Report to: Development Services Committee                                   Report Date: June19, 2007

 

 

SUBJECT:                          Milliken Reservoir & Pumping Station Expansion

                                            Class Environmental Assessment

                                               

PREPARED BY:               Allan Arbuckle, Manager of Infrastructure & Capital Works                     

                                            extension. 3120

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

That the staff report entitled “Milliken Reservoir & Pumping Station Expansion, Class Environmental Assessment” be received,

 

And that the principles of an agreement between the  City of Toronto, the Region of York and Town of Markham regarding the replacement of soccer fields removed as a result of the proposed expansion as set out in this report, be endorsed;

 

And that subject to confirmation from the City of Toronto and York Region that the principles of agreement are acceptable, the Municipal Class Environmental for the Milliken Mills Reservoir and Pumping Station Expansion prepared by the City of Toronto and the Region of York, be endorsed;

 

And that in the event that confirmation of the principles of agreement is not received from the City of Toronto and York Region before the expiration of the review period for the Class EA, staff be authorized to notify the Ministry of the Environment of Markham’s objection to the EA including, if necessary, to request for the Ministry to issue a Part II Order for the project

 

And that the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to enter into Agreements with the City of Toronto and York Region as required with respect to the removal and replacement of the soccer fields including the conveyance of easements, the scheduling of construction and other items relating to the implementation of the project, in a form satisfactory to the CAO, the Town Solicitor and the Commissioner of Fire and Community Services;

 

And that the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to enter into a lease agreement with the City of Toronto for the placement of soccer field and baseball diamonds on Toronto’s Milliken site to the satisfaction of the Chief Administrative Officer, Town Solicitor and Commissioner of Fire and Community Services;

 

And that staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

 

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s endorsement of the proposed agreement with the City of Toronto and York Region for the replacement of soccer fields removed as a part of the proposed expansion of the Milliken Reservoir including cost sharing for the field replacements.

 

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Staff has prepared a cost sharing proposal which would result in there being no net costs to the Town to replace the existing soccer fields lost to construction with upgraded facilities as described in this report.

 

BACKGROUND:

Project Description

The City of Toronto is proposing to expand the Milliken Pumping Station and Reservoir to maintain proper water system pressure and to service future growth in Toronto and York Region. In conjunction with Toronto’s plans to expand the Milliken Reservoir the Region of York is proposing to carry out improvements to the existing pumping station located on the site. The Milliken Reservoir and Pumping Station are located in the easterly section of Milliken Mills Park as shown on Attachment “A”.

 

Environmental Assessment

A Class Environmental Assessment Study for the project was initiated in May 2006.

As the project involves water supply improvements for both the City of Toronto and the Region of York, both the Region and the City are proponents of the Class Environmental Assessment.

 

Impact on Milliken Mills Park Facilities

The land on which the reservoir and pumping station are located is owned by the City of Toronto and leased to the Town of Markham for recreational uses. The lease with the City expired in May 2000 and will require renewal.  There are currently four soccer fields and a portion of one baseball diamond (one full sized irrigated soccer field and a junior soccer field located on top of the existing reservoir and two irrigated full sized soccer fields and a fully lit baseball diamond located at the base of the existing reservoir). Based on the preliminary construction schedule included in the EA document, these soccer fields and baseball diamond will be removed from use for a period of approximately 3 years while construction of the reservoir is underway as per Schedule ‘C’. The draft EA document also identifies four areas of Town owned land around the reservoir site which are required for material storage and construction access.

 

All of Markham’s soccer fields including the Milliken Mills Park fields are fully utilized for league and tournament play throughout the season. The loss of these four fields for a three year period during construction of the reservoir will have a significant short term impact on the community and may potentially have significant long term impacts if the Milliken fields are not recreated to a standard which will permit the park to function as a major multi-field tournament facility. While Markham is proceeding with efforts to secure replacement fields to accommodate regular weekday play during the construction period, it is unlikely that these alternatives will be capable of providing the total number of hours lost by removing the four Milliken fields and will not be adequate to host larger tournaments on a long term basis. Further details regarding the potential impacts resulting from  the loss of these facilities was provided in the January 2007 report to General

Committee prepared by the Community Services Commission  and attached to this report as Attachment ‘C’.

