of the study was to assess the suitability of the site for a Community Safety Building which would

house a fire hall, ambulance services, emergency operations centre, training facility and associated services and

since it is adjacent to an existing school, to assess the current and future compatibility of a Community Safety

Building with an elementary school.

4.0 The Site

The 9.19 acre site is located at the geographic centre of Sidney at Henry Avenue and Seventh Street on the

northwestern edge of the town center.

This property is the only centrally located and primarily un-developed site available which is of sufficient size to

accommodate a new Community Safety Building. Easy vehicular access to main traffic circulation routes would

enhance response times to all parts of Sidney. This central location is in close proximity to the majority of the

residences of the volunteer fire fighting members, ensuring easy access to the community safety building, in

response to an emergency call out.

SUBJECT

Site

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5.0 Methodology

The requirements for each of the facilities, the School and the Community Safety building, were projected forward

and siting alternatives were pursued.

To preserve the future options for educational needs, the School District indicated that a new replacement Sidney

Elementary school should be anticipated for this site.

Based on current demographics, the projected requirements for Sidney Elementary School indicate a declining

school age population. In the event of residential densification or a shift in population dynamics which would

reverse that downward trend, a projected maximum enrollment of 400 students was used as an outside parameter

for site planning purposes.

Current enrollment at Sidney Elementary is 351 (K to grade 5) actual capacity is 385. A StrongStart centre for early

learning (infant to 5 years) is also located on the site.

Three (3) replacement options were developed and presented to School District No. 63 on July 16, 2014. The three

replacement options are summarized as follows:

Option 1 – New freestanding school fronting Seventh Street; combination of one storey and two stories. This

Option would allow for demolition of the existing school after the new school is completed.

Option 2 – New school fronting Henry Street, with some overlap over the existing school footprint. A phased

demolition would be required for this option and additional space may be available within the existing school if the

enrolment numbers do not increase at the time of construction. If additional space is not available within the

school, then portables would be required during construction. Option 2 also allows for a potential renovation of

the wing along the Seventh Street frontage if a new 2 storey classroom wing is not desirable.

Option 3 – A combination of new school blocks, and some renovation of the existing school within its current

footprint, such as the Gym and West classroom wing. Additional space would have to be accommodated by

portables to allow for some phased demolition.

All options meet or exceed the present building area and are based on a future maximum enrollment of 400

students (subject to confirmation). The existing school building area is approximately 3400m2. The proposed

future building would be 3900m2 (41,980 sq

ft). All three options can be accommodated at this site which would

allow the excess area to be used for the Community Safety Building. Option 1 is the preferred design based on

construction and building and parking layout on the site.

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Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

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Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

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Community Safety Building

In addition to accommodating the Fire Department, the Sidney Community Safety Building will provide for a three-

bay BC Ambulance Service Centre and associated support facilities, including the Peninsula Emergency Measures

Organization (PEMO). It will also serve as the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for the Town of Sidney.

Included in the program will be training facilities for a variety of programs and service personnel. In order for the

town to maintain adequate emergency services and appropriate facilities for personnel, a post disaster building is

required; this new community safety building would comply with all these requirements.

A draft spatial program was prepared by staff (Appendix ‘C’) and the Central Saanich Fire Hall #1 was used as a

reference building. These areas were scaled up to include Mechanical and Electrical Service Rooms, circulation,

and interior and exterior walls. The resulting gross area of approximately 3635m2 (39,130 Sq ft) may be larger than

the resulting final design and no attempt has been made to refine the areas. The rationale is that if a larger

building were found to be feasible, then one of reduced scale would easily be accommodated. It is essential to

ensure that future space needs are planned for and accommodated in this design, particularly, in light of the fact

that the current fire hall is insufficient in terms of space and functionality. These program areas are shown

graphically in Appendix C.

Schematic plans and a three dimensional representation are illustrated on page 9.

There is a preference for “drive-through” apparatus bays for functionality and efficiency and the planning reflects

that. Additionally, “drive-through” apparatus bays are also preferred to eliminate the requirement for backing into

the bays, as it minimizes the use of the ‘back-up’ beeper. Site planning is based on the turning radii of the

apparatus. The largest apparatus is the Peirce 100 foot Platform. Turning templates for this vehicle, and the

appropriate ambulance vehicles were used for site planning.

An early finding of site plan studies indicates that “frontage width” of the facility varied depending on the driveway

access configuration, in order to optimize the building layout and driveway access. The BCAS was set back from

the street. This provides a “drive-through” option for ambulance vehicles also. Additionally, it was determined

that the Ambulance Facility could be separate from the front of the building and located towards the rear of the

building. There is minimal public interaction with the BCAS and support spaces like decontamination showers are

specific to their own program requirements. Thus the location shown provides a self contained unit and reduces

the overall width of the site frontage.

In the preferred option, the primary spatial functions are accommodated on the two main levels of the building,

and dormitory space, washrooms, and associated uses are located within a small footprint on the third floor. The

third floor would be constructed to allow for future expansion of additional dormitory space and other associated

uses, as required. This three storey option also illustrates the relatively minor impact on the neighbourhood of

that three storey section.

The preferred option is a three storey scheme. Since there is only one elevator, and the preferred location for it is

at the front, the dormitory in this option is located at the front together with the fire pole and convenience stair.

This option has the greatest potential for the future expansion on both levels 2 and 3.

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As the study progressed, opportunities were identified which would provide enhancements to the streetscape and

public domain. A variety of public amenities were identified that would be complementary to the building and

through siting, public amenities were incorporated into the site plan. The building has been set back from the

street to allow the creation of public amenity areas in the front of the building. Traffic calming measures such as

curb bulges and installation of street trees will reduce the apparent width of the street and influence speed

reductions and improve the overall safety along the entire block of Seventh Street.

Additional street trees and clustered tree and landscape plantings, wider sidewalks and addition of a bicycle lane

along the frontage will also improve the pedestrian experience and enhance the quality of this area of the

community. These would be significant investments in pedestrian and streetscape amenities that could be a

welcome addition to the neighbourhood (for further information, refer to section 6.0 Traffic).

Historically, community safety buildings have been located in urban areas where the highest densities exist and the

fire fighting services are within close proximity.

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Preferred Option SE Corner

Preferred Option Street View

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Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

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Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

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6.0 Traffic

Baseline conditions were established through field observations, traffic surveys, research of ICBC records,

interviews with comparable schools located adjacent to Fire Halls, and projections based on Bunt and Associated

data base.

The findings are:

Vehicle, Cycling and Pedestrian Traffic

The AM Peak Period for school related traffic was from about 8:30 to 8:45 am at all study area

intersections. The PM Peak Period occurred from about 2:30 to 2:45 pm. The heaviest traffic volumes

were at the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue intersection as a result of before and after school peak pick-

up & drop-off times. During the AM School Peak, 127 vehicles, 18 pedestrians and 7 cyclists travelled

through the intersection. During the PM School Peak, 127 vehicles, 36 pedestrians and 9 cyclists travelled

through the intersection.

While the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue intersection is shown to easily handle the volume of vehicles

and pedestrians during the school AM and PM peak-hour periods, the vehicles entering and leaving the

main staff parking area were observed to create a back up of traffic at both entrances and legs of the

intersection and are the main contributor of safety issues near this intersection.

A significant number of cyclists travel through the Siddall Road & Henry Avenue intersection. During the

AM observation period (from 8:15 to 8:45AM) approximately 20 cycling trips were observed either

destined to or coming from the nearby Lochside Trail and approximately 20 cyclists were observed

travelling southbound on Siddall Avenue to eastbound on Henry Avenue. During the PM observation

(from 2:15 to 2:45PM) period, approximately 11 cycling trips were observed either destined to or coming

from the nearby Lochside Trail and approximately 7 cyclists were observed travelling westbound on Henry

Avenue to northbound on Siddall Avenue. Not all this cycling traffic is associated with the school, as some

cyclists would be commuting to & from work. However, it may be reasonable to assume approximately

half of this cycling traffic is school related.

The cycling lane (bike path) which extends from just east of Chicory Place to Siddall Road is

unconventional. There is insufficient width to accommodate both a cyclist and a pedestrian (particularly

one with a mobility aid) passing each along this pathway and would require either the pedestrian or

cyclist to venture out into the roadway. It is noted that no parking is permitted adjacent to the path.

