
Report to: Development
Services Committee Report
Date: March 24,
2009
SUBJECT: Milne
Dam Conservation Area – Multi-use Pathway Review
Work
Group Terms of Reference
PREPARED BY: Alan
Brown, Director of Engineering
Lorenzo Mele, TDM
Coordinator
RECOMMENDATION:
1)
That the staff report entitled ‘Milne Dam Conservation
Area – Multi-use Pathway Review - Work Group Terms of Reference’, dated March
24, 2009, be received;
2)
And that the terms of reference and schedule for the
working group to evaluate options for the development of a multi-use pathway in
the Milne Dam Conservation area as outlined in this report, be endorsed;
3)
And that the composition of the working group as
outlined in this report, be endorsed;
4)
And that
Council appoint Members of Council to participate on the working group;
5)
And that if necessary the purchase orders for the
design consultants (Chisholm, Fleming and Wardrop) be increased for additional
work related to the working group and be funded from Engineering Capital
Account 83-5350-8114-005;
6)
And that staff report back on June 16, 2009 with the Working Groups
recommended alignment;
7)
And that staff be authorized and directed to do all
things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
PURPOSE:
This report provides
Council with the background of the Milne Dam Conservation Area multi-use
pathway project, and requests approval for the terms of reference and
composition of a ‘Working Group’ that will reexamine the options in the McCowan
Road to Main Street Markham area for a multi-use pathway system linking Unionville and the Rouge
Park.
BACKGROUND:
Project Need
The need for a
multi-use pathway in the subject area to create an active transportation
network along the Rouge River from 16th Ave./Kennedy Road to the Rouge Park
that will provide Unionville, Markham and Milliken residents with an off road
cycling and pedestrian pathway through an ‘Open Space Greenway’ was confirmed
by a number of studies and surveys.
The chronology of studies and
surveys that support the development of a multi-use pathway network in this
area:
• 1991 Milne Park Master Plan
Multi-use pathway and water course
crossings identified.
• 2002 Markham Transportation Plan Study
Evaluate opportunities for
Town-wide Bicycle Network Implementation.
• 2005 Parks, Recreation, Culture & Library Master Plan
“Residents identified as a top
priority a desire for linked trails, pathways, and bike paths that would
connect their neighbourhoods to key focal points and community destinations.”
• 2008 ‘Click with Markham’
“Safe facilities and inviting
atmosphere are needed for people to feel welcome to walk and cycle.”
• 2008 Building Markham’s Future Together
“We make many car trips to our
libraries and community centres. If we have facilities with-in walking distance
or biking trails leading to them, car trips can be reduced.”
• 2008/2009 Transportation
Studies
-Markham, Metrolinx and York
Region studies and policies related to provision of active and recreational
bicycle lanes and trail systems
·
2008/2009
The Cycling & Pathways and Trail Master Plan
Extensive
public and stakeholder consultations were carried out in 2006 and 2007. Over
500 residents and stakeholders provided comments, recommendations and strong
support concerning the establishment of cycling and pedestrian facilities
across the Town.
Province of Ontario - Municipal Infrastructure Investment
Initiative (MIII)
In 2008, Markham
prepared a funding request submission for the Province of Ontario Municipal
Infrastructure Investment Initiative (MIII). As part of the Ontario government’s strategic commitment
to support municipal infrastructure priorities, the Town of Markham received in 2008 a one-time
grant of $4,500,000 to be used for the development of the Markham Cycling and
Pathway System. These funds were
specific for multi-use trails on Major Mackenzie Drive, Donald Cousens Parkway and within the Milne Park.
Pathway Planning and Development
To advance the
development of the multi-use pathway in the Milne Dam Conservation Area (MDCA)
the Town retained the consulting firm Chisholm Fleming and Associates (CFA) to;
- Confirm the multi-use pathway alignment,
- Develop a detailed design of the pathway
for construction purposes,
- Obtain the necessary approvals from
regulatory agencies on behalf of the Town and,
- Oversee the construction of the pathway.
As a first step
to investigating an appropriate alignment for the pathway, on May 14, 2008 the Town invited the Toronto
and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) along with the Ward Councilor, members
of the Town Engineering and Planning
Departments, and Parks Operations staff to
carry out a site visit of the MDCA.
Following this site visit and orientation meeting CFA consultants and staff
began their work in assessing and surveying the pathway alignment including an
inventory of trees and associated habitat that might be impacted by the pathway
construction.
