SUNSET POINT PARK

Master Plan Update

THIS INFORMATION KIOSK IS INTENDED TO: PRESENT TWO INITIAL DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR AN UPDATED PARK MASTER PLAN & GATHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMENTING WILL CONTINUE UNTIL STAFF MAKE THEIR FINAL REPORT TO COUNCIL. THE FINAL ACTION ON THE MASTER PLAN MAY INVOLVE A HYBRID OF THESE DESIGNS, AND/OR A SELECTION OF T H ESE E LE ME N T S , A N D /O R O T H E R F E AT U R E S T H AT A R E S U G G E S T E D / EXPLORED AS THE PROJECT CONTINUES.

THE DESIGNS PRESENTED HERE WERE I N F O R M E D B Y S I T E A N A LY S I S & COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC TO DATE. AS WELL AS, CONTEMPORARY PRACTICES FOR PUBLIC PARK DESIGN. THEY ARE NOT FINAL DESIGNS, BUT SHOW HOW VARIOUS COMPONENTS FIT TOGETHER AND WILL BE FURTHER REFINED AFTER THIS EVENT.

N O T E T H AT M A I N T E N A N C E IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE TAKING PLACE ON ST LAWRENCE STREET IN 2013. THESE WILL AT A MINIMUM LIKELY INCLUDE: IMPROVEMENTS TO ROAD SURFACE REDUCED WIDTH IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS THIS WORK IS REQUIRED AND INDEPENDENT OF THE FINAL MASTER PLAN IMPROVEMENTS (ALTHOUGH BEING CONSIDERED IN THE PROCESS)

ENVIRO PARK

STUDY AREA AERIAL PHOTO

CONCESSION

BASKETBALL COURT

ST LAWRENCE STREET

CEDAR GROVE

SUNSET POINT PARK

Master Plan Update
Purpose Statement: Develop a revised plan of Sunset Point Park that defines a design and strategy for the use and updating of the Park that supports community health, well being, and a high quality of life by: Maximizing the effective use of the unique qualities, assets, and uses of the Park; Providing accessibility for citizens and visitors alike; Providing opportunities for varied and complementary uses; Supports park use by people of all ages; and, Builds on the successes of existing uses in the Park. Guiding Principles: The strategy should be informed by existing policy direction; The Project should be based on appreciative inquiry, direct observation, and data as much as practical; Contemporary viewpoints/knowledge should be used to support policy and recommendations; The evolution of the Park should be guided by a clearly articulates strategy that builds upon community assets and strengths; Park users and stakeholders should be engaged in meaningful dialog throughout the Project; Opportunities for a diversity of complementary park uses should be provided; The park areas should be accessible and connected to other parts of the community; Uses should not degrade the natural environment.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

ANALYSIS
Characteristics
Based on the analysis, in the central portion of the park the MAIN features/characteristics that need to be addressed are: St Lawrence Street design Enviro park updating Connections between various parts of the Park Albert St intersection improvements Parking improvements Food concession area improvements Safe walking and biking Accessibility Basic services of restrooms and access to drinking water Effective use of park land for all users

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

DETAILS OF FOUR KEY ELEMENTS TO THIS CONCEPT

CONCEPT ONE

Existing St Lawrence Street Alignment

The principle element of this concept is calming St Lawrence Street & enhanced crossings Improves the function and aesthetics of the concession area with improved seating and access Combining parking areas to make more green space usable & better serve concession Water play area at rear of Enviro Park Parking to meet the demands of water play area directly adjacent Restrooms Sand beach area Improved Enviro Park

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

BENEFITS A calmed St Lawrence str. design will reduce traffic speeds, improve visibility for pedestrians, make crossings safer, & improve the overall quality of the park

CHALLENGES Ensuring that the various walkways crossing the str. are appropriately carried through and connect the different spaces in the park.