Although not within the scope of this study, typically the Average Weekday PM Peak Hour forms the basis

of most traffic analysis as is usually the worst case scenario for traffic conditions. According to available

information, during the PM Peak Hour the proposed new Community Safety Building location currently

experiences approximately 5 cars every minute passing the site.

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Speed Survey

A speed survey was conducted along site frontages of the school. On Henry Avenue, speeding occurred in

both directions, while on Seventh Street the speeding occurs in the southbound direction. Informal

discussions with neighbours around the school revealed that speeding most often occurs in late afternoon

and therefore the percentage of speeding drivers may actually be higher than the results shown.

The survey conducted on Resthaven Drive shows that while 25% of drivers observed were speeding, most

drivers were observed to slow down near the intersection with Henry Avenue. This is likely a result of the

installation of curb bulges and pedestrian actuated flashers at this location. Curb bulges can be an

effective traffic calming measure as they aid in visually narrowing the roadway and can result in reduced

travel speeds and improve the visibility of pedestrians at crossing locations. The addition of pedestrian

actuated flashers further improves the visibility and safety of pedestrians.

The roadways in the area of the school appear to have been originally designed for higher speeds than are

currently posted. A review of the cross section elements of local area roadways is recommended and

consideration should be given to narrowing the travelled roadway widths to slow traffic. Narrower travel

lanes, curb extensions, landscaped medians, bike lanes, landscaped boulevards, on-street parking and

wider sidewalks would safely accommodate all modes of transportation. Redesigning the streets for lower

speeds and reallocating the public right-of-way by widening the sidewalks and installing bike lanes would

also increase the opportunities for students to walk and bike to school in a safe environment.

Phone Interviews

A phone interview was conducted with Vice Principal (Anne Nilsen) at South Park Elementary on June 9

2104. She reports that there are no issues as a result of the proximity to the fire hall and that staff and

students of the school are very appreciative of the fire hall staff. Students particularly enjoy the

‘walkovers’ to the fire hall.

The phone interview with the Principal (Christopher McIntosh) at Central Middle School was conducted

on June 10, 2014. He reports that there are no issues as a result of the proximity to the fire hall and that

staff and students of the school are very fond of the fire hall staff, who participate in school projects,

sports and fundraising efforts.

Crash Data

In 2009, one crash resulting in injury occurred on Henry Avenue near the intersection with Simkin Place.

In 2012, one crash resulting in a casualty occurred on Seventh Street near the intersection with James

White Boulevard. Town staff reported that a pedestrian was struck and fatally injured on Henry Avenue at

the cross walk near Sidall Road. These unfortunate incidents did not involve students of the school.

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During observations several potential pedestrian & vehicle conflicts points were identified. The volume of

vehicles that enter and exit the staff parking area during the school peak drop off and pick up periods

create safety issues within the main parking lot, at the parking lot driveways on Henry Avenue and

Seventh Street, and along the roadways near the driveways.

Potential Conflict Areas

With vehicles both coming and going out of both of the main parking lot entrances at Henry Avenue and

Seventh Street there is an increased risk of pedestrian / vehicle conflict. It should be noted the north

driveway of the main parking lot is too close to the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue intersection. There is

currently approximately 12m distance available where a minimum of 25m distance is recommended for a

collector road.

The current angled parking configuration along the school frontage on Henry Avenue is also not

recommended. With many vehicles parked close together it is difficult for drivers to see oncoming

vehicles and cyclists while backing out of these spaces. A parallel parking arrangement is preferred.

School staff had noted that on occasion the school bus parks on the school crosswalk located on Seventh

Street and blocks it. This behavior was not observed during site reconnaissance; however a car travelling

northbound did not stop (as required) while the bus was loading during the PM pick up time period. It is

recommended that a ‘School Bus Stop Ahead’ sign(s) be posted on either side of the bus stop location on

Seventh St to alert oncoming drivers that they are approaching a school bus stop.

Parking Lot Usage

The school has a total of forty six (46) formalized parking stalls on site within the two parking lots,

including three (3) stalls reserved for persons with disabilities and nine (9) visitor parking stalls. Seven (7)

staff stalls and two (2) stalls reserved for persons with disabilities are located in a small parking lot with

access only from Seventh Street. The remaining thirty seven (37) formalized stalls, including nine (9)

visitor and one (1) space reserved for persons with disabilities) are located in the main parking lot which

allows entry & exit from either Seventh Street or Henry Avenue.

All seven (7) staff stalls in the small parking lot and nineteen (19) staff stalls in the main parking lot were

occupied by staff outside of the peak pick-up and drop-off time periods. A total of 26 staff parking stalls

were occupied during school hours, leaving twenty (20) stalls unoccupied (including the three (3) stalls

reserved for persons with disabilities).

During the AM Peak drop off time, five (5) non – staff vehicles were observed to use the small parking lot

for drop off purposes, while approximately twenty one (21) non-staff vehicles entered and exited the

main parking lot.

During the PM Peak pick up time, five (5) non – staff vehicles were observed to use the small parking lot

for pick up purposes, while approximately twenty eight (28) non-staff vehicles entered and exited the

main parking lot.

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Approximately 32 bikes were parked in the bicycle parking area located in front of the school. It appears

that a total of 46 (or more) bicycles can be accommodated.

Existing Parking, Pick up and Drop off Requirements

With the current enrollment of approximately 351 students, the school requires:

26 on-site staff parking stalls (plus 2 stalls for persons with disabilities and a loading stall)

A student drop-off area(s) that during the AM Peak Period can accommodate up to a total of 83 vehicles

within a 15 minute window. Currently during this time period, 26 drivers use the parking lot areas, 44

drivers use the drop off area along the school frontage on Henry Avenue and 13 drivers park on Seventh

Street.

A student pick up area(s) that during the PM Peak Period can accommodate up to a total of 70 vehicles

within a 15 minute window. Currently during this time period 32 drivers use the parking areas, 28 drivers

use the pickup area along the school frontage on Henry Avenue and 10 drivers park on Seventh Street.

Future Parking, Pick up and Drop off Requirements

Based on a 400 student capacity with approximately 30-40 staff, the school is anticipated to require:

Sufficient parking on-site and limited on-street parking to be made available to accommodate

approximately 41 vehicles for drop off & pick up. As discussed earlier the current parking configuration

on Henry Avenue is not recommended. With parallel parking implemented at this location, it is

estimated at approximately 18 parallel parking stalls could be provided at this location; however another

23 vehicles will still need to be accommodated for short term parking. It is noted that during site

observations, ample on-street parking was available on the surrounding streets.

The visitor parking stalls that are currently available within the main staff parking area could be removed

to accommodate additional school staff. The congestion and traffic issues currently experienced in the

parking areas would be significantly reduced and vehicles would only enter in the AM and exit in the PM,

and therefore no or very limited two-way traffic flow would occur at driveways. The small staff parking

lot to the south could be reduced in size and designated as a reserved loading area only, or expanded to

include a new pick up & drop off area.

Design Parameters for Community Safety Building

Any new plantings on curb extensions along the frontage of the proposed new Community Safety Building

site should be kept low so as not to compromise the sight distance requirements. Planting trees along the

site frontage should be evaluated to ensure that the needs of the Town to develop a project with high

quality urban design and an attractive streetscape is balanced with the safety of vehicles leaving the site.

High canopy trees could be considered providing they do not have a significant trunk width.

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With the preferred design concept, approximately 19 on-street parking stalls on the west side of Seventh

Street will be lost. No parking should be permitted along the site frontage.

The driveway directly to the south of the site (9882 Seventh Street) which will require let downs or a roll

over style curb (within the curb extension) to provide access/egress for the homeowner for all options.

With the preferred design concept, there is some concern about the driveway located at 9882 Seventh

Street, directly to the south. If a long and/or tall vehicle such as a moving truck or truck and camper were

to park there, the visibility for the ambulance drivers will be limited. At this time, it is uncertain how this

could be addressed, other than restricting these vehicles types on this particular driveway.

