Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan - Executive Summary

Kempenfelt Bay stretches out like a long arm from the cool waters of Lake Simcoe, at the gateway to Southern Ontario’s premier cottage country. In it’s grasp lies the City of Barrie, wrapped around the shoreline, linked to the Bay by ribbons of creeks that meander down from upper watersheds of the City. The steep banks along much of Kempenfelt Bay define a shoreline that is cherished by all residents of Barrie. Existing waterfront parks and trails are a highly coveted open space system for joggers and cyclists, a resting place for peaceful reflection, a launching point for anglers, scuba divers and boaters of all kinds, a playground for curious and energetic children and generally, a destination shared by Barrie’s residents, reflecting the City’s rich natural and cultural history, anchoring the present and enriching the future.

Just inland from the water’s edge, the old rail corridor wraps its way along the perimeter of the shoreline, revealing the transformation that has taken place at the comfortable interface between the Bay and the City. Along the North Shore, the former rail corridor links together older neighbourhoods and a network of parks, while offering up pleasing vistas of the Bay from atop steep banks. As it approaches the downtown, the rail corridor dissipates, allowing the historic streets of Barrie to connect the Downtown with an unobstructed waterfront that is increasingly becoming reconnected with the City. In place of the former rail corridor is a waterfront made vibrant by a diversity of urban gathering places, parks and playgrounds for the young, old and those in-between. Where the rail corridor once created a desolate

barrier between the City and its waterfront, it will soon breathe new life into the area surrounding the historic Allandale Station. Allandale will evolve as an urban waterfront community and extension of the City’s Downtown core, connected by Bradford Street and centred on the redevelopment of the historic rail station that represents the City’s past and future. Travelling further south, the rail corridor meanders away from the water’s edge, a trajectory that has spared the South Shore from industrial advances over the course of Barrie’s history. Recently constructed neighbourhoods now fill this once untouched part of the waterfront, with protected creek corridors and pockets of sandy beaches and green park space sprinkled throughout. These public gems will become more accessible and improved, to invite new residents in South Barrie to discover the Bay and shoreline as a centrepiece of the City.

Even as the waterfront’s diverse collection of parks, squares, trails and neighbourhoods is revitalized for 21st century living, the City’s historical foundations as an industrious maritime town with significant links to Canadian military history will remain ever-present. Drawing on entrepreneurial endeavours of the past, from ice harvesting, automobile manufacturing, tanning industries, and the military contributions of Barrie’s residents, a unique and identifiable image of the City is created. Barrie’s evolution to a more urban centre, with contemporary industries and cultural enterprises will be guided by its past successes, and a celebration of the City’s cherished heritage resources.

Overview

1Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan - Introduction

Barrie’s waterfront includes approximately 10 km of shoreline along Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe, with connections to a number of diverse neighbourhoods along the North Shore, Central Waterfront and South Shore. The composition of large and small parks, marinas, naturalized beaches, urban squares, woodlots, walking and cycling trails and scenic lookouts make the waterfront one of the City’s greatest assets, to be celebrated, protected and continually enriched as a centrepiece that evolves as Barrie grows into the 21st Century.

As part of its ongoing evolution, Barrie’s waterfront has benefited from a number of significant improvements since the original Master Plan was adopted over a decade ago. Guided by the vision and recommendations outlined in the 2000 Waterfront Master Plan, the shoreline of Kempenfelt Bay has been enhanced with new trails, park facilities and naturalization projects that have provided a more rich experience for the residents of Barrie and the thousands of visitors that are drawn to the waterfront every year.

The waterfront will continue to grow and evolve along with the rest of the City over the next twenty years. Growth is envisioned to be transformative, leading to a more urban, walkable, attractive and successful Barrie that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. Not only will Barrie’s waterfront, downtown, and intensification areas become home to over 30,000 new residents and jobs over the next twenty years but it will also become an oasis for thousands of new residents that will settle across the City in both intensification areas and the greenfields of South Barrie. The increased demand for the use of Barrie’s waterfront will be a source of it’s vitality, further securing it as one of the City’s most treasured assets.

