VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANAYSIS

Transcription

1 TOWNSHIP OF WAINFLEET VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANAYSIS RECREATION MASTER PLAN F. J. GALLOWAY ASSOCIATES INC. GSP GROUP JUNE 2011

2 i T able of C ontents VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION COMMUNITY PROFILE LOCATION DEMOGRAPHICS AND DEVELOPMENT Introduction Population Growth Age Profile Gender Income Ethnicity Settlement Pattern Building Permit History PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES SERVICES DELIVERY MODEL PARKS AND OPEN SPACE INVENTORY Introduction Municipal Parks Conservation Areas Niagara Region Parks Schools Lake Erie Welland River Feeder Canal Trails and Bikeways Other Parks, Open Space and Outdoor Recreation Facilities FACILITY UTILIZATION USER FEES TOWNSHIP PARKS AND RECREATION FINANCIAL ACTIVITY Operating Capital Funding VISITOR PROFILE REGIONAL RECREATION FACILITIES COMMUNITY CONSULTATION INTRODUCTION

3 4.2 FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS Introduction Service Clubs Service Provider Groups Community Recreation Organizations Parks and Recreation Operation Staff Senior Township Staff Members of Council COMMUNITY WORKSHOP COMMUNITY SURVEY CONSULTATION SUMMARY Focus Groups, Interviews and Community Workshop Community Survey TRENDS AND STRATEGIES INTRODUCTION SERVICE ACTIVITY AND DEVELOPMENT TRENDS Aging and Youth Populations Changing Cultural Face of Canada Sports Activities Facility Quality Tourism and Sport Tourism Environmental Areas User Fees and Charges Market Segmentation / Services Differentiation Volunteers and Services Delivery Urban Design and Intensification Community Trails STRATEGIES Collaboration, Partnerships and Joint Ventures Role of the Parks and Recreation / Community Services Departments Capital and Operating Finances Multi-Use Facilities Use of Schools and Their Availability Balancing Rehabilitation with New Development / Adaptive Reuse Capital Facility Maintenance SUMMARY DOCUMENTS REVIEW INTRODUCTION TOWNSHIP OF WAINFLEET OFFICIAL PLAN FIRE SAFETY INSPECTION REPORT WAINFLEET ARENA, MARCH 9, SKATEBOARD PARK

4 6.5 NIAGARA ATV CLUB SUBMISSION TOWNSHIP OF WAINFLEET AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY LEASE TOWNSHIP AND MARSHVILLE HERITAGE SOCIETY LEASE TOWNSHIP ACCESSIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY TOWNSHIP ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES POLICY ON MUNICIPAL LANDS AND WITHIN MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS NIAGARA ASSOCIATION FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION SCHOOL CONCLUSIONS AND STRATEGIC THEMES OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS Location, Demographics and Development Parks, Open Space and Community Trails Recreation Facility Utilization Township Financial Activity Community Consultation Broader Trends STRATEGIC THEMES APPENDIX I Maps 1, 2 and 3 APPENDIX II Regional Policy Plan Amendment and Model Municipal Bicycle Transportation Policies

5 VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN 1 INTRODUCTION The Township of Wainfleet is a growing and unique rural community in the Region of Niagara. It lies in the southern and western reaches of the Niagara Region, on the north shore of Lake Erie, south of the Welland River between the Cities of Port Colborne and Welland on the east and Haldimand on the west. The Township s rural landscape and economy are dominated by agriculture, and are also characterized by important recreational and tourism opportunities along the Lake Erie shoreline, along with significant natural and cultural heritage resources. Its population of 6,601 is distributed throughout the Township with eight hamlets providing focal points for the development of housing, commerce, industry and civic facilities and activities. Municipal recreation facilities are predominantly located within Wainfleet Village and encompass the Wainfleet Arena, eleven soccer fields, two baseball diamonds and tennis courts, as well as the Wainfleet Library, Volunteer Community Hall and the Marshville Heritage Village. Additional public recreational facilities are provided by the three elementary schools located in the Township, a Lion s Hall and multiple beach accesses. In addition to the eight hamlets, permanent and seasonal residences stretch along the lakeshore area complemented by private and public recreational amenities involving two golf courses, a skydiving establishment and three Conservation Areas managed by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) including the Wainfleet Wetlands, Morgan s Point and Long Beach Conservation Areas offering a variety of passive and active recreational opportunities and camping facilities. The Gord Harry Trail (railsto-trails) defines the northerly limit of the lakeshore area, spanning the width of the Township on a eastwest axis and providing multi-use recreational opportunities, as well as important transportation options for cyclists as part of the broader local and regional on and off-road cycling network and the Township s tourism initiative to provide a premiere cycling destination. The Township, with Region of Niagara financial and staff support, authorized the undertaking of a Recreation Master Plan, as a basis to plan, prioritize and build community capacity for future park, recreation and cultural services. This initiative represented a comprehensive framework for the planning and development of recreation programs, facilities and services; and parks, sports fields, trails and open spaces over the next ten years in five year increments. This initiative is to be developed based on the value, quality, and accessibility of existing services; extensive community and stakeholder consultation programs; and an analysis of the inventory of available venues and facilities involving programs, facilities, parks and special events, as well as venues operated by the NPCA, local school boards and other service providers. C hapter: INTR ODUCTION 1-1

6 This document represents the Situational Analysis Report that supported the development of the Township of Wainfleet Recreation Master Plan. It aggregates the demographic, facility inventory and utilization, trends, community consultation program and related information to form the observations, conclusions and strategic themes that then supported the development of the Recreation Master Plan. The Situational Analysis Report is Volume 1 of the master planning project. Volume 2 is the Township of Wainfleet Recreation Master Plan which is available under separate cover. 1-2

7 VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN 2 COMMUNITY PROFILE 2.1 Location The Township of Wainfleet is one of twelve local municipalities within the Region of Niagara. It is located on the north shore of Lake Erie, bounded by Port Colborne and Welland to the east, Pelham and West Lincoln to the north and Haldimand to the west. Lake Erie forms the southern boundary of the community and runs the full length of the Municipality, some thirteen plus kilometres, as identified in Figure 1. FIGURE 1: REGIONAL LOCATION MAP SOURCE: Regional Municipality of Niagara Website C hapter: COMMUNITY P R OFILE 2-1

8 Wainfleet is primarily a rural area that supports agriculture, agri-business and tourism. Many residents work in neighbouring municipalities in manufacturing and related employment. The Township covers 200 square kilometres. It has significant wetlands in the Wainfleet Bog and Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area, as well as the thirty-two kilometres of the meandering Welland River that runs eastwest, and the Feeder Canal which dissects the community north-south. The geography is relatively flat, with significant wetlands and treed areas that form forests, woodlots and related natural areas. The shoreline has extensive sand beaches and has been developed for many decades with seasonal houses and cottages, many owned by out-of-township residents. In more recent times, some of the cottages have been converted to year-round homes. Wainfleet Village is the commercial and service centre of the community, as well as home to most municipal services. Chambers Corner and Becket s Bridge are smaller commercial service nodes, and there are some service commercial activities in the Long Beach area. Burnaby, Wellandport, Winger, Ostryhon Corners and Hendershot Corners are small, primarily residential urban nodes widely distributed throughout the Township. Wainfleet has the smallest population of all local municipalities in the Niagara Region and has experienced lower overall population and development growth due to its rural character and greater distances from key transportation corridors, servicing systems and industrial related business activities. Surrounding municipalities provide Wainfleet residents with access to commercial/retail and employment areas, tourism destinations and additional recreational opportunities. The Region of Niagara is a mixed development area. It has experienced significant growth in agricultural activities, particularly in the growing of grapes and wine-making and fruits and vegetables in the eastern dimensions of the Region. Manufacturing exists in St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls, all of which have had a long history of significant heavy industry, including Thorold. However major industrial transitions have occurred over the years and reduced the level of manufacturing activity. Tourism has become a major industry due to Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, two Great Lakes (Ontario and Erie) and Niagara River shorelines and beaches. The Region is traversed by the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW) that runs along the Lake Ontario shore and then turns west through Niagara Falls to Fort Erie. Three bridges connect with the United States which results in significant transportation activity involving travellers and trucking. Also traversing the Region, on a north-south basis, is the Welland Canal which is a long time historical Great Lakes shipping route that has shaped the economy and the development of the broader Niagara Region for decades. Currently the QEW is being upgraded and expanded to take additional traffic volume. On a longer term basis, the province is studying the Mid-Peninsula Highway Corridor that, if constructed, could have significant impacts on Wainfleet as the route will either traverse or be in very close proximity to the Township. 2-2

9 2.2 Demographics and Development Introduction The purpose of this section is to identify and analyze the community s current and forecast population growth, demographic characteristics and development activity. The demographic analysis will assist in determining current and future recreation needs of the Township of Wainfleet. In general, the population in the Township has remained relatively stable over the past decade and given the absence of municipal servicing for development, it is projected that the population will continue to remain stable, with only modest growth Population Growth From 1996 to 2006, Wainfleet s population increased by 5.5% from 6,253 to 6,600 2 for a total growth of 347 people over 10 years, or an average addition of 35 people per year. Based on Regional Policy Plan Amendment (RPPA) (Region of Niagara Sustainable Community Policies), the Township s population is estimated to be 7,200 in 2011 and anticipated to increase to 7,400 by 2016 and 8,200 by The adopted Township of Wainfleet Official Plan (September, 2010) also forecasts a population of approximately 8,200 by Table 2-1 and the accompanying graph illustrate the historic, current and forecast population: Table 2-1: Historic, Current and Forecast Population, Township of Wainfleet ,2 Year Population , , ,900* ,200* ,400* ,700* ,900* ,200* *with undercount 2006 Population: 6,600 1 Statistics Canada, 1996, 2001 and 2006 Census: Community Profiles. 2 Region of Niagara, RPPA ,