Recommendations

Narrow the travelled roadway widths to slow traffic. Narrower travel lanes, curb extensions, landscaped

medians, bike lanes, landscaped boulevards, on-street parking and wider sidewalks would safely

accommodate all modes of transportation. Alternately, multi-use pathways (or sidewalks and cycling

lanes), could be accommodated within the road right-of-ways along the adjacent streets near the school.

The provision of these facilities could encourage the use of alternate modes of transportation other than

the automobile and in turn reduce the amount of vehicle traffic around the school as well as the demand

for pick up & drop off parking. This would also significantly improve the neighbourhood by making it

more pedestrian and bicycle friendly and inclusion of the Active & Safe Routes to School ‘best practices’

would further enhance the quality of the street and encourage more students to walk and bike to school.

If there was an Active & Safe Route to School Program, it would reduce traffic to school and create a safer

environment for children.

Replace the existing bike storage from the current concrete block style with slots for the bicycle wheel.

The existing bike storage can cause damage to wheels, lack in stability for bicycles and provide poor

locking points. Cluster style racks including the ‘U’ rack and the ‘Ring and Post’ rack are preferred.

Provide shelter for bicycles to protect them from inclement weather. A sheltered facility for staff bicycles

could also be provided within the staff parking lot. For example, remove two staff parking stalls and

provide a sheltered bike storage facility.

In the detailed design phase an extended speed survey could be conducted which includes the Average

Weekday AM and PM Peak Hour Periods, rather than school peak hours to determine the extent of

speeding which may occur on the School’s adjacent streets.

Further study (and warrants as required) to determine appropriate pedestrian crossing control devices

and treatments can be undertaken at locations where the safety of pedestrians has shown to be an issue.

Since the peak hour of traffic may not coincide with the peak hour for pedestrians, it may be necessary to

survey for several hours to ascertain which hour would constitute the one hour assessment period.

Provide parallel parking along the school’s site frontage on Henry Avenue for the purpose of pick up and

drop off at this location. Time restrictions could be implemented, for instance 5 minute maximum during

school hours, so that the availability of these stalls is increased and vehicles would not be able to park all

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day at this location. Further study will be required to determine the extent of the impact of time

restricted on-street parking and / or the best location for additional parking on-site.

If the School’s larger main parking lot is to remain accessible to parents for the purpose of pick-up & drop-

off, consideration should be given to one way traffic flow through the parking lot. For instance, enter only

from Henry Avenue and exit only to Seventh Street.

If the smaller staff parking lot is to be considered for expansion for pick up & drop off activity in the

future, the adjacent play area and playing field may be impacted. Careful consideration should be given

to the design which should have one-way traffic flow.

A yield sign has been installed as a traffic control device on Chicory Place. It is suggested that this sign be

replaced with a stop sign.

Planting trees along the site frontage should be carefully evaluated to ensure that sight distance

requirements are not compromised. High canopy trees could be considered providing they do not have a

significant trunk width.

With the preferred design concept, the visibility for the ambulance drivers will be limited and

consideration should be given to restricting long and/or tall vehicles such as a moving truck or truck and

camper in the driveway located directly to the south located at 9882 Seventh Street.

Due to the loss of several on-street parking spaces along Seventh St to accommodate the proposed new

Community Safety Building, further study regarding the utilization of on-street parking (on Henry Avenue,

Seventh Street and other minor local roads) should be considered to ensure there will be sufficient on-

street parking availability for the purpose of drop off and pick up for the school if the on-site school

parking supply is not to be increased.

The full traffic study is included in Appendix D.

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7.0 Findings

The site studies show that the current and future needs of Sidney Elementary School and the Sidney Community

Safety Building can be accommodated on this site. Frontage width is a significant factor in the layout and siting of

the Public Safety Building and options to reduce the frontage are feasible. A future school of 400 enrollment with

the required sports fields can be accommodated on the site. Experience with other comparable sites with Fire

Halls in close proximity (South Park Elementary, Central Middle School) indicates that the Fire Halls are compatible

and complementary to educational opportunities. This study did not identify any specific joint use areas that were

necessary to make the location feasible although proximity of the two facilities on this site will promote synergies

and joint use of facilities.

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Appendix A – Study Participants

Town of Sidney

Marianna Elliott, MCIP

Director of Development Services

Sidney Fire Rescue

Jim Tweedhope

Fire Chief

Brett Mikkelsen

Assistant Fire Chief

Bradley Shuya Architect Inc.

Bradley Shuya, Architect AIBC

Graham Hoffart Mathiasen Architects

Ron Hoffart, Architect AIBC, REFP

Bunt and Associates

Sharon Lee

Senior Transportation Technician

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Appendix B – Reports to Council

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Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

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Appendix C – Program Areas

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Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

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Appendix D – Traffic Study

MEMO

DATE: September 8 2014

PROJECT

NO:

4994.01

PROJECT: Town of Sidney Proposed Community Safety Building

SUBJECT: Feasibility Study

TO: Bradley Shuya, M.Arch, B.Arch - Project Architect

Bradley Shuya Architects Inc

FROM: Sharon Lee, CTech

Bunt & Associates has been commissioned by the Town of Sidney as part of a Design Team led by

Bradley Shuya Architects Inc. to conduct a traffic study, which will be included in the Feasibility

Study for a proposed new Community Safety Building at the property currently occupied by Sidney

Elementary School, located at 2281 Henry Avenue.

1. METHODOLOGY A study of the current traffic operating conditions, including interactions of pedestrian and vehicle

movements was required to establish the “baseline” conditions. Bunt also used a radar gun to

collect speeds of vehicles travelling along the roadways adjacent to the subject property. A site visit

and field observations were also conducted to identify any potential pedestrian & vehicle conflict

points, along with street parking demand during the school peak hours. Accident records available

from ICBC were also reviewed as part of the study.

Information interviews were conducted with the school principals of the two comparable schools

(South Park Elementary and Central Middle School in Victoria) that are located adjacent to Victoria

Fire Department’s fire halls to identify any existing operating or safety issues.

Due to the Project Schedule outlined in the RFP document, it was not possible to conduct a detailed

data collection program to document on-site parking, pick-up & drop-off, and traffic demand for the

existing elementary, as the school’s year would typically end in June. Further, a teacher’s strike

occurred on June 17, 2014, which made the collection of any further data impossible.

The future sizing of the on-site parking, vehicle pick-up/drop-off for the new elementary school was

developed based on Bunt in-house data that was collected previously for other elementary school

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projects. Generic guidelines are provided to guide the preliminary access arrangement, parking and

pick-up & drop-off layout for the school.

With respect to the Community Safety Building design, given the project is only at the feasibility

study stage, only generic design parameters such as frontage road cross-section requirements,

apparatus spacing, driveway locations and sizes have been provided as part of this exercise. A high-

level turning template review using AutoTurn is also included as part of this exercise to inform

building footprint requirements.

2. SIDNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

2.1 Enrollment

According to information provided to Bunt, there are currently 351 students enrolled from

Kindergarten to Grade 5, however the actual capacity is 385 students.

2.2 StrongStart Centre

StrongStart Centre provides early learning through play and is designed to support exploration,

discovery and language. It is a school-based free program, offering enriched environment for infant

to 5 year old preschool children, their parents and caregivers.

This is a drop-in program operating at Sidney Elementary School, and is typically open from 8:40am

to 11:40am on weekdays, with the exception of Tuesdays, where it opens from 1pm to 4pm.

Traffic counts specific to the StrongStart Centre were not conducted separately. It has been

assumed that most caregivers would be dropping older children off to attend Sidney Elementary and

then taking the younger siblings to the Centre afterwards. It should be noted that this is not a

daycare operation as caregivers are expected to participate in the learning experience along with an

early childhood educator.

3. CURRENT TRAFFIC OPERATING CONDITIONS Bunt conducted traffic surveys during peak pick up and drop off periods for the school and the

immediate area surrounding the school.

3.1 Traffic volumes

Traffic observations were conducted on Wednesday, June 11, 2014, at the following unsignalized

intersections:

Seventh Street & Henry Avenue

Siddall Road & Henry Avenue

Brethour Avenue & Seventh Avenue

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The AM Peak Period for school related traffic was from about 8:30 to 8:45 am at all study area

intersections. The PM Peak Period occurred from about 2:30 to 2:45 pm. The heaviest traffic

volumes were at the Seventh St & Henry Ave intersection as a result of before and after school peak

pick-up & drop-off times. During the AM School Peak, 127 vehicles, 18 pedestrians and 7 cyclists

travelled through the intersection. During the PM School Peak, 127 vehicles, 36 pedestrians and 9

cyclists travelled through the intersection.