FEATURE ONE

Calmed St Lawrence Street with Enhanced Walkway Crossings

This concept maintains the existing alignment of St Lawrence Street but signicantly reduces the width, while maintaining access requirements for emergency vehicles. Parallel parking along the playground (south) side is provided. Pedestrian crossings are made more visible and functional with pavement markings, curb extensions (that reduce crossing distances and time, and improve visibility for pedestrians and drivers). A walkway along the calmed street is provided on the north side, along with a separated bike path. The bike path is designed to eliminate the pedestrian-cyclist conicts in the area of the concession building and gathering area. The bike path diverges from the shared walkway at either end of the study area, and reconnects at the other (future improvements may require full twinning of the shared walkway to create a Park-wide bike path if user numbers increase).

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

BENEFITS Better functioning food services, reduced conflicts between trail & eating areas, better use of park land for parking, appropriate bike parking

CHALLENGES Ensuring that the parking & drop-off support short & long-term need. Creating a safe & functional arrangement for area with bike parking & trail/ walkway connections

FEATURE TWO

Concession Area Improvements and Parking

The concession area is a key activity node within the Park. This will be signicantly enhanced with minor improvements: a new enclosed patio space to the west; an improved open patio space on the water side; building improvements to better separate restroom and food service areas; waiting area outside restroom (east side of building); a series of pedestrian walkway links. Along with these improvements is an enhanced parking area with a lay-by/drop-off area. This parking area replaces the one to the east that has been removed to make better use of park land. A bike parking shelter and information kiosk are provided to meet the needs of people traveling to this active space by bicycle.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

BENEFITS This arrangement takes advantage of the pavilion, cedar trees, & underused space at the south of the Park to provide a water play space and the needed amenities.

CHALLENGES Merging the water play area into the highly successful & important Enviro Park. Creating a good relationship between the restroom, pavilion & surrounding spaces

FEATURE THREE
Water Play Area and Adjacent Parking
This concept takes advantage of the interesting spaces between the cedar trees on the south end of Enviro Park, and reworks them as a water play feature. This provides great opportunities for improved use of the pavilion, increased sense of place, and more effective use of underutilized land in the Park that result from this. The necessary amenities for supporting the water play are the parking lot and restroom. These are well placed in this concept. The parking area will be entered from an improved intersection, and consist of the current driveway area near the pavilion and a small landscaped cul-de-sac. The pavilion and restroom can be designed to dene a highly useful courtyard/receiving area. This space is also linked through a boardwalk to the water side of Enviro Park and a calmed St Lawrence street. One of the enhanced pedestrian crossings lines up directly with this boardwalk and the walkway to the improved food concession building.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

BENEFITS Transforms the area into a family friendly space with direct access to the food concession & shore. This option does not require complex shoreline work as the original master plan suggested.

CHALLENGES The timing of this is dependent upon the completion of the combined parking facility to the west.

FEATURE FOUR
Sand Beach Area
The original master plan for the Park, as well as, much of the feedback received from the public indicates that there is a desire for a sandy beach area near the water. This is a simplied version of this component from what was shown in the previous master plan. This does not require protection from wave action or complex shoreline work, and the relationship to the food concession is also a positive addition to the function of the Park. By moving the parking lot to the west, cars are put into a very underutilized area of the Park. Also, realigning the shared use path to the south and providing a twinned bikeway/walkway arrangement reduces the signicant conicts between cyclists and pedestrians in this busy area of the park. These changes thereby free up this space for a more effective people friendly waterfront use, improve safety, and make better use of park areas.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

DETAILS OF FOUR KEY ELEMENTS TO THIS CONCEPT

CONCEPT TWO

New Street Alignment Around Enviro Park

Principle element of this concept is realignment of St Lawrence Street (along existing maintenance road) Joins the parts of the park previously separated by the roadway Improves the function & aesthetics of the concession area with improved seating and access Water play area as central feature Sand beach area Restrooms More useable park green space Improved Enviro Park

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

BENEFITS Shifting the road alignment brings the two sides of the Park together. It also moves the road & some parking closer to the Parkway & out of the prime waterfront park land.

CHALLENGES For this Concept, the road realignment work must be done prior to many of the other improvements such as the water play and boardwalk.