10 Table 2-2 provides the projected population growth for each of the lower-tier municipalities in the Region of Niagara. Overall, the Region is projected to grow by 15% between 2011 and In comparison, the Township of Wainfleet is projected to grow by 14% between 2011 and Over this period, the most significant population growth, relative to current population, is expected in Thorold (42%), Niagara-on-the-Lake (36%), Pelham (35%), Lincoln (26%), Welland (24%), Fort Erie (24%), Port Colborne (21%) and Niagara Falls (20%). As such, many of the local municipalities surrounding Wainfleet will experience significant population increases over the next 20 years. Table 2-2: Population Projections, Region of Niagara, 2006 to 2031 (with undercount) Municipality St. Catharines 137, , , , , ,800 City of Niagara Falls 85,500 89,100 94,000 99, , ,800 City of Port Colborne 19,300 20,000 21,200 22,600 23,500 24,100 City of Thorold 18,900 20,000 21,700 24,900 26,800 28,400 City of Welland 52,300 53,700 56,100 59,500 63,000 66,500 Town of Fort Erie 31,100 32,900 35,200 37,100 39,000 40,700 Town of Grimsby 24,900 27,000 29,400 31,000 32,100 32,800 Town of Lincoln 22,600 24,100 26,200 27,800 29,200 30,300 Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake 15,200 16,700 18,400 19,900 21,300 22,700 Town of Pelham 16,800 18,100 19,800 21,500 23,100 24,400 Township of West Lincoln 13,700 15,100 15,900 16,500 16,600 16,700 Township of Wainfleet 6,900 7,200 7,400 7,700 7,900 8,200 St. Catharines 137, , , , , ,800 TOTAL 444, , , , , ,400 Source: Region of Niagara Growth Management Strategy, Age Profile Ontario s population is aging and this trend is widely observed and recognized throughout most urban and rural communities across the province. From 1996 to 2006, the percentage of Ontarians over the age of 55 increased from 21% to nearly 25%, far exceeding the changes in any other age group. The provincial trend is more pronounced in Wainfleet, with the percentage of residents over the age of 55 increasing from 22% in 1996 to 28% in Table 2-3 and the accompanying graph illustrate the median age of Wainfleet s residents compared to Ontario as a whole from 1996 to

11 Table 2-3: Median Age of Population, Township of Wainfleet and Province of Ontario, 1996 to 2006 Year Median Age Wainfleet Ontario Source: Statistics Canada. 1996, 2001 and 2006 Census: Community Profiles. The largest growth in Wainfleet s population from 1996 to 2006 was in the older adult (age 55+) grouping, likely due to baby boomer generation (born 1946 to 1964) aging in place. The young adult (age 20-24) and older adult (age 55-64) categories also increased as a proportion of total population, while children and youth (age 5-14 and 15-19) and seniors (age and over the age of 75) decreased as a percentage of the total population. Table 2-4 and the accompanying graph illustrate the changing age profile of Wainfleet s population from 1996 to 2006 using the 1996 census community profile age categories. The table and chart provided below illustrate that the number of children under the age of 15 has steadily declined since 1996, while the number of older adults over the age of 55 has increased since There has been a modest shift in the number of youth, aged 15 to 19 and young adults, aged 20 to 24. Table 2-4: Population Age Profile, Township of Wainfleet, 1996, 2001 and 2006 Age Population by Age Group as Percentage of Total Population % 5% 4% % 15% 13% % 8% 8% % 6% 6% % 42% 41% % 12% 14% % 9% 9% % 4% 5% 85+ 1% 1% 1% Source: Statistics Canada and 2006 Census: Community Profiles

12 While population forecasts by age were not available for Wainfleet, it is anticipated that the trend towards an aging population will continue. The Growth Management Strategy for Niagara Region confirmed that the 55+ age group is anticipated to experience the largest growth rate, by percentage, from 29% of the total population in 2006 to 36% of the total population in Based on the age characteristics of Wainfleet, demands for children, youth and family-oriented recreation opportunities will remain stable in the future. At the same time, there will be an influx of retirees seeking passive leisure areas, walking trails and similar opportunities with related accessibility needs Gender Wainfleet has a slightly higher percentage of males than females. This is particularly pronounced in the 15 to 19 year age category. Historically, there has been a slightly higher percentage of male youth aged 15 to 19 in Wainfleet (1996 to 2001); however, the difference is more pronounced in Table 2-5: Gender Distribution of the Population, Township of Wainfleet and Province of Ontario Age Category Wainfleet Ontario Male Female Male Female 0 to 4 years 47% 51% 51% 49% 5 to 9 years 54% 47% 51% 49% 15 to 19 years 57% 43% 51% 49% 20 to 24 years 48% 52% 50% 50% 25 to 54 years 50% 50% 49% 51% 55 to 64 years 55% 46% 49% 51% 65 to 74 years 51% 50% 47% 53% 75 to 84 years 50% 48% 42% 58% 85 years and over 45% 55% 32% 68% Average 51% 49% 49% 51% Source: Statistics Canada, Income As reported in the 2006 census, the median household income in Wainfleet ($61,986) was slightly above the provincial average ($60,445). The median household income in Wainfleet is higher than the Regional median of $54,497 and falls in the middle of median household incomes amongst the twelve lower-tier municipalities Ethnicity As a smaller rural municipality, located in the outer ring of the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Wainfleet has not seen the same increases in cultural diversity characteristic of larger urban areas in and around the GTA. In 1996, only 12.7% of Wainfleet s population was not born in Canada, and by 2006 this number decreased to 8.6%. The number of international migrants residing in Wainfleet is relatively small in 2-6

13 comparison to other municipalities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe Area, some of which have reached over 25% in 2006 and are anticipating this number to reach 50% or higher over the next 10 to 25 years Settlement Pattern The Township of Wainfleet is characterized as a rural and agricultural community with a number of hamlets. The following hamlets are identified in the Wainfleet Official Plan (OP). Hendershot Corners Winger Wellandport Area Beckett s Bridge Chambers Corner Wainfleet Village Ostryhon Corners Burnaby The majority of residents reside in the rural areas. Less than 10% of the Township s population live in the hamlet areas. The OP; however, states that the majority of population growth will be concentrated in the hamlets. The largest hamlets are Wellandport Area and Wainfleet Village. There are a number of residents along the shoreline of Lake Erie. The Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 (PPS) and Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006 (Growth Plan) direct new development and redevelopment to settlement areas where municipal services are available and limits development outside of settlement areas. Specifically, Section of the PPS states that settlement areas shall be the focus of growth and their vitality and regeneration shall be promoted. In rural areas, section of the PPS states that permitted uses are limited to those that relate to management or use of resources, resource-based recreational activities, limited residential development and other rural land uses. The Region of Niagara, through RPPA , incorporated the policies of the PPS and Growth Plan regarding settlement patterns. Policy of the Niagara Region Policy Plan (RPP) states that settlement areas will be the focus for accommodating growth. In preparing RPPA , the Region undertook a Regional Growth Management Strategy (2008). The Strategy provides a road map for growth in the Region over the next 25 years. The preferred growth option, developed through the Strategy, is summarized as follows: Based on a projected Niagara population of 545,000 by Contains growth within existing Urban Area Boundaries. Provides for future urban boundary expansions that will be performance based and tied to infrastructure investment over the 20 and 25 year planning horizons. 2-7

14 Meets the Region s strategic objective to shift a larger portion of future growth to South Niagara. All Niagara municipalities will grow, and local expectations for growth have generally been met for most municipalities. Utilizes existing land supply and infrastructure while being sensitive to market opportunities in north and west Niagara. Supports the Urban Growth Centre in St. Catharines, and the Gateway Economic Zone and Centre in Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, and Welland/Port Colborne. The Township of Wainfleet is characterized as a rural and agricultural community with a number of hamlets. The Township s OP is required to be consistent with the PPS and conform to the Growth Plan and the RPP. A new Official Plan was adopted by Township Council in September The Township OP states that the municipal structure is comprised of: The Countryside; The Hamlets; The Lakeshore Built Up Area; and The Natural Heritage System. The Countryside represents the predominantly rural and agricultural areas of Wainfleet. The OP provides policies to preserve and protect prime agricultural areas and maintain the viability of farming and preserve the rural farm character within the Countryside Area. Policy specifically states that development is to be directed to the Hamlet Settlements. Only those uses which cannot locate in hamlets can locate in the Countryside. As noted earlier, there are a total of eight hamlets in Wainfleet: Chambers Corners, Becketts Bridge, Wainfleet Village, Winger, Hendershot Corners, Wellandport Area, Ostryhon Corners, and Burnaby. Development in the hamlets is to be a low density and generally limited to infill. Burnaby is identified as a focus area for future development. The hamlets are the centre for housing, commerce and government as well as recreational facilities and support services. Through the preparation of the OP, it was determined that there is sufficient land within the current hamlet boundaries to accommodate the Township s growth over the next 20 years. The Lakeshore Built-up Area is recognized as area of existing development in the Township OP, and include a 13 kilometres strip of land along the Lake Erie waterfront, between the border with Haldimand County to the west and the border of Port Colborne to the east. The area has a continuous strip of permanent and seasonal residential dwellings, including small resorts and cabins. The OP considers the Lakeshore Built-up Area as part of the rural area of Wainfleet and is not considered a settlement area (as defined by the Provincial Policy Statement). Expansions to this area are not intended and only limited infilling will be permitted. The area has been subject to a boil-water advisory and growth will be limited in this area. 2-8

15 Based on the Provincial, Regional and local policies, Wainfleet, as well as the neighbouring municipalities will be focusing development to existing settlement areas Building Permit History To assist in understanding development patterns in the Township of Wainfleet, a summary of building permit activity is provided in Table 2.6 below. Table 2-6: Building Permit Activity, Township of Wainfleet Year Number of Residential Building Permits Source: Township of Wainfleet Council Agenda, January 2, Based on an analysis of building permit reports, a total of a ten (10) residential building permits were issued between December 2008 and March Of the ten building permits, nine were located in the rural area and one was located on Lakeshore Road in the Lakeshore Built-up Area. There are no discernable trends or focal points of building activity based on the permit data for the past ten years. 2-9

16 VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN 3 PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES 3.1 S ervices Delivery Model The Parks and Recreation Services Delivery model in the Township of Wainfleet is variable and involves many different service providers, but is primarily community-based with no central planning, marketing or guiding entity. Therefore, service delivery occurs at the direction and discretion of each individual organization. The following points outline the primary roles of the various service deliverers: Township of Wainfleet primarily a facilities provider relative to the arena, library, community hall and sports field complex, along with some access lanes to the waterfront along the Lake Erie shore. It also owns the Feeder Canal that traverses the Township on a north-south axis which has considerable recreation and tourism potential. The Township does not deliver recreation or culture programs except for the Wainfleet Library relating to reading, children s and other programs. The Township is a key provider of major facilities, often developed in partnership with community organizations that support a wide range of programs and service providers. Community organizations represents the backbone of recreational and culture programs delivery. Community organizations have had long standing in this role, involving minor hockey, figure skating, private hockey leagues, minor soccer, minor baseball, special events and cultural / heritage services. Lions Club a long standing organization that has been involved supporting recreational facilities and venues development. They operate their own private hall in the Long Beach area. Region of Niagara has secured property to develop a significant access point to the Lake Erie shoreline which will be considered for the further development of ancillary supports, facilities and services. Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority operates six Conservation Areas in the Township, including the Gord Harry Conservation Trail. The most prominent sites are the Long Beach Conservation Area on the Lake Erie shore, Chippawa Creek Conservation Area on the Welland River, Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area and the Gord Harry Trail which are well used and are widely recognized as key community assets. Local School Boards the Niagara District Catholic School Board operates one elementary school and the Niagara District School Board operates two elementary schools in the Township. A private school also exists. No direct programs are undertaken on behalf of the community but access is available to school facilities. The potential closure of one public board elementary school in the Township has been identified. Marshville Heritage Village a pioneer village located in Wainfleet Village operated by a non-profit community organization. A unique venue that also operates one of the largest annual events in Wainfleet; C hapter: PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES 3-1