PurposeThis Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan sets forth a path that builds upon the tremendous investments already made, and identifies key elements that will need to be put into place to ensure the waterfront’s continued success. The main objectives are to increase the capacity of the waterfront as a destination, meeting place and recreational resource, integrating the waterfront with the downtown where people live, work and play. The primary mandate of the waterfront will be to provide opportunities for:

• passive, family-based activities, with walkways, lookouts, picnic areas, small commercial kiosks, band shells and other Avenues for local street performers

• commercial and tourism-focused activities, including large special events and festivals, boat charters, restaurants and entertainment venues; and,

• community-based programs that serve local needs and desires.

This Strategic Plan documents the progress that has been made towards implementing the recommendations of the original Master Plan, and ensures that the new Plan remains effective and consistent with the City’s priorities, development plans, and policies. Recent directions are outlined in the City’s new Official Plan (2010), which reflects Provincial planning policies embodied in the Provincial Policy Statement (2005) and Places to Grow (2006), as well as Barrie’s Strategic Plan, Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2009), Recreation Master Plan (2010), the Plan for Culture (2006), as well as area-specific plans along the waterfront such as the Downtown Commercial Master Plan (2006) and the Allandale Revitalization Plan (2006). Alongside these documents, the Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan will support the continued success of the waterfront as the City grows and evolves over the next twenty years.

Ch.1

Ch.2

Ch.5

study process + context

vision + principles

what we heard, existing trails, parks, natural features, and land use framework

a framework for success

Report Structure

economic development and administration

Ch.3

Ch.4

the big ideas a hierarchy of activity centres, a connected mobility network, and placemaking and safety features

components of the planalong the north shore, central waterfront and around to the south shore

1 Introduction

Ch.6 implementation strategy

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2 Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan - Introduction

and signalized crossings. The streets, parking lots, trails and parks must be accessible to all people, including those with disabilities, to ensure the waterfront is an inclusive place where everyone has the opportunity to participate in activities and enjoy Kempenfelt Bay’s natural beauty.

To protect people’s enjoyment of the waterfront there needs to be enhanced maintenance and more amenities. Priorities include landscaping and maintenance of vegetation along the North Shore Trail to preserve views of the waterfront, and addressing challenges associated with vandalism, goose droppings, and waste receptacle management throughout the waterfront, particularly within the Central portion. There is also a desire for more shade, seating, washrooms, splash pads, play grounds, barbecue pits, green space, trees, and landscaping.

The City of Barrie Marina is in need of updating to better serve its seasonal and transient users. The proposed improvements are welcome and reflect the levels of service and commercial amenities available at other marinas in the area.

New commercial vendors will contribute to the vitality of the waterfront and local economic development. Among many people, there is a desire for more restaurants, patios, cafes, and small convenience-related vendors and sports equipment rental facilities on the waterfront.

There is a need to balance opportunities for economic development and tourism with keeping the waterfront accessible and enjoyable for residents of Barrie, and a need to protect opportunities to enjoy the simple beauty and tranquility people currently enjoy at the water’s edge.

Waterfront planning must be fiscally responsible and reflect the City’s ability to pay for improvements and ongoing maintenance.

Process & Consultation

The Consultation ProcessThe people of Barrie are intimately knowledgeable of their waterfront. They are passionate about the waterfront’s evolution, and are anxious to ensure its ongoing success. To engage local residents, businesses and staff in developing the Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan and ensure the final product balances local knowledge and priorities, the consultation process included:

• interviews with stakeholders and staff;

• two public information centres; and,

• two surveys (one each for marina users and the general public).

Throughout the course of the project, all consultation materials (i.e. presentation materials, comment forms, the public survey, and interim reports and memos) were posted on the City of Barrie’s website to encourage greater public engagement.

Public Information SessionsDuring the public information centres held on June 26 and November 7, 2012, the public was given the opportunity to review the project’s team work in progress and provide direction and feedback. In addition to documenting conversations with members of the public during the information centres, the project team also reviewed written comments that were submitted by individuals and groups, including responses to comment forms that were distributed at the information centres.

The SurveysAn online survey of the general public was launched in the summer of 2012 to collect information on what residents like best about their waterfront, and what they see as the greatest challenges and opportunities. A Customer Satisfaction Survey was also used to gather information from marina users on their experience using the marina and its facilities, what upgrades they’d like to see, and their spill-over activities on Barrie’s waterfront and into the Downtown.