 

The City of Toronto has indicated a willingness to re-create two basic full sized soccer fields (no irrigation or illumination) on top of the expanded reservoir at no cost to the Town. This would however, result in the permanent loss of one full sized and one junior sized field and would significantly reduce the usefulness of Milliken Mills park as  a major multi-field  tournament facility.

 

Staff is of the opinion that the impact of the permanent loss of one full sized field can be offset, to some degree, by extending the hours of the remaining two full sized fields by installing illumination on these fields.  There is also sufficient room on top of the expanded reservoir to create two smaller fields which would accommodate practices or junior games.  The extension of the existing irrigation system to all fields located on top of the reservoir and the installation of perimeter fencing around the fields would improve the quality of the fields and make them more suitable for use by a wider range of age and skill levels.

 

Staff has been negotiating with the City of Toronto and York Region to develop a compensation plan for the permanent loss of the full sized field and have reached a tentative agreement based on the following principles;

·        Toronto will permit the construction of two full sized, natural turf, illuminated and irrigated soccer fields and two natural turf, irrigated, unlit junior soccer fields on top of the reservoir and will fence the perimeter of the top of the reservoir with 1.2 m high chain link fencing. The size and configuration of the fields is subject to confirmation during the detailed design phase of the project.

·        Toronto will be responsible for the cost of reinstating soccer fields on top of the expanded reservoir to a similar quality as the existing fields (estimated cost $350,000).

·        The Town of Markham will be responsible for the cost of all upgrades to the fields including illumination, expansion of the irrigation system and fencing. (estimated cost $530,000).

·        Toronto and/or York Region will compensate Markham for the conveyance of temporary easements required to construct the reservoir and associated pumping station and permanent easements for watermains to be built across Town property based on current market values. Staff is recommending that the proceeds from the conveyance of these easements be applied to offset the Town’s cost for the soccer field upgrades.

 

The City of Toronto has agreed with these principles and has agreed to provide a letter of confirmation. Staff will provide a verbal update on the status of this confirmation on June 19th. A draft of the proposed cost sharing arrangement is included as Attachment “B”.

 

The Class EA document was filed for public review and comment by the City and York Region prior to the resolution of the principles of agreement. Staff has requested that the

public review and comment period be extended from June 11th to June 29th to allow the principles of agreement to be confirmed by Toronto and by Markham Council. Toronto and York Region have verbally agreed to this extension and will confirm this extension to Markham and the Ministry of the Environment.  

 

If the City of Toronto’s confirmation of the principles of agreement is received prior to the public review and comment period, staff are recommending that the EA be endorsed by Markham. If the principles of agreement are not confirmed, staff is recommending that the Ministry of the Environment be advised of Markham’s objection to the project in its current form.

 

Easements from the Town of Markham Required

The draft EA document and Attachment ‘A’ identifies a number of areas of Town owned land around the reservoir site which will be required by the City for watermain construction to the reservoir, material storage and construction access. Staff is recommending that easement rights over these lands be transferred to Toronto and/or York Region at current market values and that all funds received from the transfer of easements in connection with this project be applied to the Town’s share of the soccer field upgrades on the reservoir site as described in this report. 

 

Staff is requesting that the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to sign the necessary transfer of easement documents required to complete these transactions subject to the approval of the CAO and the Town Solicitor.

 

Construction Schedule

The current schedule for construction of the reservoir expansion project as outlined in the EA calls for construction to start in the fall of 2008 and all sports fields to be reopened for use by the summer of 2011.

 

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The Strategic Services and Legal Departments have reviewed and commented on this report.

 

RECOMMENDED BY:  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alan Brown, C.E.T.

Director of Engineering

 

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.

Commissioner of Development Services

 

 

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A             Location Plan

Attachment B             Draft cost sharing agreement

Attachment C             January 2007 Council Report

Attachment D             Toronto May 2007 letter

                                 

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