17 The services delivery model is almost exclusively aligned with community organizations that are selfdirected, raise their own funds, have user fees and develop their specific programs. The Township is primarily a provider of facilities, as are the school boards. Other contributors involve a mix of organizations that have specific mandates and / or operate facilities that can support park, recreational and culture activities as either a primary or secondary mandate. No community development role in support of recreation or culture services is undertaken by the Township or any other organization in Wainfleet. Therefore, the volunteer, non-profit groups operate within their own domains and independently. They recruit their program and leadership volunteers; and undertake their own marketing and communications, program development, fundraising and other initiatives necessary to sustain both their programs and organizations. 3.2 Parks and Open S pace Inventory Introduction The Township of Wainfleet has an abundance of natural features, parks and open space areas and trail corridors that offer diverse settings for a range of both water- and land-based passive and active recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy. These assets include sports fields and baseball diamonds, beaches and conservation areas, trails and bikeways, historic sites and heritage routes, among other outdoor venues. This section provides a summary of existing parks and open space resources in Wainfleet and an assessment of future opportunities to add to or improve the current inventory as identified in Map 1 in Appendix I Municipal Parks The Township of Wainfleet owns and manages one park location providing approximately 16.5 hectares (40 acres) of parkland. The municipal park is located in Wainfleet Village at the Wainfleet Arena and Sports Complex, which includes 11 soccer fields, 2 baseball diamonds, 2 tennis courts, play equipment as well as indoor facilities including the Wainfleet Arena and the Firefighters Memorial Community Centre. This site is also home to the Marshville Heritage Village, a living history museum comprised of numerous heritage buildings, recreating life in Ontario circa As illustrated in Map 2 in Appendix I, the majority of the Township s Sports Complex property is designated as Parks and Open Space in the locally adopted Township of Wainfleet Official Plan (September 2010), with the smaller remaining land area located in the easterly limit of the property designated as Residential. The goals of the Parks and Open Space designation are to encourage active, healthy and social lifestyles and to maintain and improve Wainfleet s open space and recreational resources (Township of Wainfleet Official Plan, s. 3.9). Objectives of this designation pertaining to this park site include: To provide a system of parks and open space areas which can adapt to changing public needs and preferences; To establish a neighbourhood park in each hamlet as a means to encourage active lifestyles. 3-2

18 The Official Plan establishes the following permitted uses and policy direction for lands designated Parks and Open Space: Permitted uses include passive and active recreational uses, conservation uses, public campgrounds and public infrastructure; It is Township Council s intent to retain Township-owned lands in public ownership and to use these lands for public recreation purposes; Establish more neighbourhood parks to encourage active lifestyles and acquire more active parkland through the parkland dedication requirements of the Planning Act; New Parks and Open Space designations that incorporate lit facilities will be buffered from adjacent residential lands to minimize impacts. There is an opportunity to expand on the facilities provided at the existing Wainfleet Parks Sports Complex, particularly on the portion of the property located within the Residential designation. Parks and open spaces are permitted uses within the Residential designation (Township of Wainfleet Official Plan, section (e)). This area could be used for additional soccer fields and/or baseball diamonds or other facilities. FIGURE 2: WAINFLEET SPORTS COMPLEX OFFICIAL PLAN DESIGNATIONS Wainfleet Sports Complex SOURCE: Township of Wainfleet Official Plan (September, 2010) 3-3

19 Wainfleet Village is the largest and most centrally located settlement area in the Township, and given the Township s relatively small population and geographic distribution of residents among eight hamlets, a large rural/agricultural area and the lakefront, park facilities are clustered in a single location at the Sports Complex. There are numerous benefits to the Township s current, centralized model of municipal park provision: The consolidation of sportsfields and other active park facilities in one location has operational, maintenance and cost efficiencies; Central, multi-use park locations offer a range of recreational opportunities for diverse age groups and interests, which is beneficial to accommodating the needs and preferences of most users; Soccer and ball tournaments are well-served by multi-field arrangements with supporting facilities. The existing parkland inventory yields a current municipal parkland provision level of 2.5 ha of parkland per 1,000 people. There are no parkland provision level or service area targets currently established for the Township to guide future parkland acquisition priorities and locations, or against which to measure the adequacy of the current supply. Based on the community survey results, residents are generally satisfied with the existing Township park, with 61% of respondents ranking the park as Good or Excellent, and only 14% reported a ranking of Poor. Other urban/rural municipalities in Ontario having similar populations and land areas typically have similar provision levels. The Township s Official Plan provides some direction to guide the location and distribution of future municipal parks. The Plan aims to expand upon the existing municipal park inventory to establish a neighbourhood park in each hamlet as a means to encourage active lifestyles (Township of Wainfleet Official Plan, s. 3.9). It appears that the intent of this policy is to maximize the local accessibility of parks, which is a worthy objective. However, Wainfleet s settlement areas are relatively small by population and land area, and because they are unserviced, they have very limited growth and development potential. This means that there will be few if any opportunities to acquire a meaningful amount of parkland for a neighbourhood park in most settlement areas through the land dedication requirements under the Planning Act. As an alternative, the Township s Official Plan enables the municipality to require cash-in-lieu of parkland as a condition of land severances and other local development which may, over time, yield a sufficient funding source to acquire land for one or more new neighbourhood parks. Nevertheless, the aim of this policy to directly provide a neighbourhood park within each of the eight (8) settlement areas is perhaps an unrealistic expectation, and a somewhat arbitrary goal that is unlikely to produce the desired outcome of maximizing access to local park facilities by residents. Table 3-1 profiles the existing local park facilities available within each settlement area and provides suggestions for future parkland acquisition opportunities and priorities in the future. 3-4

20 Settlement Area Table 3-1 Existing Parks and Open Space and Future Priorities by Settlement Area Existing Parks and Open Space Future Parkland Opportunities / Within Nearby Priorities Settlement Burnaby No existing parks Lakeshore Access ~ 0.7 km Morgan s Point C.A. ~ 1.5 km Lion s Community Centre ~ 2.5 km Station Rd Naturalization Park ~ 3.6 km Wainfleet Wetlands C.A. ~ 4.7 km Lakeshore Road Tennis Courts ~ 4.9 km Long Beach C.A. ~ 6.5 km Wainfleet Sports Complex ~ 7.1 km Beckets Bridge No existing parks Wainfleet Sports Complex ~ 6 km Winger Public School ~ 8.7 km Chambers Corners No existing parks Wainfleet Sports Complex ~ 2.5 km Winger Public School ~ 5.2 km Identified as focal point for future development in Official Plan, subject to full servicing Future development provides opportunity to acquire parkland per mandatory dedication requirements of Planning Act Predominantly non-residential (commercial/industrial) and therefore not a high priority for future parkland acquisition No significant future development anticipated Should require cash-in-lieu of parkland for new development, per Planning Act Predominantly non-residential (commercial/industrial) and therefore not a high priority for future parkland acquisition No significant future development anticipated Should require cash-in-lieu of parkland for new development, per Planning Act Hendershot Corners Ostryhon Corners Wainfleet Village No existing parks No existing parks Wainfleet Sports Complex, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, W.E. Brown Public School Winger Public School ~ 3 km Chippawa Creek C.A. ~ 9 km Station Rd Naturalization Park ~ 2.4 km Lakeshore Access ~ 3.5 km Morgan s Point C.A. ~ 4.3 km Wainfleet Sports Complex ~ 4.3 km Lion s Community Centre ~ 4.5 km Lakeshore Road Tennis Courts ~ 5.6 km Long Beach C.A. ~ 7.2 km Wainfleet Bog C.A. ~ 7.3 km Station Rd Naturalization Park ~ 6.0 km Lakeshore Access ~ 6.8 km Winger Public School ~ 7.7 km Lion s Community Centre ~ 7.8 km Morgan s Point C.A. ~ 8.6 km Lakeshore Road Tennis Courts ~ 9.2 km Mobile Home Park residents may have access to private playground facilities No significant future development anticipated Consider opportunities for parkland acquisition as part of future development applications per mandatory dedication requirements of Planning Act and/or use of cash-in-lieu for neighbourhood park No significant future development anticipated Consider opportunities for parkland acquisition as part of future development applications per mandatory dedication requirements of Planning Act and/or use of cash-in-lieu for neighbourhood park No significant future development anticipated No additional parkland acquisition required other than consideration of potential staging area for Feeder Canal and trail connections to existing park Expansion opportunity at Sports Complex Wellandport Area (former Wellandport Christian School may not be accessible due to school closure) Chippawa Creek C.A. ~ 3 km Winger Public School ~ 9.6 km No significant future development anticipated Explore opportunities to maintain existing playing fields, open space, playground and hard courts at closed school site Should require cash-in-lieu of parkland for new development, per Planning Act Winger Winger Public School Wainfleet Sports Complex ~ 7.7 km No significant future development anticipated Work with school to allow community use of school grounds and to ensure proper maintenance through summer months Should require cash-in-lieu of parkland for new development, per Planning Act 3-5

21 As noted in Table 3-1, in some cases there are other providers (e.g. schools) that offer a sufficient level of locally accessible neighbourhood parkland and playground facilities within the hamlet and most areas also have convenient access to conservation areas and other resources nearby. Wellandport, Wainfleet Village and Winger are examples where the local schools provide outdoor recreational facilities and open space, although the Christian School in Wellandport has now closed. There is also an existing private school in the northwest limit of the Township, an area known as Attercliffe. In these areas, the objective of the Township should be to work with the existing providers to maximize community access to and level of maintenance of these resources. In other areas, the existing and planned land use pattern primarily involves non-residential land uses, and therefore these settlement areas are not ideal locations for new neighbourhood parks (e.g. Chamber s Corners, Becket s Bridge). Given these factors along with the limited opportunities to acquire additional parkland through mandatory dedication by development, and in order to produce the most broadly-based benefits to the community and minimize costs, there is an opportunity to be more strategic in targeting specific Hamlets or the waterfront for future neighbourhood parks and playground facilities. For example, the development of playgrounds and other supporting amenities in key destinations that are already well-used, such as the lakeshore, would provide greater benefits to the community and produce better results in terms of increasing access and utilization. Beach access points were rated as the most highly used parks and open space locations through the community survey, with 75% of respondents reporting that they have used a public beach access in Wainfleet within the last two years. By comparison, 51.5% visited the Sports Complex within the past two years. With 76% of respondents indicating that they or the members of their household rarely to never use playgrounds and play equipment, a balanced provision and distribution of facilities in strategic locations such as the lakeshore and accessible locations such as certain settlement areas should be considered within the Master Plan to maximize access and increase utilization. This represents a change in direction from the current policy which targets a neighbourhood park in each settlement area, and an amendment to the Township Official Plan (or modification by the Region as the approval authority) would be required to implement this change. As identified in Table 3-1, the Township of Wainfleet is not the sole provider of parks and facilities in the community, and there are many opportunities available for access to outdoor recreation and open space at schools, conservation areas, regional park sites, beaches and other locations. These are summarized following. 3-6