While the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue intersection is shown to easily handle the volume of

vehicles and pedestrians during the school AM and PM peak-hour periods, the vehicles entering and

leaving the main staff parking area were observed to create a back up of traffic at both entrances

and legs of the intersection and are the main contributor of traffic issues near this intersection.

Refer to the following Exhibit 1- Main Staff Parking Lot Turning Movements and Section 6 for further

details.

Exhibit 1: Main Staff Parking Lot Turning Movements

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3.2 PM Peak Hour

It was not within this study scope to collect PM Peak Hour data, however typically the PM Peak Hour

forms the basis of most traffic analysis as is usually the worst case scenario for traffic conditions.

For comparison purposes, available PM Peak Hour traffic volumes for the subject site, South Park

Elementary and Central Middle School sites are provided. These two schools have adjacent fire

halls.

PM Peak Hour traffic volumes were available from the Sidney Downtown Traffic Movement Study. At

the Seventh Street & James White Boulevard, a total of 808 vehicles pass though the intersection,

with 324 vehicles passing the proposed future fire hall location.

Near South Park Elementary, the total volumes through the Douglas Street & Michigan Street

intersection are 1022 vehicles during the PM Peak Hour. Of this total 191 vehicles pass the fire hall

& school. This data was collected during a traffic study for a nearby (Bunt) project currently

underway.

Approximately 850 vehicles pass Central Middle School fire hall and school (located on Yates Street)

during the PM Peak Hour according to traffic data available on the Capital Regional District (CRD)

website.

In summary, Central Middle School currently experiences the highest traffic volumes with

approximately 14 vehicles every minute passing the site. The proposed new Community Safety

Building location currently experiences approximately 5 cars every minute passing the site, while

South Park Elementary currently experiences approximately 3 cars every minute passing the site.

3.3 Speed Survey

A brief vehicle speed survey was conducted along the following roadways near Sidney Elementary

School during school hours:

Henry Avenue

Seventh Street

Resthaven Drive (included due to high incidence of crashes, refer to Section 5)

The posted speed for roadways surrounding the school is 30 km/hr. In the vicinity of the school,

approximately 15% of drivers on Henry Avenue, 2% of drivers on Seventh St, and 25% of drivers on

Resthaven Drive were travelling 40 km/h or higher during the speed travel surveys. The section of

Brethour Avenue, between Resthaven Drive and Seventh Street, is too short to accommodate

speeding vehicles.

The speed survey was conducted along site frontages of the school. On Henry Ave, speeding

occurred in both directions, while on Seventh Street the speeding occurs in the southbound

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direction. Informal discussions with neighbours around the school revealed that speeding most

often occurs in late afternoon and therefore the percentage of speeding drivers may actually be

higher than the results show. In the detailed design phase, an extended speed survey could be

conducted which includes the average AM and PM Peak Hour Periods, rather than school peak hours.

The above photo shows pedestrian actuated flashers at the Henry Avenue & Resthaven Drive

intersection (eastbound looking south).

The survey conducted on Resthaven Drive shows that while 25% of drivers observed were speeding,

most drivers were observed to slow down near the intersection with Henry Avenue. This is likely a

result of the installation of curb bulges and pedestrian actuated signals at this location. Curb

bulges can be an effective traffic calming measure as they aid in visually narrowing the roadway and

can result in reduced travel speeds and improve the visibility of pedestrians at crossing locations.

The addition of pedestrian actuated flashers further improves the visibility and safety of

pedestrians.

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The roadways in the area of the school appear to have been originally designed for higher speeds

than are currently posted. A review of the cross section elements of local area roadways is

recommended and consideration should be given to narrowing the travelled roadway widths to slow

traffic. Narrower travel lanes, curb extensions, landscaped medians, bike lanes, landscaped

boulevards, on-street parking and wider sidewalks would safely accommodate all modes of

transportation.

Henry Avenue appears to have approximately 21.5m right-of-way available and Seventh Street

appears to have approximately 20m. Refer to the following examples of the streetscape elements1

which could be implemented along these roadways. Public education should be undertaken to

inform the community of multi-use right-of-way options that could incorporate wider sidewalks,

protected bike lanes, and appropriately designed lane widths (30km design speed), which would

create a safe and functional street for all users; pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles. Additionally,

public consultation and further study should be undertaken to gain community support and

determine the preferred multi-use cross section arrangements. “Complete Streets” 2 policies promote

planning, engineering and transportation polices that provide a safer road network for all road users

It should be noted that the following two concepts are for visual representation and discussion

purposes only as they have been prepared based on available ortho-photography and not an actual

survey of the roadways. At the Town’s discretion, for both concepts, narrower vehicle travel lanes,

wider bike lanes and sidewalks and / or a shared pedestrian / cyclist pathway could be

accommodated along with a landscaped buffer separating the vehicle lanes / parking lanes from

other road users. Street lighting and street furniture can also be provided within landscaping

elements.

1 http://streetmix.net/-/153730

2 http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/programs/cs72e-completestreets.pdf

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Henry Avenue looking east

The above Henry Avenue concept illustrates a 3.1m wide median (which could also accommodate

left turn lanes at intersections), 3.2m wide travel lanes, 1.8m wide bike lanes, a 2.4m wide parking

lane (on the south side of the street only), 1.0m wide boulevards and 2.0m wide sidewalks.

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Seventh Street looking north

The above Seventh Street concept illustrates 3.1m wide travel lanes, 2m wide bike lanes, 2.4m wide

parking lanes, 2.5m wide sidewalks with street trees. It should be noted that street trees should not

be planted in the centre of the sidewalk as illustrated above as this would narrow the available

sidewalk width and the on-street parking could be removed near intersections to allow for left turn

lanes, if necessary.

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4. INFORMATION INTERVIEWS Information interviews were conducted with the school principals of the two comparable schools

located adjacent to Victoria Fire Department’s fire halls to identify any existing operating or safety

issues.

4.1 South Park Elementary

A phone interview was conducted with Vice Principal (Anne Nilsen) at South Park Elementary on June

9 2104. She reports that there are no issues as a result of the proximity to the fire hall and that

staff and students of the school are very appreciative of the fire hall staff. Students particularly

enjoy the ‘walkovers’ to the fire hall.

4.1.1 General Site Observations

Victoria Fire Departments Fire Station No.2 is located next to South Park Elementary at 650

Michigan Street. There is a posted 30 km/hr speed limit on both Michigan Street and

Government Street in the vicinity of the site from 8am to 5pm on school days.

There is a loading zone with room to accommodate approximately two vehicles on

Government Street just north of the school site with a 3 min maximum.

Between the fire hall and the school there is a zebra style pedestrian crosswalk.

At the unsignalized intersection of Government Street & Michigan Street there are zebra

style pedestrian crossings on all four legs.

A drop off & pick up zone is located along the school site frontage, one on-street parking

space directly to the east of fire hall and more on-street parking along the north side of

Michigan St to the west of the fire hall (in front of the Robbin’s operated parking lot) with

one hour restricted parking otherwise no on-street parking is permitted.

All roadways surrounding the school and fire hall sites are two way streets.

No fire signals were observed in the local area.

4.2 Central Middle School

The phone interview with the Principal (Christopher McIntosh) at Central Middle School was

conducted on June 10, 2014. He reports that there are no issues as a result of the proximity to the

fire hall and that staff and students of the school are very fond of the fire hall staff, who participate

in school projects, sports and fundraising efforts.

4.2.1 General Site Observations

Victoria Fire Department’s Fire Station No.1 is located across the street from Central Middle

School at 1234 Yates Street and near the signalized intersection with Camosun Street. At

this intersection there is pedestrian operated signal for the crosswalk on Yates St.

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At the signalized Yates Street & Fernwood Road intersection there are pedestrian operated

signals on all four legs of the intersection as well as illuminated signs mounted on the

signal arms (on the Fernwood Road legs and the westbound leg of Yates Street) which read

‘FIRE SIGNAL REMAIN STOPPED’.

