Report to: General Committee Report Date: May 22, 2007

SUBJECT: 2007 Canadian Open Traffic Management Plan

PREPARED BY: Paul Ingham, General Manager, Operations

RECOMMENDATION:

That authority to enact temporary parking restrictions and road closures, as required to address traffic circulation for the 2007 Bell Canada Open at Angus Glen Golf Club, be granted to the Commissioner of Community and Fire Services or designate.

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Not applicable

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial

5. Others (Environmental, Accessibility, Engage 21st, Affected Units) 6. Attachment(s)

PURPOSE:

To update Council on the progress of the 2007 Canadian Open Traffic Committee and to secure the authority to implement whatever temporary parking restrictions and road closures are required to control traffic circulation for the event.

BACKGROUND:

The Angus Glen Golf Club is located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Major Mackenzie Drive and Kennedy Road and is the host site of the 2007 Canadian Open golf tournament is scheduled to take place from Monday July 23^rd to Sunday July 29^th, 2007.

Parking Demand

This tournament is expected to generate approximately 10,000 vehicles per day for four days, Thursday, July 23^rd to Sunday, July 29^th, 2007. Approximately 10,000 vehicles can be accommodated between the parking areas off Warden Avenue, (which will require the temporary closure of Warden Avenue) and opposite the club on Kennedy Road. Overflow parking, if required, will be to the 3-5,000 vehicle parking lot at the Greek Church on Warden south of 19^th. The Markham Fairgrounds may also be reserved and can accommodate up to 10,000 vehicles. Based on the parking demand generated during the 2002 Open, overflow parking will not be required.

Road Closures

In order to accommodate the anticipated traffic demand to access the parking areas, Warden Avenue will be closed to through traffic between Major MacKenzie Drive and Elgin Mills Roads from Thursday morning to Sunday night. The section of Warden Avenue between Major MacKenzie Drive and the parking lot entrance will be restricted to one way northbound or southbound flow throughout each day to accommodate vehicle access and egress demands from the parking lots off of Warden Avenue.

Town staff has been working with representatives from Angus Glen, the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) and the Region to develop a traffic management plan to deal with the event traffic, commuter traffic, and community security, safety, and mobility.

Angus Glen Golf Club hosted the 2002 Bell Canadian Open as well as both the 2001 Telus Skins Game and the 2001 LPGA Canadian Open. Again, Town staff had worked with the Angus Glen and the Region to develop a traffic management plan to accommodate these events.

The plan had included elaborate directional signage, pay-duty police to control intersections, and staff presence in local neighbourhoods to ensure that event parking was contained to the designated areas and that emergency access could be maintained at all times.

Feedback from the residents was very positive and there were very few parking tickets issued and no requirement to have vehicles towed.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

The Canadian Open is scheduled to begin on Monday July 23^rd and extend through to the following Sunday.

The 2007 Canadian Open will be held on the north course at Angus Glen and will therefore not require the closure of Major MacKenzie Drive during the week of the event, as was the case in 2002. In addition, the north course location will deter patrons from parking in the Angus Glen and Glenbourne Park subdivisions to avoid the cost of daily parking fees. It would appear that Heritage Hill Drive is the only local road under the Town’s jurisdiction that has the potential to be utilized by patrons for event parking.

Should staff determine that on-street parking in the area subdivisions is becoming problematic, immediate steps will be taken to implement temporary on-street parking restrictions and expand the permit parking program to the affected residents.

On Street Parking

· Heritage Hill Drive – The access will be posted with Town staff and signage reading “Road Closed – Local Traffic Only” and “Parking by Permit Only”. Parking enforcement staff will be patrolling tagging and/or towing any vehicle parked without a permit or parked illegally. The Town will provide a special parking permits which can be used by local residents. Residents may also request additional permits if they are entertaining guests.

· A series of notices will be sent to the residents informing them of the finalized plans and how to pick up parking permits.

· Residents will be given additional passes to accommodate any domestic or weekly help that is scheduled for that week.

· Preliminary estimates indicate that staff may be involved with the traffic management for the event and that staff hours will be spent.

Road Closures

· Operations staff will continue to work with the RCGA, Angus Glen and the Region of York to finalize the Warden Avenue road closure requirements for this event.

· Staff are working with the Region of York to identify advance road closure notification sign locations and appropriate detour signage during the event.

· Staff will work with the Region to identify households that will be impacted by the Region’s proposed road closures. Staff will also continue to work with the RCGA and Angus Glen on a solution to provide access and communication plan for these households.

Event Signage – Traffic Management Plan

• Operations staff are working with the RCGA, Angus Glen and the Region of York to develop a comprehensive event signage – traffic management plan. Event signs will be posted on all major thoroughfares (including Highway 404) to direct patrons, volunteers, media, etc. to their appropriate parking areas. Following the day’s events, signs will be laid on the shoulder of the road overnight and re-set the following morning.

• Pay-duty officers will be utilized at the intersection of Major MacKenzie and Warden Ave., Major MacKenzie and Kennedy Road as well as the parking lot access locations on both Warden Avenue and Kennedy Road.

• Operations staff will work with the Manager, Community Centre Operations to assist with parking and traffic control on the Angus Glen Community Centre site.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE: (external link)

Not applicable

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable

ENGAGE 21^ST CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Parking Control

RECOMMENDED

BY: ________________________ ________________________

Peter Loukes Jim Sales

Director, Operations Commissioner, Community

and Fire Services

Q:\Commission Share\Operations and Asset Management\Reports\2007\Operations\2007 Canadian Open Traffic Management Plan.doc