Key Messages The messages and input provided by the public, stakeholders and staff have been diverse, reflecting the multiple functions the waterfront serves and the amenities it provides for the people of Barrie. As with any place that means a lot to the people who enjoy it, there were divergent views about how and if the waterfront should change over the coming decades. Common themes that have informed the Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan include:

Barrie’s waterfront is the City’s greatest asset. It is a defining feature that contributes to the desirability and success of Barrie as an attractive place to live.

The recreational function and family-friendly character of the waterfront is particularly cherished. While the waterfront is enjoyed for a diversity of purposes, it is first and foremost a public place of enjoyment for the people of Barrie.

The waterfront is a place to learn about nature and the City’s history. Preserving and enhancing natural and cultural heritage features contributes to the waterfront’s sense of place and offers important educational opportunities.

The waterfront attracts high levels of activity that need to be accommodated in a balanced way. Core activities that define the waterfront include watersports like canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving, swimming and boating; other sports and activities like cycling, beach volleyball; walking, picnicking and playground activities; and numerous festivals. The high levels of activity contribute to the vitality of the waterfront, but can also generate conflicts, for example between motorized and non-motorized watersports; nuisances like noise; and congestion within parks, the marina, in parking lots and on city streets. Minimizing and mitigating these unwanted impacts is a priority.

Safety and accessibility are important and must be key design considerations. Strategies for improving personal safety and security should include Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and increased foot patrols by the police. The thoughtful separation of bicyclists and pedestrians in the busiest sections of the waterfront trail system is also needed, as are street and parking lot designs that put pedestrians first, for example by providing protected crosswalks

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3Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan - Introduction

City neighbourhoods.

• New naturalization and restoration projects along the waterfront are enhancing the quality of the shoreline while providing visitors with educational experiences through exposure to native wildlife, plants and natural hydrological functions.

• Contemporary stormwater management practices are being implemented to protect water quality and aquatic habitats along the waterfront. A stormwater management program has been implemented within the watersheds of Kidd’s Creek, Bunker’s Creek, Dyment’s Creek, and Hotchkiss Creek, and more generally, the City adopted “Storm Drainage and Stormwater Management Policies and Guidelines” in 2009, as well as six principles of sustainable development (including the mandatory inclusion of Low Impact Development (LID) Practices for Stormwater and Land Development) in February 2012.

Land Use & Built Form

City Directions for the Waterfront• A number of the City’s planning documents clearly identify the waterfront as

one of the City’s key assets and attractions. Throughout these documents, the need to strengthen the connection between downtown and the waterfront is highlighted as an important goal, along with enhancing the design quality and sense of place of these two central features of the City. These sentiments are expressed in the City’s Official Plan, the 2010-14 Strategic Plan, the Downtown Commercial Master Plan, and the Next Wave Revitalization Plan. In particular, Goal 4 of the City’s current Strategic Plan is “Create a Vibrant & Healthy City Centre” by implementing strategies that:

• Improveintegrationbetweenthedowntownandthewaterfront

• Activelypromotethedowntownandwaterfronttoresidentsandvisitors

• Encourageamixoflandusesinthedowntown

• Enhancesafetyinthedowntown

Planning Framework• The existing land use framework for the waterfront is defined in the City of

Barrie Official Plan (Office Consolidation March 2011, approved by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, but under appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board) and Zoning By-Law 2009-141.

• The local land use framework reflects Provincial planning directives outlined in the Provincial Policy Statement (2005) and Places to Grow: The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2006). The overarching objective of these policies is to build strong, livable and healthy communities by balancing growth between greenfields and intensification areas in urban areas, in a way that supports public transit.

City of Barrie Documents

• Waterfront Master Plan (2000)

• City of Barrie Official Plan (2011)

• City of Barrie Zoning By-law 2009-141

• Growth Management Strategy: Residential Intensification Assessment Phase 2 (2011)

• Intensification Study (2009)

• Barrie Intensification Area Urban Design Guidelines (2011)

• City of Barrie Strategic Plan 2010-2014

• Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2010)

• Mayor’s Plan for Transit (2011)

• Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan (2009)

• A Plan for Culture (2006)

• Downtown Commercial Master Plan (2006)

• The Next Wave Revitalization Plan (2004)

• Allandale Community Improvement Plan (CIP), Background Report (March 2006) and Revitalization Plan (September 2006)

• City of Barrie Marina Study (2010)

Existing ConditionsThe following provides an overview of existing conditions for trails, parks, the natural system, land use and built form, and waterfront administration along the waterfront. This information is based on detailed site visits, a photographic inventory, correspondence with key stakeholders and a review of background documents. Existing and planned conditions are further described in Chapter 4: Components of the Plan.