At the unsignalized intersection of Fort Street & Fernwood Road there is a fire signal. Both

Fort Street and Yates Street are one-way roads.

There are no pedestrian facilities at the unsignalized intersection of Yates Street & Ormond

Street.

There is no on-street parking along the fire hall site frontage but it is permitted on the other

side of the road.

Fernwood Road is a two way street and has a posted speed limit of 30km/h in the area of

the school and no-on street parking is permitted.

No parking is permitted along Fort St along the school site frontage but two hour restricted

on-street parking is permitted on the south side in the vicinity of the school.

There are bus stops located along Yates Street, Fernwood Road and Fort Street in the

vicinity of the site.

5. REVIEW OF ICBC CRASH DATA Accident records from ICBC between 2009 and 2013 for intersections surrounding the subject site

were reviewed as part of the study. In 2009, one crash resulting in injury occurred on Henry Avenue

near the intersection with Simkin Place. This incident involved two vehicles. One vehicle backed out

of a residential driveway when it hit the other vehicle as it went around the cul-de-sac.

In 2012, one crash resulting in a casualty occurred on Seventh Street near the intersection with

James White Boulevard. This incident involved a vehicle and a pedestrian. The vehicle was travelling

southbound on Seventh St when the pedestrian, who was crossing the south crosswalk on James

White Boulevard, was struck. The pedestrian fell on the hood of the vehicle, then hit the ground.

There is a four-way stop at this intersection and therefore speeding would not be the cause of this

crash. Unfortunately, the driver did not see the pedestrian.

Crashes further away from the school, along Resthaven Drive, James White Boulevard and Beacon

Avenue are more frequent, however, are not discussed as part of this study as they are not adjacent

to the school site. Town staff reported that a pedestrian was struck and fatally injured on Henry

Avenue at the cross walk near Sidall Road, however no further data on this crash is available at this

time.

Further study (and warrants as required) to determine appropriate pedestrian crossing control

devices and treatments can be undertaken at locations where the safety of pedestrians has shown to

be an issue. Since the peak hour of traffic may not coincide with the peak hour for pedestrians, it

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may be necessary to survey for several hours to ascertain which hour would constitute the one hour

assessment period.

6. SITE RECONNASANCE AND OBSERVATIONS Bunt conducted observations during peak pick up and drop off periods for the school and the

immediate area surrounding the school to monitor potential pedestrian & vehicle conflict points, on-

street parking demand and parking lot usage.

6.1 Potential Pedestrian & Vehicle Conflict Points

During observations several potential pedestrian & vehicle conflicts points were identified. The

volume of vehicles that enter and exit the staff parking area during the school peak drop off and

pick up periods create safety issues within the main parking lot, at the parking lot driveways on

Henry Avenue and Seventh Street, and along the roadways near the driveways.

With vehicles both coming and going out of both parking lot entrances, general traffic flow along

Henry Ave and Seventh St is affected and several cars were observed queuing while waiting for

vehicles to maneuver in and out of the lot. It should be noted the north driveway of the main

parking lot is too close to the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue intersection. There is currently

approximately 12m distance available where a minimum of 25m distance is recommended.

If this parking lot is to remain accessible to parents for the purpose of pick-up & drop-off,

consideration should be given to one way traffic flow through the parking lot. For instance, enter

only from Henry Avenue and exit only to Seventh Street.

The current angled parking configuration along the school frontage on Henry Avenue is also not

recommended. With many vehicles parked close together, it is difficult for drivers to see oncoming

vehicles and cyclists while backing out of these spaces. Consideration should be given to parallel

parking for the purpose of pick up and drop off at this location. Time restrictions could be

implemented, for instance 5 minute maximum during school hours, so that the availability of these

stalls is increased and vehicles would not be able to park all day at this location.

Additionally, the approximately 1.8m wide cycling lane (bike path) which extends from just east of

Chicory Place to Siddalll Road is unconventional. There is insufficient width to accommodate both a

cyclist and a pedestrian (particularly one with a mobility aid) passing each other along this pathway

and would require either the pedestrian or cyclist to venture out into the roadway. It is noted that

no parking is permitted adjacent to the path.

It was observed that many scooters were being utilized in the surrounding area. The minimum

recommended width to accommodate a scooter and a bicycle for a shared pathway on the streets

surrounding the school is 2.4m.

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It was also noted during site reconnaissance that a yield sign has been installed as a traffic control

device on Chicory Place. It is suggested that this sign be replaced with a stop sign.

School bus activity on Seventh Street was also monitored. School staff had noted that on occasion

the school bus parks on the school crosswalk located on Seventh Street and blocks it. This behavior

was not observed during site reconnaissance; however a car travelling northbound did not stop (as

required) while the bus was loading during the PM pick up time period. It is recommended that a

‘School Bus Stop Ahead’ sign(s) be posted on either side of the bus stop location on Seventh Street

to alert oncoming drivers that they are approaching a school bus stop. A bus lay-by has been

considered however vehicles should not be passing the school bus at any time when lights are

flashing to indicate students are boarding or exiting the school bus and potentially entering the

adjacent crosswalk.

Whether or not the proposed Community Safety Building is built adjacent to Sidney Elementary

School it is recommended that an Active Safe Routes to School Program be implemented. This

would likely reduce traffic to / from school and create a safer environment for children.

6.2 On-street Parking Demand during School Peak Hours

The angled parking area located on Henry Avenue along the site frontage was well utilized with forty

four (44) vehicles arriving during the peak AM drop-off period. Of these vehicles, thirty eight (38)

left right away while the other vehicles remained (at least temporarily). During the peak PM pick-up

period, twenty six (26) arrived and twenty eight (28) departed.

During the AM Peak drop off period, thirteen (13) vehicles were observed to utilize Seventh Street to

drop off their children and ten (10) utilized Seventh Street during the PM Peak pick up period.

During both the AM and PM Peak pick up and drop off time periods at the school, there was on-

street parking available within close proximity to the school on Henry Avenue, Seventh Street and on

Brethour Avenue. On-street parking is ample, free and is restricted to 24 hours maximum along the

roadways adjacent to the school. However, it would appear that being able to enter and exit

through both main parking lot driveways, and the fact that caregivers do not have to leave their

vehicle to walk children to & from the school grounds contribute to the attractiveness of using the

main parking lot for pick up and drop off. As discussed earlier, the resultant traffic congestion on

adjacent roadways and the potential for vehicle & pedestrian conflict indicate this is an existing

issue which should be addressed. Further studies including parking lot re-design and access

reconfiguration are recommended whether or not the subject project proceeds.

6.3 Parking Lot Usage

The school has a total of forty six (46) formalized parking stalls on site within the two parking lots,

including three (3) stalls reserved for persons with disabilities and nine (9) visitor parking stalls as

depicted in the following Exhibit 2 – Sidney Elementary School Parking Lots.

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Seven (7) staff stalls and two (2) stalls reserved for persons with disabilities are located in a small

parking lot with access only from Seventh Street and is signed that it is intended for ‘authorized

vehicles only’. The remaining thirty seven (37) formalized stalls, including nine (9) visitor and one

(1) space reserved for persons with disabilities) are located in the main parking lot which allows

entry & exit from either Seventh Street or Henry Avenue.

Exhibit 2: Sidney Elementary School Parking Lots

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All seven (7) staff stalls in the small parking lot and nineteen (19) staff stalls in the main parking lot

were occupied by staff outside of the peak pick-up and drop-off time periods. A total of 26 staff

parking stalls were occupied during school hours, leaving twenty (20) stalls unoccupied (including

the three (3) stalls reserved for persons with disabilities).

During the AM Peak drop off time, five (5) non – staff vehicles were observed to use the small

parking lot for drop off purposes, while approximately twenty one (21) non-staff vehicles entered

and exited the main parking lot.

During the PM Peak pick up time, five (5) non – staff vehicles were observed to use the small parking

lot for pick up purposes, while approximately twenty eight (28) non-staff vehicles entered and exited

the main parking lot.