22 3.2.3 Conservation Areas The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) is a significant provider of outdoor recreational venues and open space lands in Wainfleet. The NPCA owns, manages and operates six (6) Conservation Areas in the Township of Wainfleet. Table 3-2 identifies the NPCA Conservation Areas located in Wainfleet and summarizes the facilities and programs/activities available at each. Table 3-2 Conservation Areas in the Township of Wainfleet Conservation Area Location Land Area Facilities/Amenities/Programs/Activities Long Beach C.A. North Shore of Lake Erie in south-west Wainfleet, north and south of Lakeshore Rd, east of Burkett Rd 61.5 ha Beach 225 campsites Boat launch Fishing Playground Wildlife viewing, photography Brad Shaw memorial horseshoe tournament Interpretive/education/recreation program Morgan s Point C.A. Wainfleet Wetlands C.A. Chippawa Creek C.A. Wainfleet Bog C.A. North Shore of Lake Erie in south Wainfleet, south of Lakeshore Rd, east of Burnaby Rd South-east Wainfleet, north of Lakeshore Rd, east of Quarry Rd South bank of Welland River, North-west Wainfleet, north and south of Regional Rd 45 Central/east Wainfleet, accessed from Erie Peat Rd 9.6 ha Shoreline and dune exploration Habitat protection migrating birds, monarch butterflies, natural plant communities Public access point to Lake Erie Eco-tourism venue with distinct educational opportunities Trail and boardwalk Hiking and wildlife viewing Fishing 182 ha Fish and wildlife habitat Bird watching, fishing and photography Hiking ha 156 campsites Open space for flying kites, casual field sports, picnics Fishing piers Trails Non-motorized boating Swimming Public access to Welland River Wildlife viewing opportunities Dils Lake, 10 ha man-made reservoir Small boat launch Pavilion Day use and camping 801 ha Provincially significant wetland Nature trails and wildlife viewing Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing Bog recovery initiative to improve the health, reestablish peat-dome formation and natural processes Educational and scientific opportunities Volunteerism and stewardship of the bog Gord Harry Conservation Trail 13 kilometre multi-use trail extending east-west across the entire Township along the former Grand Trunk Railway corridor SOURCE: NPCA web site ( ha Multi-use trail for non-motorized uses Habitat corridor Wildlife viewing 3-7

23 Collectively, the NPCA Conservation Areas are significant resources providing access to nearly 1,250 hectares of conservation land offering diverse settings for a variety of recreational pursuits. In addition, the Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area is part of the largest, least disturbed peatland in southern Ontario, and is well known regionally and provincially, and perhaps more broadly. This illustrates the important role that the Conservation Areas have not only for their ecological functions and significance, but also in building a wider recognition and awareness of the unique attributes of the area and attracting tourism and related economic and educational opportunities Niagara Region Parks The Regional Municipality of Niagara owns two public outdoor recreational sites in the Township of Wainfleet, including the Wainfleet Lake Erie Public Access and the Station Road Naturalization Park. Both of these sites were opened to the public in The Wainfleet Lake Erie Public Access is a new Regional public beach access property formerly known as Erie Park. The Region of Niagara acquired the former Erie Park property in Wainfleet in April 2010 and has now developed it into a Public Beach Access point, providing 122 metres (400 feet) of public beach on the north shore of Lake Erie with a gated parking lot, trails leading to the water, washrooms and garbage facilities. The site is located between Brawn Road to the east and Daley Ditch Road to the West and is accessed on the south side of Lake Shore Road. The Township s role in the operations/management of the site is still being negotiated with the Region. The NPCA also has a role in making improvements to the property and maintaining it for the public. The area is a natural habitat for the Fowler's Toad, an endangered species, which required special consideration of design and access. The other Regional site in Wainfleet is the former Station Road Landfill which has been rehabilitated into a naturalization park. The park features a trail connecting to the Gord Harry Trail, observation area and a constructed wetland. In 2008, the Township of Wainfleet requested that the Region include a toboggan hill in the park (Resolution No. C ); however, it is unclear if this has been included as a feature of the site. The NPCA maintains the trails in accordance with a management agreement with the Region Schools There are four elementary schools currently operating in Wainfleet Township, including: St. Elizabeth Catholic Elementary School in Wainfleet Village owned and operated by the Niagara Catholic District School Board (NCDSB); W.E. Brown Public Elementary School in Wainfleet Village owned and operated by the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN); Winger Public Elementary School in Winger owned and operated by the DSBN; and, Attercliffe Canadian Reformed Elementary School which is privately owned and operated. 3-8

24 Wellandport Christian School in Wellandport, formerly owned and operated by the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools (OACS), was closed in 2010 after 51 years. The Township should explore opportunities to maintain access to the playing fields/open space, play equipment and hard courts for basketball and ball hockey located on this site. It is likely that the play equipment would need replacement to meet current standards. The Attercliffe Canadian Reformed Elementary School is located on the Wainfleet and Haldimand boundary and represents some opportunity for localized park use. There are no secondary or post-secondary institutions in Wainfleet. Students are bussed to high schools in Port Colborne or other areas in the Region. Schools are important providers of locally accessible open space and playgrounds in a community. Many also offer outdoor recreational facilities that can supplement the inventory and availability of active parkland such as soccer fields and baseball diamonds. The Township should continue to work with the School Boards to encourage community access to and shared use of school facilities. The Green Communities Active & Safe Routes to School program is a comprehensive community-based initiative that promotes walking and cycling for the daily trip to school while addressing issues ranging from health and traffic safety issues to air pollution and climate change. Niagara Region is identified as a participant in the program. The program provides resources to assist municipalities, schools and other community partners in planning for safe walking and cycling routes to local schools and promoting active transportation (see This information should be considered in relation to development or improvement of walking routes/trails in the settlement areas having schools in Wainfleet Lake Erie Lake Erie defines the southerly boundary of the Township of Wainfleet and is perhaps the area s greatest recreational asset. The diverse shoreline offers scenic views, sand beaches, rock points, and waters for swimming, wind and kite surfing and other outdoor recreational activities. However, the infrastructure that is necessary to realize the full recreational potential of the lake, including the shoreline and the water, is not provided along most of the lakefront. This point was raised as a long-standing concern by participants in the community consultation program. The lakeshore in Wainfleet extends over 13 kilometres from the western border with Haldimand County to the eastern border with Port Colborne. The area is mostly developed and used for permanent and seasonal residential dwellings, ranging from large estate homes to small seasonal cabins, a few mobile homes and small cottage resorts and tourist cabins. In some locations there are small scale commercial uses serving tourists and lakeshore residents, with a cluster of commercial facilities in Long Beach. Groundwater contamination has been identified as a concern in the area and has resulted in boil-water alerts (Township of Wainfleet Official Plan, September 2010). The NPCA has studied the causes and potential solutions to this issue through the Lake Erie North Shore Watershed Plan (Draft, 2010). The 3-9

25 Township s Official Plan requires that development activity in this area will continue to be limited to infill. The majority of waterfront properties in Wainfleet are held in private ownership. Data provided by the Region indicates that 49% of the properties adjacent to the Lake Erie shoreline are in U.S. ownership, which is approximately 27% of the total length of the Lake Erie shoreline in the Region. Niagara Region identifies and monitors the water quality for six (6) public beaches in Wainfleet, including: Long Beach Conservation East Long Beach Conservation West Long Beach Chippewa Conservation Wainfleet Lake Erie Public Access Belleview Beach. There are five (5) additional beaches in the following locations where the Region is not monitoring water quality: Sunset Bay Orchard Grove Reebs Bay Waynes Park Morgan s Point Conservation. As summarized in Table 3-3, ten (10) of the beaches are located on Lake Erie and one (1) is located on Dils Lake within Chippawa Conservation Area. Publicly owned lands along the lakeshore are shown Map 3 in Appendix I. Table 3-3 Public Beaches in Wainfleet Beach/Access Name Body of Water Beach Type Parking Washroom Garbage Bellview Beach Lake Erie Road Allowance No No No Chippawa Conservation Beach Dils Lake Public Beach Yes Yes Yes Long Beach Lake Erie Road Allowance No No Yes Long Beach Conservation East Lake Erie Public Beach Yes Yes Yes Long Beach Conservation West Lake Erie Public Beach Yes Yes Yes Morgan s Point Conservation Area Lake Erie Shoreline Access Yes Yes Yes Orchard Grove Beach Lake Erie Road Allowance No No No Reebs Bay Lake Erie Road Allowance No No No Sunset Bay Beach Lake Erie Road Allowance No No No Waynes Park Beach Lake Erie Road Allowance No No No Wainfleet Lake Erie Public Access Lake Erie Public Beach Yes Yes Yes SOURCE: Niagara Region website (

26 As noted in Table 3-3, many of the public beaches listed are Township roads or road allowances that are used by the public to gain access to the lakefront. There are no parking, washrooms or other facilities to encourage or support access to or use of the beaches by the public in these locations. This is an ongoing issue for the residents and owners of shoreline properties, who report concerns regarding litter, trespass, vandalism and other problems, and for the general public who have a desire for improving public access to the Lake Erie waterfront for use and enjoyment by residents of and visitors to Wainfleet. The Policy Directions Report (SGL, August 2010) prepared for the Township s Official Plan identifies improving access to Lake Erie as an important concern voiced by residents, and the need for more parkland along the Lake. This was further highlighted as a community priority in 2011 by participants in the Master Plan consultation program. New Official Plan objectives and policies for the lakeshore were adopted in September 2010 that articulate the Township s intent regarding the future of the Lakeshore, including: To maintain publicly owned land along the Lake Erie waterfront in public ownership including road stubs that lead to the shoreline, unless it facilitates a suitable alternative that provides improved access nearby (s , , 4.4.1); To encourage other public agencies to assist in the acquisition of waterfront land in strategic locations (s ); To require new developments along the Lake Erie shoreline to dedicate public parkland along the shoreline to the municipality, and for new developments along the lakeshore proposing three or more new lots or units the required parkland dedication shall be along the water s edge with public access provided where feasible; (s , 3.9.9, 4.4.3); To reduce conflict between landowner and non-landowner use of the waterfront and work with other government agencies to provide parking, washroom and garbage facilities at key locations (s ); To preserve view corridors towards the lake from Lakeshore Road (s ); To provide physical and visual access to the Lake Erie waterfront and recognize the townshipwide significance of the waterfront as an open space amenity (s. 3.9); To maintain the Lake Erie shoreline in as natural a condition as possible and to promote environmental protection, restoration and enhancement (s. 4.4); To encourage landowners to maintain the shoreline in a natural state by maintaining or establishing a natural vegetated buffer and using non-structural shoreline protection such as bioengineering with native vegetation (s ); Development and site alteration shall not be permitted in dune areas unless in compliance with other policies of the Plan and it is demonstrated through an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) that there will be no significant negative impact (s ). 3-11

