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.

 

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

 

5. Others (HR, Strategic, Affected Units)                                   6. Attachment(s)

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