Approximately 32 bikes were parked in the bicycle parking area located in front of the school. It

appears that a total of 46 (or more) bicycles can be accommodated. Consideration should be given

to replacing the existing bike storage from the current concrete block style with slots for the bicycle

wheel. The existing bike storage can cause damage to wheels, lack in stability for bicycles and

provide poor locking points. Cluster style racks3 including the ‘U’ rack and the ‘Ring and Post’ rack

are preferred.

3 http://www.bicycleparkingonline.org/Rack%20Designs/rack-clusters

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It is further recommended that shelter be provided for bicycles to protect them from inclement

weather. A sheltered facility for staff bicycles could also be provided within the staff parking lot.

For example, remove two staff parking stalls and provide a sheltered bike storage facility.

6.4 Cycling Facilities

There are no formal cycling facilities within the study area with the exception of an approximately

1.8m wide cycling lane (bike path) which extends from just east of Chicory Place to Siddalll Road.

However this pathway is unconventional and improvements to cycling facilities are recommended.

A significant number of cyclists travel through the Siddalll Road & Henry Avenue intersection.

During the AM observation period (from 8:15 to 8:45AM) approximately 20 cycling trips were

observed either destined to or coming from the nearby Lochside Trail and approximately 20 cyclists

were observed travelling southbound on Siddall Ave to eastbound on Henry Ave. During the PM

observation (from 2:15 to 2:45PM) period, approximately 11 cycling trips were observed either

destined to or coming from the nearby Lochside Trail and approximately 7 cyclists were observed

travelling westbound on Henry Ave to northbound on Siddall Ave. It should be noted that not all

this cycling traffic is associated with the school, as some cyclists would be commuting to and from

work. However, it may be reasonable to assume approximately half of this cycling traffic is school

related.

It is recommended that whether or not the subject project proceeds, further study be conducted to

determine how multi-use pathways (or sidewalks and cycling lanes), can be accommodated within

the road right-of-ways along the adjacent streets near the school, as there is sufficient right-of-way

to serve the needs of multiple users. The provision of these facilities would encourage the use of

alternate modes of transportation other then the automobile and in turn reduce the amount of

vehicle traffic around the school as well as the demand for pick up & drop off parking. Currently,

some parents may drive their childrent to school because they do not feel that the street is safe for

children to walk or ride a bike to school.

Increasing the number of children who walk and bike to school would reduce traffic congestion,

thus making the street a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists. The Active & Safe Routes to

School (ASRS)4 is a national movement dedicated to children’s mobility, health and happiness. The

ASRS provides support, ‘best practices’ and assistance to schools and communities seeking to

incorporate alternative street designs that provide safe and active ways for children to go to and

from school. It is recommended that the Town of Sidney investigate alternatives to increase

active and safe mobility for children through multi-use street design.

4 http://www.saferoutestoschool.ca/

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6.5 Pedestrian Facilities

At the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue intersection, there is an existing crosswalk on the Seventh

Street leg and a zebra style crosswalk located on the west leg of Henry Avenue along with

associated signage.

At the Seventh Street & Brethour Avenue intersection, a zebra style crosswalk is located on the north

leg of Seventh Street along with associated signage.

Just east of the Henry Avenue & Chicory Place intersection, a zebra style crosswalk is located on the

east leg of Henry Avenue along with associated signage.

Along the site frontages, sidewalks (approximately 1.8m wide) are provided along both sides of

Henry Avenue and Seventh Street, however there is a missing segment (approximately 60m) of

sidewalk from the north side of Brethour Aveue to the north towards Henry Avenue. It is

recommended that the sidewalks be widened to accommodate and encourage more pedestrian

activity and as more people walk, it will improve the safety of the street for all users.

7. SUMMARY OF PARKING, PICK UP AND DROP OFF FOR THE SCHOOL

7.1 Existing Conditions

According to the observations conducted on June 11th, 2014, with approximately 351 students

enrolled, the school requires:

26 on-site staff parking stalls (plus 2 stalls for persons with disabilities and a loading stall)

A student drop-off area(s) that during the AM Peak Period can accommodate up to a total of

83 vehicles within a 15 minute window. Currently during this time period, 26 drivers use

the parking lot areas, 44 drivers use the drop off area along the school frontage on Henry

Avenue and 13 drivers park on Seventh Street.

A student pick up area(s) that during the PM Peak Period can accommodate up to a total of

70 vehicles within a 15 minute window. Currently during this time period 32 drivers use the

parking areas, 28 drivers use the pickup area along the school frontage on Henry Avenue

and 10 drivers park on Seventh Street.

7.2 Future Conditions

In the future, enrollment is not expected to grow significantly and, as directed by the project

architect, our future analysis is based on a 400 student capacity with approximately 30-40 staff.

Due to budget and time constraints, the future sizing of the on-site parking, vehicle pick-up & drop-

off for the new elementary school was developed based on Bunt in-house data that was collected

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previously for other elementary school projects. Generic guidelines are provided to guide the

preliminary access arrangement, parking and pick-up & drop-off layout for the school.

An elementary school in Vancouver closely matched the Sidney Elementary School in terms of future

enrollment (412) and large catchment area. For the Vancouver School project an extensive data

collection program was undertaken to determine the extent of pick up and drop off activity. While

the data for the Vancouver school indicates a lower rate of pick up & drop off activity, as more

students arrive by walking or biking, a ratio for peak 5 minute volumes has been applied to the

Sidney Elementary School site pick up & drop off vehicle volumes to provide an estimate of future

drop off & pick up activity. The drop off/pick up would decrease (perhaps significantly) if the Active

& Safe Routes to School was an integral part of the recommendations in this report.

It was found that of the total AM and PM Peak 15 minute interval data collected for the Vancouver

school, the peak 5 minute demand for the AM Peak period was 43% ,and for the PM Peak period was

42%, of the total 15 minute interval vehicle volumes.

At Sidney Elementary School, with a current enrollment of 351 students, a 14% factor was applied to

the existing Peak Hour volumes to estimate what the peak activity would be with 400 students.

Currently during the AM 15 Minute Peak, 83 vehicles dropped off students. With a 14% factor

applied, approximately 95 students could be expected to be dropped off at school. Currently

during the PM 15 Minute Peak, 70 vehicles picked up students. With a 14% factor applied,

approximately 80 students could be expected to be picked up at school.

With the peak 5 minute demand percentage applied to the future estimated volumes, this results in

41 vehicles dropping off students during the AM Peak and 30 vehicles picking up students during

the PM Peak.

It is therefore recommended that sufficient parking on-site with limited on-street parking be made

available to accommodate approximately 41 vehicles for drop off & pick up. Further study will be

required to determine the extent of the impact of time restricted on-street parking and / or the best

location for additional parking on-site. As discussed earlier the current parking configuration on

Henry Ave is not recommended. With many vehicles parked close together it is difficult for drivers

to see oncoming vehicles and cyclists while backing out of these spaces. Consideration should be

given to parallel parking for the purpose of pick up and drop off at this location. Time restrictions

could be implemented, for instance 5 minute maximum during school hours, so that the availability

of these stalls is increased and vehicles would not be able to park all day at this location. It is

estimated at approximately 18 parallel parking stalls could be provided at this location; however

another 23 vehicles will still need to be accommodated for short term parking. It is noted that

during site observations, ample on-street parking was available on the surrounding streets.

The visitor parking stalls that are currently available within the main staff parking area could be

removed to accommodate additional school staff. The congestion and traffic issues currently

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experienced in the parking areas would be significantly reduced and vehicles would only enter in

the AM and exit in the PM, and therefore no or very limited two-way traffic flow would occur at

driveways. The small staff parking lot to the south could be reduced in size and designated as a

reserved loading area only, or expanded to include a new pick up & drop off area. If this parking

area is to be expanded the adjacent play area and playing field will be impacted and careful

consideration should be given to the design which should have one-way traffic flow.

8. DESIGN PARAMETERS FOR THE PROPOSED COMMUNITY SAFETY BUILDING According to the memo (from Sidney Fire Department) that was sent to Bunt on July 2, 2014, the

Pierce 100’ Platform fire truck is the largest vehicle and the radius would meet the demands of all

other present apparatus. AutoTurn templates were run for this vehicle and for the ambulance.

The attached Exhibits 1.0-1.2 indicate sightline requirements, turning paths and curb extensions for

the preferred design concept for the Community Safety Building.