27 The potential for improving opportunities for public access to and use of the lakefront was considered at a high level through the development of the Township s Official Plan. As noted in the Policy Directions Report (SGL, August 2010), the developed nature of the majority of the lakeshore limits options for increasing public ownership and access. Through the Master Plan consultation program, the following potential sites were identified for consideration of future public acquisition: The Cove property at Brawn Road and Lakeshore Road this is a vacant site where the Region/Township could develop parking, pubic washrooms and other facilities to support use of the beach (the beach is accessible at the south end of Brawn Road); The Lakewood property at Lakeshore Road and Sideroad 18 this is the former Lakewood Easter Seals property which is proposed for residential condominium development, which provides an opportunity to acquire land for public use along the waterfront through parkland dedication requirements; Rathford Inn and Kossuth Park properties; Gunther s Grove trailer park property. A more detailed inventory and assessment of waterfront properties is required to fully explore potential public access and use opportunities. Niagara Region has initiated a Lakefront Enhancement Strategy that will help to inform this exercise. While public acquisition of land along the waterfront is an important objective, it is also noteworthy that public use of the Lake Erie shoreline may not require acquisition of the land into public ownership. The public right to access and use the shoreline of the Great Lakes has been a topic of recent debate in Provincial Parliament. The Ontario Shorewalk Association, a group of concerned citizens of Ontario working to promote and enhance public access along the shorelines of the Great Lakes, has worked with Niagara MPP Kim Craitor who introduced a private members bill titled the Right of Passage Act, Bill 32, in the provincial legislature (see and Bill 32, which received second reading on May 5, 2011, would reserve a right for all people in Ontario to walk along the area between the shoreline and the high water mark of the Great Lakes. Linked to the objective of improving opportunities for public access to and use of the lakefront is the promotion of Wainfleet as a recreational destination in support of tourism and tourism related recreation. Enhancing and expanding tourism opportunities is both a regional and local objective, as expressed in the Niagara Region Tourism Strategy and Annual Action Plan, the 2010 Regional Policy Plan and the Township s 2010 Official Plan. The 2005 Premier Ranked Tourism Destination Framework for Niagara Region identified natural and outdoor attractions (including the Welland Canal, Natural Parks, trails and beaches) as core attractions and states that The beaches, marinas, and water sports offerings along the Lake Erie shoreline and parts of Lake Ontario and the Niagara River draw repeat visitation and multi-generations of families. The study further notes that core and supporting attractions such as the beaches in Niagara Region do not 3-12

28 share the same acclaim or local recognition on a consistent basis as the Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake for their importance to the tourism mix, and states that There exists the opportunity to better coordinate and link the regional attractions and maximize the potential and benefits for all communities.. Any investments made in improving public access and use opportunities along the lakeshore should also consider the provision of related tourism infrastructure. There is potential in Wainfleet for developing the lakeshore into a marquee area for both tourists and residents, to assist in achieving the vision set out in the Official Plan for this area as well as achieving other Regional and Township objectives such as trail and cycling connectivity. This would require the identification of tourism and recreation nodes, including the potential redevelopment of existing uses and the addition/enhancement of waterfront and cycling trails, and specific initiatives with cost estimates and phasing/timing, potential funding sources, partnerships and marketing strategies. The attraction of more residents, tourists and businesses to the lakefront is seen as a potential catalyst for a number of spinoff economic benefits, environmental and social improvements, including: Local tourism-related business and employment opportunities; Connections between lakeshore destinations and existing local festivals and events; Environmental stewardship and educational opportunities; Opportunity to connect with broader farm-related tourism in combination with the touristrecreational opportunities afforded by the Lake Erie waterfront, and to develop farm-related retail and local produce/farmer s market opportunities; Increased lakefront recreational offerings and diversity of activities and programs; Benefits to existing local businesses and attractions (e.g. golf courses, skydiving, etc); Investments in visitor amenities to reduce conflicts with shoreline landowners/residents; Opportunities to showcase Wainfleet cultural, historical and natural assets; Investments in related improvements to the quality of the area (e.g. water quality, shoreline enhancement, signage/way-finding, trails, redevelopment of vacant or abandoned sites, etc); Opportunity to connect Wainfleet with other tourism resources and attractions throughout the Region via promotional efforts and package offerings, increasing recognition and awareness; Increased property tax assessment base and local spending. In the context of improving public beach access and related tourism potential, an opportunity exists for Wainfleet to work with the Region and other partners to pursue Blue Flag certification of one or more local beaches. The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label that currently applies to 3,450 beaches and marinas around the world. The program is operated by an independent non-profit organization called the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). In order to qualify for a Blue Flag designation, potential candidates must meet the program s criteria for water quality, environmental education and 3-13

29 information, environmental management, safety and other services. Addressing these criteria improves the quality and sustainability of public beaches, and the Blue Flag has therefore become a widely recognized eco-tourism label that may become an effective marketing tool. Currently there are 15 beaches in Ontario that have qualified for Blue Flag certification, and the Port Stanley Main Beach is the one and only example located on the north shore of Lake Erie (source: The Region has identified an interest in pursuing a Blue Flag designation as a potential project or outcome of Watersmart Niagara, a program intended to guide effective management of water resources in the Region that includes a long-term strategy with over 340 actions to be taken over the next 30 years (source: One of the goals of the project is reduce the number of summer days when local beaches are posted as unsafe due to high bacteria levels, and addressing water quality for swimming is a requirement of Blue Flag. Water quality at Wainfleet s beaches directly impacts their recreational potential and the health and safety of residents and visitors of the lakefront, and therefore addressing water quality issues is a critical component of strategy development for improving opportunities for public access to and use of the shoreline and the Lake. The Township should continue to work with the Ministry of Environment, the Region and NPCA through programs such as Watersmart Niagara to improve water quality. The 2010 Draft Lake Erie North Shore Watershed Plan, prepared by the NPCA, provides a strategy to guide the protection and restoration of the health of water and water-dependent features in the drainage area, such as wetlands, forests, settlement areas and agriculture (NPCA 2010). Supporting healthy beaches for passive recreation and improving, enhancing maintaining or protecting water quality are among the objectives of the Watershed Plan (NPCA 2010). The Watershed Plan documents the natural heritage features in the area and the ecological functions that they provide, identifies factors influencing near-shore water quality and key water protection issues along the north shore of Lake Erie, and sets out numerous planning tools, programs and restoration strategies for each subwatershed area. Implementation of the Plan will require continued coordination of efforts among the Township, the Region and the NPCA in regards to future land use decisions, investments in infrastructure and lakeshore improvements, public land acquisition and parks and open space design and management. In summary, the Township s approach to improving opportunities for public access to and use of the lakefront should consider a combination of potential land acquisition strategies, the provision of appropriate facilities to formalize existing access points, the provision of lakefront recreational and tourism infrastructure, and a coordinated approach to acquisition, design and long term management in partnership with the NPCA and the Region. Plans for future waterfront access improvements should also link to and build upon existing regional and local waterfront and tourism strategies such as the Lakefront Enhancement Strategy, Niagara Region Tourism Strategy, Waterfront Regeneration Trust, Watersmart Niagara, Lake Erie North Shore Watershed Plan and other related programs and initiatives. In considering acquisition and/or design and development of any lakeshore properties for public access and use, the Township should work with the Region and NPCA to determine the most appropriate and desirable design and management plan for each potential site. 3-14

30 3.2.7 Welland River The Welland River is also a significant feature of the Township. It defines the northerly Township boundary. Currently, public access to the river on the south bank is limited to the Chippawa Creek Conservation Area in the north-west area of the Township. The Conservation Area provides canoe access to the river; however there are no staging areas or maps to guide paddlers downstream or upstream as the Welland River is not formally established as a defined canoe route. Much of the river is surrounded by farmland on both sides and the general lack of wilderness may be one reason why a canoe route has not been formally established. About 30 kilometres downstream of Chippawa Conservation Area, the river flows into the City of Welland and passage through this are by boat would be challenging as the river crosses the Welland Canal another 3 kilometres east. Upstream from Chippawa, paddlers could potentially canoe 50 km north-west to Binbrook in the City of Hamilton, provided there is sufficient water depth as the river narrows in upper reaches of this section. There are no existing trail routes established along the Welland River through Wainfleet Township. The potential establishment of a riverside conservation trail connecting to the Welland Canal Pakway Trail and the Greater Niagara Circle route to the east, and to areas west of Wainfleet, should be considered in the long term in consultation with the Region and NPCA. Interpretive and wayfinding signage could also be considered as part of a riverside trail strategy Feeder Canal The Feeder Canal was identified by several participants in the Master Plan consultation program as another feature in the Township having untapped recreational potential. There is very little information available regarding the condition of the channel, vegetation, aquatic species/habitat, water depth, quality and base flow characteristics of the Feeder Canal to support a detailed analysis of potential water-based recreational opportunities. The feasibility of activities such as canoeing and fishing would rely on a more detailed analysis of these and other factors such as the impact of existing road crossings and other potential barriers. In the winter, the Feeder Canal is used for snowmobiling when conditions allow. Skating may be a possible winter activity depending on the smoothness and thickness of the natural ice surface, which will depend on the channel characteristics and impacts of natural vegetation, and provided a suitable location is provided for skaters to access the channel along with advisory signage regarding ice conditions. In order to feasibility of public ice skating on the Canal, the Township should first consider monitoring the freeze/thaw cycle, snow accumulation and winter ice characteristics for a section of the channel in Wainfleet Village. If the monitoring yields positive results, a subsequent inventory of the Canal should be completed to identify the optimal section(s) of the channel where ice skating could be permitted and appropriate locations for public access and staging areas. The NPCA should be consulted to evaluate any natural heritage or hazard constraints to public access and use. Any sections of the Canal designated for skating would have to be blocked off and signed to prohibit snowmobile access, and prior consultation with local snowmobiling organizations should be completed in that regard. 3-15