FEATURE ONE

New Street Alignment Around Enviro Park & Parking

By shifting St Lawrence Street to the south, the central portion of the park is merged into a cohesive area. This allows for a better relationship between park areas that were previously separated by the roadway. The need for park users to repeatedly cross the street is essentially removed from this arrangement. The land that was previously used for the roadway would then allow the water play area and boardwalk to be built. An entrance from the frontage along the Parkway could be included in this arrangement; however, it is not necessarily required.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

BENEFITS Connections & the function of the concession area are improved through the walkways, parking design, & boardwalk.

CHALLENGES Some of the improvements will be dependent upon the timing of the road realignment.

FEATURE TWO

Concession Area Enhancements & New Walkway

With this design the concession area is really accentuated as a place, as opposed to just a building. The boardwalk and walkways help dene areas for a variety of uses, without creating a sense of separation. The water play, pic nic, and beach areas are all contained by a ribbon of accessible walkways. The boardwalk becomes a unifying feature within the park and helps reinforce the sense of place. The way the areas around the concession building, the walkways, bikeways, and parking converge, this space becomes a better functioning activity node and acts as a gateway for people entering this part of the Park.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

BENEFITS The water play is located in the newly formed central area. Its adjacency to Enviro P a r k , p i c n i c a re a , beach & restrooms is very functional & enhances this activity node for families.

CHALLENGES This arrangement is dependent upon moving the roadway.

FEATURE THREE

Water Play Area & Adjacent Family Gathering Area

The water play in this Concept will likely become the central activity driver for this area of the Park. Having the water play, concession, pic nic area, beach area, Enviro Park, all contiguous with each other really helps this dene this area as a family space. The visual prominence of the water play, makes it a signicant feature within the park, as opposed to the more subtle arrangement of Concept 1. This arrangement of uses allows for families and children to participate in a diversity of activities without having to move a great distance within the Park.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

BENEFITS Transforms the area into a family friendly space & provides better location for volleyball. This option does not require complex shoreline work as the original master plan suggested.

CHALLENGES The timing of this is dependent upon the completion of the combined parking facility to the west and roadwork.

FEATURE FOUR
Sand Beach Area
The original master plan for the Park, as well as, much of the feedback received from the public indicates that there is a desire for a sandy beach area near the water. This is a simplied version of this component from what was shown in the previous master plan. This does not require protection from wave action or complex shoreline work, and the relationship to the food concession is also a positive addition to the function of the Park. By moving the parking lot to the west, cars are put into a very underutilized area of the Park. Also, realigning the shared use path to the south, moving the roadway and providing a bikeway along the road reduces the signicant conicts between cyclists and pedestrians in this busy area of the park. These changes thereby free up this space for a more effective people friendly waterfront use, improve safety, and make better use of park areas.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION

BIKE RACKS

ACCESSIBLE TABLES AND WALKWAYS

SAFER ARRANGEMENT FOR WALKING & BIKING

CALMED STREET

IMPROVED BUS STOP

UPDATED PLAYGROUND

RESTROOM IMPROVED PICNIC AREAS

DETAILS

Elements Associated with Park Concepts

Above are nine of the many elements/details that are integrated into both park concepts. Although the arrangements are different for each, these features are considered basic necessities for an updated Park Master Plan. By adding these improvements the park will become more functional, accessible, and supporting of community well being. Each of these items would be expected in a new park and have come up repeatedly throughout the stakeholder and community engagement phase of the project.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture

There is no wheel chair accessibility to get down to the water

Very tired. St Lawrence str needs redoing at the east end

A splash pad, a splash pad, and a splash pad

Lack of BBQ's also the picnic tables need work

Bike parking for bikes with child carriers Envrio Park could use some updating/facelift Sandy beach

Wider paths to accommodate both those on foot and on bikes

COMMENTS
Public and Stakeholder Input
Input from the public and stakeholders has been sought and received for this project in a number of ways to-date, including: meetings; design workshop exercises; image preference workbooks; letters from citizens and neighbourhood group; blog site; online survey; and, discussions. Above are a selection of viewpoints that are typical of those put forward by members of the public.

As the project continues the public is encouraged to provide additional ideas, comments, and questions; which will all be used to inform & refine the concepts that will be presented to Town Council.

Town of Collingwood, Parks Recreation and Culture