Trails• The existing trail network provides access to the water’s edge and important linkages

for pedestrians and cyclists through much of the North Shore and Central Waterfront, but lacks connectivity to the South Shore.

• The trail network includes a variety of paved paths, gravel paths, on-street signed bicycle routes, mulch and dirt paths, depending on the location and intended use of the path.

• The trails are heavily used and regarded as an important recreational amenity for residents. Ongoing upgrades have improved the quality of trails in key areas and provided separation between pedestrians and cyclists. Further separation will be achieved with the realignment of Lakeshore Drive and the implementation of a parallel cycle track.

Parks• A diverse network of parks is provided in all areas of the waterfront, from the North

Shore, to Central Waterfront and South Shore, and serves as an attractive amenity for residents and visitors. The numerous parks vary in terms of their size, quality of facilities, access to the water’s edge and connectivity to neighbourhoods located adjacent to the waterfront within the City.

• Parks along the Central Waterfront are heavily used by local residents and visitors and serve as venues for major events. Parks located along the North and South Shores tend to be smaller scale and are primarily used by local residents for passive recreation and picnicking.

• Across the waterfront, water-based sports and recreation draw people to the parks system as a launch point for numerous water-based activities, including swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, boating, windsurfing and scuba diving.

Natural System• Kempenfelt Bay connects the City of Barrie with Lake Simcoe, one of the largest

lakes in Ontario.

• A number of creeks flow through the City towards the Bay, many of them converging in the Central Waterfront and along the South Shore. While many of the watercourses are currently chanellized, opportunities for “daylighting” are being pursued by the City. Daylighting involves opening up an underground culvert of a creek back above ground and restoring the corridor with naturalized plantings. These daylighting projects provide opportunities for naturalized linkages between the waterfront and

• Centennial Park Plan (2011)

• Barrie Waterfront Parking Study (2005)

• North Shore Trail Master Plan (2002)

• Gables Park Master Plan (2002/2008)

• Tyndale Park Master Plan (2005)

• Dock Road Park Plan (2012)

Other Documents

• Places to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horsehoe (2006)

• Provincial Policy Statment (2005)

• Transit Supportive Guidelines, Ministry of Transportation (2012)

• Mobility Hub Guidelines, Metrolinx (2011)

• Miscellaneous municipal correspondence, Council minutes, Barrie Examiner news articles, and waterfront case studies and best practice research

Background ReviewThe consultant team conducted an extensive background review to establish what has been done to date, what various directions exist for the future, and what are the best practices and innovative opportunities for optimizing the value and function of Barrie’s waterfront. A summary of this background work is included as an attachment to this Plan.

4 Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan - Introduction

• It is anticipated that the City of Barrie will grow substantially, by 70,000+ new residents, over the next twenty years. The bulk of this growth will be accommodated on new greenfield lands in south Barrie, and in the intensification nodes and corridors that encompass the downtown Urban Growth Centre, including the downtown and adjacent Central Waterfront.

Existing Built Form• The urban areas adjacent to the City’s waterfront are primarily low-density residential,

with some higher-density housing located closer to the downtown, which itself is characterized by commercial uses, heritage buildings and public spaces. A section of the Allandale neighbourhood includes the new Allandale Waterfront GO Station. Underutilized and vacant land parcels are located throughout the waterfront and its adjacent neighbourhoods.

Existing Land Use Designations• Consistent with Places to Grow, the Barrie Official Plan identifies Downtown Barrie

as an Urban Growth Centre (UGC) where new growth will be targeted. The area is intended to intensify with a mixture of uses, as are a number of intensification corridors leading out of the core. As a designated UGC, Downtown Barrie is required to reach a minimum density of 150 people and jobs per hectare by 2031. Within the UGC, lands with the greatest development potential include vacant and underutilized sites adjacent or near to the waterfront, which are expected to accommodate just over 1,500 new residential units.