31 Give the existing winter use of the Feeder Canal for snowmobiling it is likely that the corridor could also support cross-country skiing. Appropriate signage and travel lane demarcation would be required if the Canal is promoted for any combination of motorized and non-motorized recreational uses. The Feeder Canal has an interesting history linked to the construction of the first Welland Canal, which provides an unique opportunity for an interpretive trail with historical artefacts and signage highlighting interesting facts about the construction of the Feeder, its role in the evolution of the Welland Canal, connections to settlement in Wainfleet as well as the broader historical significance of the Canal project. This route it is evident that the Feeder has significantly naturalized over time which may present challenges to the introduction of a trail route. However, the Township may be able to learn from and build upon examples of successful trail development in other areas for similar constructed waterways (e.g. The development of a trail could be considered as part of a broader Feeder Canal restoration/ enhancement initiative. There is potential for this corridor to provide a loop connection with the Gord Harry Trail and to connect to broader trail systems including the Welland Canal Parkway Trail and Greater Niagara Circle Route in Welland to the north-east, and to Grand River trails in Haldimand County to the west Trails and Bikeways Trails in Wainfleet are primarily located within the Conservation Areas, including: The Gord Harry Conservation Trail that extends east-west across the Township along the former Grand Trunk Railway corridor, connecting conservation areas and other wildlife habitat features. The trail is 13 kilometres in length (one way) on a level grade and has a packed granular surface and is gated at each road crossing. Trailheads with parking areas and signage/maps are provided at certain road crossings. The Gord Harry Trail was developed as partnership venture between the NPCA and the Township, the Waterfront Regeneration Trust and the Trans Canada Trail. The Chippawa Creek, Long Beach, Wainfleet Bog and Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Areas offer nature trails internal to the site for walking/hiking as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; The Morgan s Point Conservation Area provides a nature trail and boardwalk. The Township Official Plan adopted in 2010 recommends a cycling route network linking existing parks and conservation areas, connecting to the hamlets and the Gord Harry Trail. The proposed route also reflects the Region s Bikeway Master Plan and the Greater Niagara Circle Route. Some of the bike lanes have been implemented including the recent addition of bike lanes by the Township with funding assistance from the Region along Feeder Road East as part of the reconstruction of this section of roadway between Wainfleet Village and Malowany Road. Cycling lanes are also currently provided in the following locations: Station Road (Regional Road 3); Concession Road 1 between Station Road and Highway 3; 3-16

32 River Road (Regional Road 27); Vineland Townline Road (Regional Road 24) between Willford Road and River Road; and, Forks Road (Regional Road 23) between Feeder Road East and the easterly Township boundary. The Regional Policy Plan in RPPA modified the Region s bicycling policies to include a number of important changes including Policy 9.F.3 which identifies possible Regional funding for the bicycling facility where the Regional Bicycle Network is on a Local Road. RPPA and the related map schedule illustrating the Niagara Region Bicycle Network, as well as the Region s Model Municipal Bicycle Transportation Policies are included in Appendix II. The Model Policies should be considered for incorporation in the Township of Wainfleet Official Plan. Map 1 (Appendix I) illustrates the existing trails and cycling routes/facilities in Wainfleet. The following additional trail opportunities and suggestions were identified through the consultation program: Gord Harry Trail could be connected through Port Colborne to Friendship Trail in Fort Erie. Incorporating an integrated trail network into the Lakeshore area this would provide better public access to the Lakeshore area, and potentially promote active transportation modes, reducing automobile traffic along Lake Shore Road. Opportunities for a waterfront trail along the shoreline should be explored. Potential for trail development along the Feeder Canal connecting to the Gord Harry Trail in the south-west and the Welland Canals Parkway Trail system and Greater Niagara Circle Route to the north-east. The use of unopened Township road allowances for motorized or non-motorized trail activities. Expansion of the network of on-road cycling lanes should be considered as part of road reconstruction projects. Potential for long-term trail development along the Welland River. There is potential in Wainfleet to attract significant tourism to the area, and specifically trail tourism, through an expanded and enhanced network of trails and cycling routes, particularly with connections to the broader Regional trail network. Enhanced trails and cycling tourism opportunities would benefit the local and regional economy. There is also an opportunity to establish connections to the west of Wainfleet by linking to existing and proposed on- and off-road routes in Haldimand County. The Haldimand County Trails Master Plan recommends a Riverside Trail along the Grand River, connecting to the Gord Harry Trail, all part of the designated multi-use Trans Canada Trail route. Haldimand County also has plans for a scenic on-road cycling route generally following the north coast of Lake Erie from Lowbanks to Port Maitland, northwest into Dunnville, across the Grand River, south to the Lake Erie Coast, westerly along the coast to Selkirk, along Rainham Road, then along New Lakeshore Road into Port Dover (Haldimand County Trails Master Plan, 2010). This could connect with a shoreline trail in Wainfleet. In addition, the County Trails Master 3-17

33 Plan recommends upgrades to the Grand Valley Trail route from Byng Island Conservation Area through Dunnville toward Rock Point Provincial Park, connecting with the existing Gord Harry Trail (Trans Canada Trail) via a route along the Feeder Canal Other Parks, Open Space and Outdoor Recreation Facilities There are two park sites located on the north side of Lakeshore Road. One of these sites is located west of Daley Ditch Road, having an area of 0.8 ha (2.1 acres) in size and contains an existing tennis court and natural area (woodlot). The other location is the Lions Community Centre site at Lakeshore Road and Erie Street having an area of 0.5 ha (1.2 acres) and contains open space in addition to the community centre facility. In addition there are three golf courses in the Township, including the Port Colborne Country Club, Waterpark Golf Course and Longbeach Golf Course. 3.3 Facility Utilization The Wainfleet Arena is the only facility the Township schedules, operates and maintains. The ball, soccer fields and other facilities are maintained by the Township, but the user groups are responsible for scheduling and related endeavours, including line painting on fields. Table 3-4 examines the utilization of the Wainfleet Arena for a typical week. It identifies that the arena is normally open approximately 170 hours a week, of which 67 hours are considered prime time. Nonprime time exists on Mondays to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., involving 40 hours a week. Table 3-4 Typical Week Wainfleet Arena Utilization Profile Days of Week Timeframe Available Hours Used Hours Utilization Rate (%) # % Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m Monday to Friday 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m Saturday and Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m Total Total Prime Time Source: Township of Wainfleet Typically, 6.5 hours or 15.7% of the available non-prime time ice is booked which is primarily two free skates and similar uses. Relative to prime time utilization, which is the key indicator of the arena facility utilization, 67 hours a week are available, being Monday to Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. In total, for an average week, 62.5 hours of prime 3-18

34 time is booked or 93.3% of the scheduled prime time hours. In total, of the 170 hours available in a typical week, 69 hours are booked, representing an overall usage rate of 64.5%. In evaluating arena activity, prime time is a key indicator of demand, as there are limited opportunities for daytime Monday to Friday hours as children are in school, people are working and there are a host of other challenges. Non-prime time hours are often used for school recreation and phys-ed programs; senior s skates; Mom, Pops and Tots skates; free skates; and shinny hockey programs. However, since the Township does not deliver programs, no broader programming is undertaken in these areas. The prime time hours are within an excellent usage range. It is often considered that 90% to 93% prime time hour utilization represents near full utilization, as the other remaining prime time hours are often late evenings or other times that are more difficult to sell. The current use profile indicates a reasonably well utilized arena for prime time hours with no evident indications of demand for additional ice capacity from user groups. Table 3-5 examines the user profile for the Wainfleet Arena. The Wainfleet Minor Hockey Association is the largest user, 42.0% of utilized hours, followed by the Wainfleet Figure Skating Club, 14.5%. The Wainfleet Minor Hockey League, which is connected to the Wainfleet Minor Hockey Program, undertakes 10.9% of the hours, while private adult rentals represent 18.8%. Free and public skating, along with other itinerant uses, represent another 13.8% of the use. The dominant user base for the facility is youth living within Wainfleet, representing over two thirds of a typical weeks rented hours. Also, another 6% is utilized for public and free skating resulting in approximately 16% of the use being for adult activities. The data indicates the significant emphasis on youth utilization of the facility. The youth usage has discounted rental rates. With limited adult utilization, a single pad arena could expect to incur larger operating deficits and require higher operating subsidies. User Groups WMHA WMHL WFSC Private Free Skate Public Skate Table 3-5 Typical Week Wainfleet Arena User Profile Others (variable) Available Hours # % The arena also has the Moore Room which can Source: Township of Wainfleet accommodate approximately 70 to 80 people. It is available for public events, meetings, family reunions and program use. It does receive some use but on a limited basis, with estimates indicating that its utilization is less than 25% of availability. Also in the arena, is the Seniors Room. It is set up with tables and chairs, covered tables, etc. The overall layout and furniture supports socially oriented seniors activities. It is used almost exclusively for senior s activities two afternoons per week due to the permanent room set-up Total

35 3.4 User Fees Table 3-6 outlines the user fees for Township operated facilities. These fees all have HST additional. The data indicates the following: a 38% discount for minor hockey and figure skating which is fairly typical for municipal arenas; a prime time rate of $ which would be at the lower end of larger municipality s rates for ice time; a non-prime time rate of $ which generates limited or no revenue for the Township; there is a separate elementary school rate of $19.47; there are discounts for student, secondary schools and church youth groups, as well rental rates for use prior to 8:00 a.m. on weekdays; arena advertising rates are identified, as is a park pavilion rental rate for summer use. Table Facility Rental Rates ARENA Prime per hour Prime per 1 ½ hours Non-Prime per hour Student rates per hour Minor Hockey & Figure Skating rate per hour Spring School Elementary School rate Secondary Schools & Church Youth Groups Rental Rates prior to 8:00 a.m. (weekdays): Non-Wainfleet Minor Hockey or Figure Skating rate per hour ADVERTISING SIGNS IN ARENA 4x4 per year 4x8 per year Board space per 3 years (1, over 3 years) PARK PAVILION Per Hour Per Year Per Use With Hydro and Washrooms NOTE: All rates subject to applicable taxes Source: Township of Wainfleet 3-20