Town staff also
contacted the Milne Dam Conservation Association and invited members of this
community group to attend a site visit of the area on Friday June 6, 2008. Subsequent to this site
visit Ward 4 Councillor hosted a community information meeting on June 26, 2008 to introduce the
project proposal to abutting residents. On October 29, 2008 the Ward 4 Councillor hosted another
community consultation session with local residents to request their comment
and feedback on the preliminary pathway alignment including four (4) alignment
options as per Attachment ‘A’ for crossing the Milne Creek area. Based on these
consultations and subsequent discussions with the TRCA, a preferred alignment
to route the pathway away from the environmentally sensitive areas in the park
and abutting residents emerged. This required the crossing of water courses
(Milne Creek outlet and Rouge River)
using bridge structures and is referred to in option 3 in Attachment ‘C’.
On February 19, 2009 a Public
information meeting was held to present the preferred pathway alignment to
interested residents and stakeholders. During the public and community
consultations, and in separate communiqués to staff and Council, residents have
provided the Town with their position (both for and against). Concerns expressed by area residents
(environmental, parking, etc.) were to be addressed through a mitigation plan
to be finalized at the detailed design stage.
Once
engineering staff determined that the preferred pathway alignment would require
water course crossings the Town retained the consulting firm Wardrop Engineering
to;
- Carryout the water course crossing
studies to determine the feasibility of constructing bridges in two
separate locations (Milne Creek outlet and near the dam spillway),
- Provide the Town with a recommendation
on the type of bridge structures that would be appropriate based on the
site context and the available budget and,
- Fulfill the requirements of the Class B
Environmental Assessment for bridges and the associated review and
approval from the TRCA.
The preferred
pathway alignment (Option 3) was adopted by the Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory
Committee (CPAC) on February 12, 2009,
and by the Town’s Development Services Committee on February 24, 2009 with a recommendation to
establish a working group to review the proposed final design of the
preferred alignment and report back to the Development Services Committee.
On March 10, 2009 Town Council considered the
resolution from the February 24, 2009 DSC meeting and requested staff report
back to the March 24, 2009 Development Services Committee meeting with a draft
Terms of Reference (TOR) including the composition of a working group that
would re-examine options for the multi-use pathway in the area.
OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:
“Terms of Reference”
The proposed
mandate of the working group requested by Council is to review and reconsider
options for a multi-use pathway in the McCowan Road
to Main Street Markham
area that will connect the existing trail system at 16th
Avenue/Kennedy Road
to a future system in Rouge Park
with connection points for Unionville, Markham and Milliken residents at
varying locations.
The Draft Terms
of Reference for the work group are outlined in Attachment ‘B’ which staff will
provide an overview on March 24, 2009.
The four
conceptual alignment options as shown in Attachment ‘C’ along with other
options/variations requested by the working group are recommended to be
evaluated by the Working Group.
Draft Meeting
Schedule
The draft meeting schedule for the working
group is as follows:
- Week of April 6 – Introductory meeting to review the
draft terms of reference, become familiar with the principles used to
develop the Markham Pathways and Trails Master plan network, agree on
evaluation criteria and agree on the pathway alignment options to be
evaluated
- Week of April 20 – Site visit to review the alignment
options
- Week of May 4 – Evaluation of the alignment options
and selection of a preferred pathway alignment that will be presented to
Development Services Committee and Council.
- Week of May 11 – Additional meeting if required to
finalize the preferred pathway alignment.
All of Council will be
invited to the site visit or extended an invitation to review the options at a
date of their convenience.
Staff will report
back to Development Services Committee on June 16, 2009 with the working groups recommendation of a
multi-use pathway alignment.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE:
Funding for
this project has been secured from the Province
of Ontario – Municipal
Infrastructure Investment Initiative. It is now likely that any recommended
alignment will not be completed until late 2010. The Town Treasurer will provide a verbal
update as to the implication of this grant if the project is delayed or
substantially revised.
Additional work by both of Markham’s consulting engineers for this project
(Chisholm Fleming, Wardrop) to assist the working group in the evaluation of
the options are unknown at this time.
Increase in their scope of work and Purchase Orders may be required and
will be funded from the Engineering Capital Account 083-5350-8114-005.
ALIGNMENT
WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
Developing
pathway facilities for residents to cycle and walk is vital to supporting a
shift away from increased automobile use, thereby reducing the negative
environmental impacts related to carbon dioxide and other tail-pipe emissions.
Encouraging more residents to use active transportation for commuter and
recreational travel improves individual physical health and providing
facilities for cyclists and pedestrians that are separate from automobile
traffic improves safety. Active transportation facilities also help families;
friends and colleagues enjoy the health and social benefits associated with the
physical activity of cycling and walking.
RECOMMENDED BY:
Alan Brown, C.E.T.
Director of Engineering
|
|
Jim Baird, M.C.I.P.,
R.P.P.
Commissioner of Development
Services
|
ATTACHMENTS:
A – Preliminary Alignments
B – Terms of Reference
C – Pathway Options