All sight lines were taken from approximately half way onto the apron. The tree directly to the

south of the site (9882 Seventh St) will require removal or pruning of low branches because of the

sight distance requirements.

Any new plantings on curb extensions on the proposed new Community Safety Building frontage

should be kept low so as not to compromise the sight distance requirements. Planting trees along

the site frontage should be evaluated to ensure that the needs of the Town (to develop a project

with high quality urban design and an attractive streetscape) are balanced with the safety of

vehicles leaving the site. High canopy trees could be considered providing they do not have a

significant trunk width so that when emergency vehicles depart the Community Safety Building

apron pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and other vehicles are visible to the driver.

With the preferred design concept, approximately 19 on-street parking stalls on the west side of

Seventh Street will be lost. No parking should be permitted along the site frontage.

It should be noted that there is a driveway directly to the south of the site (9882 Seventh Street)

which will require let downs or a roll over style curb (within the curb extension) to provide

access/egress for the homeowner.

With the preferred design concept, there is some concern about the driveway located directly to the

south. If a long and/or tall vehicle such as a moving truck or truck and camper were to park there,

the visibility for the ambulance drivers will be limited. At this time, it is uncertain how this could be

addressed, other than restricting these vehicles types on this particular driveway.

Due to the loss of several on-street parking spaces along Seventh Street to accommodate the

proposed new Community Safety Building, further study regarding the utilization of on-street

parking (on Henry Ave, Seventh St and other minor local roads) should be considered to ensure

MEMO – Feasibility Study for Town of Sidney Community Safety Building 19 bunt & associates | Project No. 4994.01 | September 8 2014

there will be sufficient on-street parking available for the purpose of drop off and pick up for the

school if the on-site school parking supply is not to be increased.

9. CONCLUSIONS

Vehicle,CyclingandPedestrianTraffic

The AM Peak Period for school related traffic was from about 8:30 to 8:45 am at all study area

intersections. The PM Peak Period occurred from about 2:30 to 2:45 pm. The heaviest traffic

volumes were at the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue intersection as a result of before and after

school peak pick-up & drop-off times. During the AM School Peak, 127 vehicles, 18 pedestrians

and 7 cyclists travelled through the intersection. During the PM School Peak, 127 vehicles, 36

pedestrians and 9 cyclists travelled through the intersection.

While the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue intersection is shown to easily handle the volume of

vehicles and pedestrians during the school AM and PM peak-hour periods, the vehicles entering

and leaving the main staff parking area were observed to create a back up of traffic at both

entrances and legs of the intersection and are the main contributor of safety issues near this

intersection.

A significant number of cyclists travel through the Siddall Road & Henry Avenue intersection.

During the AM observation period (from 8:15 to 8:45AM) approximately 20 cycling trips were

observed either destined to or coming from the nearby Lochside Trail and approximately 20

cyclists were observed travelling southbound on Siddall Avenue to eastbound on Henry Avenue.

During the PM observation (from 2:15 to 2:45PM) period, approximately 11 cycling trips were

observed either destined to or coming from the nearby Lochside Trail and approximately 7 cyclists

were observed travelling westbound on Henry Avenue to northbound on Siddall Avenue. Not all

this cycling traffic is associated with the school, as some cyclists would be commuting to & from

work. However, it may be reasonable to assume approximately half of this cycling traffic is school

related.

The cycling lane (bike path) which extends from just east of Chicory Place to Siddall Road is

unconventional. There is insufficient width to accommodate both a cyclist and a pedestrian

(particularly one with a mobility aid) passing each along this pathway and would require either the

pedestrian or cyclist to venture out into the roadway. It is noted that no parking is permitted

adjacent to the path.

Although not within the scope of this study, typically the Average Weekday PM Peak Hour forms

the basis of most traffic analysis as is usually the worst case scenario for traffic conditions.

According to available information, during the PM Peak Hour the proposed new Community Safety

Building location currently experiences approximately 5 cars every minute passing the site.

SpeedSurvey

A speed survey was conducted along site frontages of the school. On Henry Avenue, speeding

occurred in both directions, while on Seventh Street the speeding occurs in the southbound

MEMO – Feasibility Study for Town of Sidney Community Safety Building 20 bunt & associates | Project No. 4994.01 | September 8 2014

direction. Informal discussions with neighbours around the school revealed that speeding most

often occurs in late afternoon and therefore the percentage of speeding drivers may actually be

higher than the results shown.

The survey conducted on Resthaven Drive shows that while 25% of drivers observed were

speeding, most drivers were observed to slow down near the intersection with Henry Avenue.

This is likely a result of the installation of curb bulges and pedestrian actuated flashers at this

location. Curb bulges can be an effective traffic calming measure as they aid in visually narrowing

the roadway and can result in reduced travel speeds and improve the visibility of pedestrians at

crossing locations. The addition of pedestrian actuated flashers further improves the visibility and

safety of pedestrians.

The roadways in the area of the school appear to have been originally designed for higher speeds

than are currently posted. A review of the cross section elements of local area roadways is

recommended and consideration should be given to narrowing the travelled roadway widths to

slow traffic. Narrower travel lanes, curb extensions, landscaped medians, bike lanes, landscaped

boulevards, on-street parking and wider sidewalks would safely accommodate all modes of

transportation. Redesigning the streets for lower speeds and reallocating the public right-of-way

by widening the sidewalks and installing bike lanes would also increase the opportunities for

students to walk and bike to school in a safe environment.

PhoneInterviews

A phone interview was conducted with Vice Principal (Anne Nilsen) at South Park Elementary on

June 9 2104. She reports that there are no issues as a result of the proximity to the fire hall and

that staff and students of the school are very appreciative of the fire hall staff. Students

particularly enjoy the ‘walkovers’ to the fire hall.

The phone interview with the Principal (Christopher McIntosh) at Central Middle School was

conducted on June 10, 2014. He reports that there are no issues as a result of the proximity to

the fire hall and that staff and students of the school are very fond of the fire hall staff, who

participate in school projects, sports and fundraising efforts.

CrashData

In 2009, one crash resulting in injury occurred on Henry Avenue near the intersection with Simkin

Place. In 2012, one crash resulting in a casualty occurred on Seventh Street near the intersection

with James White Boulevard. Town staff reported that a pedestrian was struck and fatally injured

on Henry Avenue at the cross walk near Sidall Road. These unfortunate incidents did not involve

students of the school.

During observations several potential pedestrian & vehicle conflicts points were identified. The

volume of vehicles that enter and exit the staff parking area during the school peak drop off and

pick up periods create safety issues within the main parking lot, at the parking lot driveways on

Henry Avenue and Seventh Street, and along the roadways near the driveways.

MEMO – Feasibility Study for Town of Sidney Community Safety Building 21 bunt & associates | Project No. 4994.01 | September 8 2014

PotentialConflictAreas

With vehicles both coming and going out of both of the main parking lot entrances at Henry

Avenue and Seventh Street there is an increased risk of pedestrian / vehicle conflict. It should be

noted the north driveway of the main parking lot is too close to the Seventh Street & Henry Avenue

intersection. There is currently approximately 12m distance available where a minimum of 25m

distance is recommended for a collector road.

The current angled parking configuration along the school frontage on Henry Avenue is also not

recommended. With many vehicles parked close together it is difficult for drivers to see oncoming

vehicles and cyclists while backing out of these spaces. A parallel parking arrangement is

preferred.

School staff had noted that on occasion the school bus parks on the school crosswalk located on

Seventh Street and blocks it. This behavior was not observed during site reconnaissance; however

a car travelling northbound did not stop (as required) while the bus was loading during the PM

pick up time period. It is recommended that a ‘School Bus Stop Ahead’ sign(s) be posted on either

side of the bus stop location on Seventh St to alert oncoming drivers that they are approaching a

school bus stop.

Whether or not the proposed Community Safety Building is built adjacent to Sidney Elementary

School it is recommended that an Active Safe Routes to School Program be implemented. This

would likely reduce traffic to / from school and create a safer environment for children.