36 The Township does examine the rates in other arenas in order to remain competitive and to reflect the fact there are increasing arena facilities being developed in the broader market area. The arena pricing information indicates several different rates, some of which do not appear to attract much user activity, such as the non-prime time rate and the secondary school / church group rates. Some consideration to consolidate rates may be beneficial in order to simplify the pricing menu and to attract additional activity during the non-prime time hours. 3.5 Towns hip Parks and R ecreation Financial Activity Table 3-7 consolidates the 2007 to 2010 actual and 2011 budgeted Township Operating Financial Profile for parks and recreational services. This data represents only the Township s investments for the years cited Operating Table to 2010 Actual and 2011 Budgeted Township Operating Financial Profile for Parks and Recreation Services $ % $ % $ % $ % $ % REVENUE SOURCES Administration - Complex 6,125 Village Parks - Arena 167,732 Community Hall 2,005 Total Revenue 175,862 EXPENSES Administration 170,340 Complex 29,401 Village Parks 269 Arena 255,272 Community Hall 18,770-50, , , , , , , , , , ,476 5, ,349 2, , ,230 32,216 2, ,720 12, ,521 6, ,290 2, , ,108 35,747 5, ,186 15, ,000 6, ,000 2, , ,327 41,000 7, ,598 Total Expenses 474, , , , , NET RESULT Administration -170, , , , , Complex -23, , , , , Village Parks , , , , Arena -87, , , , , Community Hall -16, , , , , Total Net Results -298, , , , , Per Capita Charge $ (66,000 residents) Coverage Rate Source: Township of Wainfleet 15,

37 For the five years, revenues vary widely, reflecting variable year to year capital activity. What is noteworthy, is that the arena is the primary source of revenue, ranging from a high of nearly $219,000 in 2008 to a low of $167,700 in Revenue from the soccer complex and the community hall are typically per year around $6,000 and $2,500 respectively per year. In the high years, with capital cost influences, the arena generates approximately 90% to 95% of the revenues, except for 2008 when a $51,000 grant was received by the administrative unit. In terms of expenses, the arena is the largest component of the cost structure, generally in the $360,000 range, while administration has been as high as 49.9% in 2008 and as low as 24.7% budgeted for Expenses for the soccer complex have gravitated from $29,400 a year to $41,000 projected in Similarly, the village park costs have been variable but have moved to an anticipated $7,800 in The community hall costs are variable but tend to be $15,000 per year on average. In total, revenues historically, have been averaging approximately $190,000 to $195,000 a year, with expenses in the order of $511,000 to $564,000 per year, except in 2007 which was $474,000. Administration generates minimal revenues and historically has represented a significant portion of the net deficit structure, being a high of 71.5% with capital grants in 2008 to lower proportions in recent years in the 40% range. The soccer complex is a smaller proportion of the net deficit structure, but has gravitated to the 11% level, while village parks represent a small portion of the total deficit structure. The arena, with its significant revenues and capital projects that have been implemented, typically is in the 40% to 45% range of the net deficit structure. On a net basis, the Township is investing annually from a low of $298,000 in 2007 to a high $367,000 in A $316,000 investment is identified for budget On a per capita cost basis, considering 6,600 residents in the Wainfleet population, there has been high variability. Some $55.58 per capita was spent in 2009 at the high end, with $41.98 per capita in The Township on average spent approximately $50.00 per person per year for park and recreation services delivery. A coverage rate represents the percent the revenues generated by an operating unit for parks and recreation represent against the direct costs incurred. Again, these are variable due to capital considerations, but the Township is consistently below 50%, generally averaging around 35% of its revenues covering its direct costs. This would be a lower outcome than is seen in many municipalities that typically strive for 50% to 60% consistent coverage. Larger municipalities are often striving for coverage in the 75% range. Coverage is a measure that is getting increasing consideration from municipalities as the cost of parks and recreations services on a direct basis, grow. Table 3-8 examines the operating financial pro forma for the Wainfleet Library. Its revenues are significantly impacted by grants from external sources as identified in Earned revenues have typically been in the $24,000 to $63,000 range. Operating expenses have historically ranged between $323,000 to nearly $400,000 for both operating and facility costs. As a result, it net operating deficits have been in the order of $300,000 or greater per year on a annual basis. The Township funds the 3-22

38 Library from an operating reserve and direct Township support which typically is in the order of $300,000 a year, though it varies from a low of $244,000 in 2010 to a high of $363,000 in The net per capita costs range widely due to the different year to year impacts, with a low of $42.28 per Wainfleet resident to a high of $ The coverage ratio is typically under 15% except for 2009 when it was 18.1%. Table to 2011 Actual and 2011 Budgeted Wainfleet Library Financial Operating Profile Revenues 44,468 33,771 63,307 38,956 23,866 Expenses Operating 301, , , , ,820 Facility 22,499 16,501 17,104 23,265 21,164 Total Expenses 323, , , , ,984 Net Result -279, , , , ,118 Funding from Reserves, Township and Surplus 279, , , , ,118 Net Result ,344 - Per Capita Change $ (6,600 residents) Coverage Rate (%) Source: Township of Wainfleet Since public libraries are not allowed to charge direct user fees under the Ontario Libraries Act, public libraries are dependent on municipal support supplemented by small areas of income, along with annual grants. The financial operating pro forma for the Wainfleet Library is typical of operating a library where volumes would be limited due to population size and dispersal, proximity of other libraries in neighbouring municipalities, and the cost for services are significant, requiring considerable public investments in order to sustain quality services Capital Funding In support of capital investments, whether renewal or new developments, the Township is primarily dependent on external grants, community fundraising and property taxes. The Township currently does not have a Development Charges By-Law though this is being assessed at this time. Development Charges are often supportive to park and recreation investments if development growth is occurring. Based on January 2011 data, the Township has approximately $29,822 in the Parkland Dedication Fund. There are no specific Parks and Recreation Reserves. Therefore, there are limited capital funds available to support the renewal of existing infrastructure or for new development. The Township has started to allocate funds for arena fire code upgrades which are anticipated to be in the order of $500,000 if all elements identified are implemented. 3.6 Vis itor Profile The following analysis is derived from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture s Tourism 2008 Profile for the Regional Municipality of Niagara. Table 3-9 highlights the origin of visitors to the Niagara Region. The 3-23

39 table illustrates that the majority of visitors whose trip purpose is Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR), business or personal originate from Ontario. Of note, almost half of the visitors to Niagara for pleasure are from the United States. Table 3-9 Person Visits (Main Purpose of Trip) Total Visits (000s) Overnight Visits (000s) Origin Pleasure VFR Business Personal Pleasure VFR Business Personal Total 5,701 2, ,205 2,721 1, Ontario 2,855 2, , Other Canada U.S. 2, , Overseas Source: Ministry of Tourism and Culture s Tourism 2008 Profile for the Regional Municipality of Niagara Table 3-10 Person Visits: Activity Participants by Origin Total Visits (000s) Activity Total Ontario Other Canada U.S. Overseas Visit Friends / Relatives 3,120 2, Festivals / Fairs Cultural Performances Museums / Art Galleries Zoos / Aquariums Sports Events Shopping 2, , Sightseeing 2, , Bars / Nightclubs Casinos 1, Theme Parks National / Provincial Nature Parks 1, Historic Sites 1, Any Outdoor/Sports Activity 1, Boating Golfing Fishing Hunting Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding Source: Ministry of Tourism and Culture s Tourism 2008 Profile for the Regional Municipality of Niagara 3-24

40 Based on the information in Table 3-10, the top activities for visitors to Niagara Region are historic sites, nature parks, casinos, and sports activities (with boating being the preferred activity). In total, 70% of all visitations into Niagara Region are visitors on day trips while 30% are overnights. The average overnight length of stay was 2.2 nights in 2002 and 2.1 nights in R egional R ecreation Facilities Surrounding the Township of Wainfleet are a number of new and moderately-aged major recreation facilities that are in close proximity to a large portion of Wainfleet s residents. In Port Colbourne, a new twin pad arena has been recently opened with full amenities and contemporary capacities. It has replaced aged facilities and provides excellent ice resource for youth and adult activities. In addition, the Municipality operates an indoor pool located in a secondary school, plus several tennis courts and a wide range of outdoor soccer fields, plus two community halls. In the City of Welland, a twin pad arena exists in the community as does an outdoor pool. The Welland YMCA operates an indoor pool, gymnasium and related fitness facilities. The Town of Pelham operates a single ice pad arena, tennis courts and sports fields. The County of Haldimand is building a new arena in Dunnville to open in September 2011 on the northern boundary of Wainfleet. It is scheduled to be a replacement facility for the existing Dunnville Arena, though some public pressure is being exerted to sustain that facility. The arena is being developed as a multi-use facility with a hall currently under construction. Future plans call for an indoor pool, outdoor sports fields, possibly twinning the first ice pad and other services. In close proximity, that is in less than a fifteen minute driving time, there are six other ice surfaces, two indoor swimming pools and numerous tennis courts and sports fields. There is considerable capacity in the immediate regional area directly abutting Wainfleet which is available for adult ice use, as well as considerable indoor aquatic opportunities based on the size of the population of the neighbouring communities. 2 Ministry of Tourism and Culture s Tourism 2008 Profile for the Regional Municipality of Niagara 3-25

41 VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN 4 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION 4.1 Introduction Several streams of community consultation were completed in support of the Situation Analysis Report for the development of the Wainfleet Recreation Master Plan. These included a series of focus groups and interviews; a universally distributed household survey; and a community workshop. The following material highlights the results from the various community consultation activities. 4.2 Focus Groups and Interviews Introduction Some twenty (20) focus groups and individual interviews were undertaken with community service provider organizations, service clubs, interest groups, various levels of Township staff and Council. The following material summarizes the responses to the questions posed in these sessions. All the sessions were initiated with three facilitation questions: The strengths and key attributes of the parks, recreation and culture opportunities and services delivery in Wainfleet; Areas of improvement / weaknesses and concerns related to these services; Future perspectives, over the next ten plus years, on how the community will change and the evolving leisure needs of Wainfleet residents; Service Clubs Three individuals representing the Wainfleet Lions and the Fair Board participated in this focus group. Strengths The Lake Erie shore and recreation opportunities; The Wainfleet complex and arena; The heritage resources and village; Being a rural area, with a high quality of life but in close proximity to urban services; Eco-tourism, the natural area and the Wainfleet Bog; Good soccer and minor sports programs; An excellent trail system if used properly. C hapter: COMMUNITY CONSULTATION 4-1