• Building on the UGC designation, Schedule A of the Official Plan identifies Barrie’s downtown and Allandale as part of the “City Centre”. The vast majority of the north and south shores are considered stable and not intended to redevelop. These areas are designated “Residential”, with a scattering of “Commerical” and “Institutional“ uses. The waterfront lands throughout the North Shore and Central Waterfront are designated Open Space, as are several parks along the South Shore. Notably, there has been mounting pressure on the City to permit business uses within the Open Space designation, and there is an appetite for addressing how these uses may be permitted.

• The Zoning for the Central Waterfront largely reflects the Official Plan land use designations, with a concentration of higher density commercial-mixed uses in the downtown and Allandale, including lower density residential uses along the North and South Shores.

Waterfront Administration• Currently, numerous City departments have overlapping responsibilities and interests

related to the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of parks, facilities, and infrastructure along the Waterfront, as well as the coordination of events. These departments include

• Roads, Parks, and Fleet;

• Recreation, Facilities and Transit (RFT);

• Engineering and Park Planning and Development;

• Economic Development;

• Culture;

• Finance; and,

• Planning Services.

• The current approach to waterfront administration can be confusing and cumbersome. For example, Recreation, Facilities and Transit operates the Marina, while Finance provides the financial administration for this facility. Engineering and Park Planning and Development is responsible for constructing roads, underground servicing, parks and other infrastructure, while the maintenance and operation of these elements is handled by the Roads, Parks and Fleet department. Parks Planning is also involved in programming along with Economic Development, Culture and Recreation, Facilities and Transit.

• The overlapping responsibilities and interests among these departments is not inherently a problem - it is very likely a functional necessity. Rather, the lack of a formal arrangement for how these departments should interact, or who should take the lead and ultimately be held accountable, is now being recognized by stakeholders as a real challenge for the future of the waterfront.

• A formal approach to coordinating work across the waterfront is needed because the independent departments working on the waterfront lack the mandate to manage the types of comprehensive planning and physical improvements being proposed through the Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan. Identifying a preferred working structure for a new Waterfront Working Group is one of the objectives of the Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan, which is further addressed in Chapter 5.

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5Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan - Introduction

Environmental Connection

North

On-Street Bicycle Route

Multi-Use Trail

Existing Parks and Natural Areas

Environmental Protection Zone

Study Area Boundary

Figure 1. Existing Trails, Parks and Natural System North

6 Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan - Introduction

Figure 2. Existing Land Uses & Potential Future Development

Intensification Framework

Historic Commercial Zone

Low Density Mixed Commercial

Low Density Business Commercial

Utilities & Rail

Vacant

Open Space

Low Density Residential

High Density Residential

Study Area Boundary

NorthNorth

Kempenfelt Bay

Downtown Barrie Urban Growth Centre

Intensification Corridor

Intensification Node

Study Area Boundary

Legend

Kempenfelt Bay

Downtown Barrie Urban Growth Centre

Intensification Corridor

Intensification Node

Study Area Boundary

Legend

A. Potential University Campus

B. Future High Density Residential](Harmony Village Proposal)

7Barrie Waterfront + Marina Strategic Plan - Introduction

I

I-E

I-M

EP

OS

A

MSU

M1

M2

EM1

EM2

EM3

EM4

EM5

R1

R2

R3

R4

RH

Figure 3. Barrie Official Plan - Schedule A: Land UseExcerpt of waterfront

Residential

Institutional

C1

C2

C3

C4

C5

RA1

RA2

RM1

RM2

RM2 - TH

City Centre

Educational Institutional

General Commercial

Major Institutional

Community Centre Commercial

Open Space

Regional Centre Commercial

Environmental Protection Area

Business Park

Water Treatment Centre

General Industrial

Waste Management Facility

Highway 400 Industrial

Future Urban

Restricted Industrial

Waste Disposal Assessment Area

City Boundary

Application Currently Before the OMB

Figure 4. Barrie Zoning By-Law 2009-141 Map Excerpt of waterfront

Commercial Residential EmploymentInstitutional/Open Space