ParkingLotUsage

The school has a total of forty six (46) formalized parking stalls on site within the two parking

lots, including three (3) stalls reserved for persons with disabilities and nine (9) visitor parking

stalls. Seven (7) staff stalls and two (2) stalls reserved for persons with disabilities are located in a

small parking lot with access only from Seventh Street. The remaining thirty seven (37) formalized

stalls, including nine (9) visitor and one (1) space reserved for persons with disabilities) are

located in the main parking lot which allows entry & exit from either Seventh Street or Henry

Avenue.

All seven (7) staff stalls in the small parking lot and nineteen (19) staff stalls in the main parking

lot were occupied by staff outside of the peak pick-up and drop-off time periods. A total of 26

staff parking stalls were occupied during school hours, leaving twenty (20) stalls unoccupied

(including the three (3) stalls reserved for persons with disabilities).

During the AM Peak drop off time, five (5) non – staff vehicles were observed to use the small

parking lot for drop off purposes, while approximately twenty one (21) non-staff vehicles entered

and exited the main parking lot.

During the PM Peak pick up time, five (5) non – staff vehicles were observed to use the small

parking lot for pick up purposes, while approximately twenty eight (28) non-staff vehicles entered

and exited the main parking lot.

Approximately 32 bikes were parked in the bicycle parking area located in front of the school. It

appears that a total of 46 (or more) bicycles can be accommodated.

MEMO – Feasibility Study for Town of Sidney Community Safety Building 22 bunt & associates | Project No. 4994.01 | September 8 2014

ExistingParking,PickupandDropoffRequirements

With the current enrollment of approximately 351 students, the school requires:

26 on-site staff parking stalls (plus 2 stalls for persons with disabilities and a loading stall)

A student drop-off area(s) that during the AM Peak Period can accommodate up to a total of 83

vehicles within a 15 minute window. Currently during this time period, 26 drivers use the parking

lot areas, 44 drivers use the drop off area along the school frontage on Henry Avenue and 13

drivers park on Seventh Street.

A student pick up area(s) that during the PM Peak Period can accommodate up to a total of 70

vehicles within a 15 minute window. Currently during this time period 32 drivers use the parking

areas, 28 drivers use the pickup area along the school frontage on Henry Avenue and 10 drivers

park on Seventh Street.

FutureParking,PickupandDropoffRequirements

Based on a 400 student capacity with approximately 30-40 staff, the school is anticipated to

require:

Sufficient parking on-site and limited on-street parking to be made available to accommodate

approximately 41 vehicles for drop off & pick up. As discussed earlier the current parking

configuration on Henry Avenue is not recommended. With parallel parking implemented at this

location, it is estimated at approximately 18 parallel parking stalls could be provided at this

location; however another 23 vehicles will still need to be accommodated for short term parking.

It is noted that during site observations, ample on-street parking was available on the surrounding

streets.

The visitor parking stalls that are currently available within the main staff parking area could be

removed to accommodate additional school staff. The congestion and traffic issues currently

experienced in the parking areas would be significantly reduced and vehicles would only enter in

the AM and exit in the PM, and therefore no or very limited two-way traffic flow would occur at

driveways. The small staff parking lot to the south could be reduced in size and designated as a

reserved loading area only, or expanded to include a new pick up & drop off area.

DesignParametersforCommunitySafetyBuilding

Any new plantings on curb extensions along the frontage of the proposed new Community Safety

Building site should be kept low so as not to compromise the sight distance requirements.

Planting trees along the site frontage should be evaluated to ensure that the needs of the Town to

develop a project with high quality urban design and an attractive streetscape is balanced with

the safety of vehicles leaving the site. High canopy trees could be considered providing they do

not have a significant trunk width.

With the preferred design concept, approximately 19 on-street parking stalls on the west side of

Seventh Street will be lost. No parking should be permitted along the site frontage.

MEMO – Feasibility Study for Town of Sidney Community Safety Building 23 bunt & associates | Project No. 4994.01 | September 8 2014

The driveway directly to the south of the site (9882 Seventh Street) which will require let downs or

a roll over style curb (within the curb extension) to provide access/egress for the homeowner for

all options.

With the preferred design concept, there is some concern about the driveway located at 9882

Seventh Street, directly to the south. If a long and/or tall vehicle such as a moving truck or truck

and camper were to park there, the visibility for the ambulance drivers will be limited. At this

time, it is uncertain how this could be addressed, other than restricting these vehicles types on

this particular driveway.

10. RECOMMENDATIONS Narrow the travelled roadway widths to slow traffic. Narrower travel lanes, curb extensions,

landscaped medians, bike lanes, landscaped boulevards, on-street parking and wider sidewalks

would safely accommodate all modes of transportation. Alternately, multi-use pathways (or

sidewalks and cycling lanes), could be accommodated within the road right-of-ways along the

adjacent streets near the school. The provision of these facilities could encourage the use of

alternate modes of transportation other than the automobile and in turn reduce the amount of

vehicle traffic around the school as well as the demand for pick up & drop off parking. This would

also significantly improve the neighbourhood by making it more pedestrian and bicycle friendly.

Implement the Active & Safe Routes to School ‘best practices’ to further enhance the quality of

the street, reduce traffic, create a safer environment and thus encourage more students to walk

and bike to school.

Replace the existing bike storage from the current concrete block style with slots for the bicycle

wheel. The existing bike storage can cause damage to wheels, lack in stability for bicycles and

provide poor locking points. Cluster style racks including the ‘U’ rack and the ‘Ring and Post’ rack

are preferred.

Provide shelter for bicycles to protect them from inclement weather. A sheltered facility for staff

bicycles could also be provided within the staff parking lot. For example, remove two staff

parking stalls and provide a sheltered bike storage facility.

In the detailed design phase an extended speed survey could be conducted which includes the

Average Weekday AM and PM Peak Hour Periods, rather than school peak hours to determine the

extent of speeding which may occur on the School’s adjacent streets.

Further study (and warrants as required) to determine appropriate pedestrian crossing control

devices and treatments can be undertaken at locations where the safety of pedestrians has shown

to be an issue. Since the peak hour of traffic may not coincide with the peak hour for pedestrians,

it may be necessary to survey for several hours to ascertain which hour would constitute the one

hour assessment period.

Provide parallel parking along the school’s site frontage on Henry Avenue for the purpose of pick

up and drop off at this location. Time restrictions could be implemented, for instance 5 minute

maximum during school hours, so that the availability of these stalls is increased and vehicles

would not be able to park all day at this location. Further study will be required to determine the

MEMO – Feasibility Study for Town of Sidney Community Safety Building 24 bunt & associates | Project No. 4994.01 | September 8 2014

extent of the impact of time restricted on-street parking and / or the best location for additional

parking on-site.

If the School’s larger main parking lot is to remain accessible to parents for the purpose of pick-

up & drop-off, consideration should be given to one way traffic flow through the parking lot. For

instance, enter only from Henry Avenue and exit only to Seventh Street.

If the smaller staff parking lot is to be considered for expansion for pick up & drop off activity in

the future, the adjacent play area and playing field may be impacted. Careful consideration

should be given to the design which should have one-way traffic flow.

A yield sign has been installed as a traffic control device on Chicory Place. It is suggested that

this sign be replaced with a stop sign.

Planting trees along the site frontage should be carefully evaluated to ensure that sight distance

requirements are not compromised. High canopy trees could be considered providing they do not

have a significant trunk width.

With the preferred design concept, the visibility for the ambulance drivers will be limited and

consideration should be given to restricting long and/or tall vehicles such as a moving truck or

truck and camper in the driveway located directly to the south located at 9882 Seventh Street.

Due to the loss of several on-street parking spaces along Seventh St to accommodate the

proposed new Community Safety Building, further study regarding the utilization of on-street

parking (on Henry Avenue, Seventh Street and other minor local roads) should be considered to

ensure there will be sufficient on-street parking availability for the purpose of drop off and pick up

for the school if the on-site school parking supply is not to be increased.

Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

Town of Sidney

F:\14458 Sidney Fire Hall Feasibility Study\Sidney Community Safety Bldg Feasibility Study_Requested Revisions 150122.Doc 27

Appendix E – Fire Insurance Grade Update Report

Community Safety Building Feasibility Study

Town of Sidney

F:\14458 Sidney Fire Hall Feasibility Study\Sidney Community Safety Bldg Feasibility Study_Requested Revisions 150122.Doc 28