42 Areas for Improvement / Concerns Limited growth in the community due to the limitations of the natural areas which effects what can be undertaken, both financially and land development wise; Being a dispersed rural area, transportation for children to access programs and services, use their bikes on highways, etc., is a challenge; Have lost some good opportunities for parks, such as the former Easter Seal Park; An aging community population, with many younger people moving out; There are limited activities available for seniors ; Not a lot of park areas for picnicking / group activities; Baseball is experiencing declines; Declining school enrollment and youth population, potential loss of an elementary school; Some of the trails allow horses which dig up the trails and create other challenges; Some of the trails do not have paved surfaces which impacts the use by seniors and those with mobility challenges; Some of the trails are not connected into an integrated trail system, such as the Friendship Trail and the Greater Niagara Circle Route. Future Perspectives How to utilize the Wainfleet Bog more effectively, as well as the lakeshore; Targeting the fifteen to nineteen year old aged individuals for activities; Use of the Feeder Canal in terms of achieving a historical designation and as a linear recreational corridor from Welland to Port Maitland. It could be used for biking, hiking, recreational and historical / heritage activities; More weekend recreation in terms of sport tourism; Greater effort by the Township on marketing, information sharing and awareness creation of what is available; Using the school facilities more intensively, especially for youth programs; Increased seniors programs; Effectively dealing with the arena in terms of accessibility and building and fire code challenges. Should it be replaced or renovated? Potential need for a larger meeting hall, along with a teen space and activities; Creating opportunities for motor bikes, ATV s and other similar activities to reduce illegal road and land uses. There should be an ATV trail; Improve Morgan Park which looks abandoned; Developing infrastructure / amenities along the lakeshore in terms washrooms, parking, garbage collection, etc. This is a major consideration; 4-2

43 Splash pad, skateboard park and related activities / venues need to be considered; Lacrosse, basketball and volleyball also represent new program opportunities; Possible consideration should be given to creation of a new Recreation Board for planning, delivery, communications and related services coordination and integration. Wainfleet Agricultural Society Has gone through some revitalization and had a declining membership. There is now up to two hundred individuals with a core of twenty-four members; The Fair has moved from 1,200 to 5,000 attendees, and is a top agricultural fair in a small town; The Fair does not have the level of midway rides that is necessary to grow attendance, as there appears to be three fairs ongoing for every midway rides company available; The desire of the Agriculture Society is to grow the Fair and to integrate more effectively with recreation, education and community initiatives; Could use a facility for year round use / activities; The Fair s is the primary activity of the Agricultural Society, operating from Thursday to Saturday night in September; The Fair s uses the Wainfleet Arena is the reason why ice is not introduced into the arena until approximately October 1 st. Wainfleet Lions An aging membership with approximately twenty members maintained for the last eight years; The principal role is events and fundraising, along with working with schools on scholarships, and helping out with hockey and figure skating; The Lions Hall can accommodate sixty four people, has a Community Policing Office in the summer and has some small rentals through the course of the year; The Lions have been significant fundraisers for the arena, Fireman s Hall and other projects, and was the primary driver behind building the Wainfleet Arena and the original tennis courts; Strong willingness to work with other community groups to support community initiatives; Indicated that other community organizations have diminished or have been decommissioned because of declining membership, aging, etc. The 4-H Club remains an active community group Service Provider Groups Eight individuals representing Wainfleet Minor Hockey, Wainfleet Figuring Skating Club, Wainfleet Minor Soccer and the Wainfleet Seniors Program participated in the focus group. Strengths A nice arena, which is a hub of activity in the community; Don t have to pay additional fees to use the Moore Room; The Township does subsidize the use of the fields and the arena; 4-3

44 Having the soccer fields on one site is excellent, as program operators don t have to move around. Areas of Improvement / Concerns Very little for children and youth to do in the community other than some selected organized sports; The condition of the soccer fields needs to be improved; Recreation has very limited focus in the community, and no real central leadership or direction. Communications are also relatively poor and not integrated; The Township is only a facility provider and does not undertake any leadership role; Declining volunteer numbers is becoming a challenge, with a small group of people doing more and more; There is a lack of vision, direction, integration, planning and communications for this area of service in the Township; Future Perspectives Arena and sports field s upgrading are going to be important; Need more direction, purpose and leadership, plus investment to make recreation more important in the community, and to provide opportunities for children and youth to do things; Developing the waterfront, with more amenities is an important initiative; Need to determine what the role of the Township is, that is, more than facilities provision in providing parks and recreational opportunities. Wainfleet Senior s Program Twenty participants are active in the Senior s Room at the arena which holds fifty individuals. Up to thirty individuals come to events; The group members are primarily in their seventies to early nineties. The number has increased a little, partially because of the exercise group; The program is offered two afternoons per week in a room dedicated to the seniors; Unfortunately seen as an old people s group which is not attracting to younger seniors; May need to change the name and reposition the activities to attract younger mature adults as a few more people are needed; Very happy with the room and do not want to be placed in the Moore Room. Wainfleet Minor Soccer Association Have increased to 400 registrations but believe they have peaked; Have added a year to the program which now extends from five to fifteen years of age; Approximately one quarter of the participants come from outside Wainfleet; They utilize eleven working fields, with a twelfth field dormant; The house league program runs two nights a week, and there are a few other user groups; 4-4

45 The Township maintains the fields and the club is responsible for the line-painting and scheduling; The twelfth field needs tile drainage which hasn t happened to date. It has been deferred by the Township; Securing adequate coaches and managers has become more of a challenge; Operate with twenty-four teams in four divisions. Wainfleet Figure Skating Club Have eighty-five skaters, but at one time there were 170 participants and the club was one of the largest clubs in the region; There is a twelve member Board; There is no challenge in achieving coaches who are paid; Skate Canada is eliminating the recreational skate program which could create a challenging future for the club; It is difficult being a smaller club in terms of covering costs, volunteers, etc.; Are satisfied with their ice allocation, though there is not enough dressing rooms. Coaching and equipment rooms would be helpful; Their annual major event is the carnival which requires additional storage; Have a positive relationship with the Township. Wainfleet Minor Hockey Association Registration has been declining. At one time there were 400 participants. Last year there were 190. It is anticipated that over the next few years registrations could decline to 150 children; Fewer younger players are coming into the system, partly due to the declining youth population but also the cost to participate and the drive times and costs; Becoming more challenging to secure coaches and managers A girls change room is needed, as up to four girls teams are changing at one time; There is concern that some of the teams are less competitive, and that could discourage some participation; The bantam level has been eliminated with the participants sent to Port Colborne due to limited registration. This is an example of where the Association may be down to one team per division; Efforts are being made to bring a Triple A team to Wainfleet within the regional setup; There has been some discussion as to whether they should merge with the Phelham Minor Hockey Association. The Wainfleet Arena is a good facility and there are few complaints. It is always clean; A fryer in the canteen would be a positive addition. 4-5

46 4.2.4 Community Recreation Organizations Nine representatives of the Model Flyers, Sky-Dive Burnaby, Niagara Age-Friendly Community / Niagara Free-Wheelers, Shorthill Cycling Club and the Niagara ATV Club participated in this focus group. Strengths The regional bicycling map, which includes an I-Phone App; Cycling opportunities in the Niagara Region are the best in Ontario-great roads and routes; Bike lanes are a good start. Region is making contributions to bike lanes on existing and future local roads; Great beach for sea kayaking, wind surfing and kite surfing; The Region of Niagara purchased water front property with 300 ft. of beach frontage. Parking, washrooms and access to Long Beach is needed; Welland River is a great paddling route; Marshville Heritage Village engages the whole community; Wainfleet is made up of smaller communities with considerable diversity in terms of the waterfront, agriculture, etc.; Station Road Landfill was converted to a park. Areas for Improvement / Concerns Need a water route map like the cycling route map; Outdoor oriented tourism and recreation is underdeveloped; Little promotion of active transportation with local cycling memberships and networks, or facility supports; Wainfleet should be promoted as Niagara s Playground ; Need to promote local events, clubs, recreation tourism-organizations, etc., such as the Fun Fly Event, Winter Frost Bite Bike Race and the Marshville Heritage Festival; The Gord Harry Trail has some disconnects between the Wainfleet and Port Colborne sections which need to be connected to create a more integrated cycling route. Need staging areas and trail heads; Opportunity for a waterfront trail should be explored; Consideration for senior s program should be elevated; Unopened road allowances provide trail opportunities; Winter accessibility to trails should be considered. Future Perspectives Expand the membership of the organizations; Provide promotion and advertising of Wainfleet s trail opportunities; 4-6

47 Increase heritage and culture focuses and priorities; Increase children s and senior s programming; Look at the opportunities in conservation-oriented programs and for eco-tourism; Make decisions around active transportation initiatives; Get more people involved in cycling in Wainfleet; Access to legal trails for mountain-biking needs to be considered; Consider a farmer s market; Increased trail stewardship. Rural City Model Flyers Operate from Feeder Road in Wainfleet on a one acre site privately owned that is accessed by an unopened municipal road allowance; Need an isolated location. The current site is ideal; Would help if the road was graded; Wainfleet has helped in the past with providing access. Skydive Burnaby Operate from a private airfield; Have a range of participants from users to experts; Have owned the property since 1948; The current focus is on first time participants; Provide training services; Is a licensed authority; Works well with the community and the Township. Quad Niagara ATV Club An incorporated club, similar to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs; Have linked together unassumed roadways; Working hard to get ATVs out of private fields and farmlands onto organized ATV venues; 4-7

48 A regional club with forty-three members. However with no land to ride on, membership is limited; The larger the trail system the greater the funding that will be available; Host several key events, such as ATV Expo which had 5,000 people attend in Haldimand, along with charity rides; Give back to the community, such as contributions to the breast cancer; Would like to see the decommissioned landfill site as a potential venue; Wainfleet is an ideal area for ATVing due to its rural areas and potential sites; The club does undertake activities in all the communities within the Region of Niagara, and have a trail in Niagara Falls and a proposal in Plenham, plus is opening discussions with West Lincoln and St. Catharines; The events undertaken have significant economic impact potential. One example is a $1000 per rider for the weekend event in North Bay for breast cancer; Would like to keep the economic impact local and not go out to other communities because the riders have nowhere to go in the Region; Parks and Recreation Operation Staff Four members of the Parks and Recreation staff participated in this focus group. Strengths The arena is clean and well kept; Overall maintenance is good; The indoor and outdoor facilities are well used, with estimated arena usage at 95% plus for prime time and 18% for daytime hours; Public skating generates sixty to seventy participants per session, though this is down a bit; Positive feedback from user groups regarding quality of maintenance; Current arena concession operators doing a good job. Areas for Improvement / Concerns Some members of the community believe the arena should be fully booked all the times, but the downtime during weekdays is critical for maintenance and ice quality management; Some affordability issues effecting minor hockey participation. Have tried to jump start the program with limited success; 4-8

49 Need to do more promoting, build awareness of facilities and programs availability; Making facilities available for use at the time they are desired is a challenge. As an example, tennis courts are well used on Friday nights, but lights aren t turned on as staff are not working at that time; Arena needs more common space, at least two more dressing rooms for a total of six due to the overlap of teams arriving while other teams are playing; as well as for female players and referee dressing rooms; Figure skating needs space in the arena for users and storage; Upgrades are needed to the arena concession space; Operating staff are in capacity. Only have fulltime staff with no part time staff. Other areas have reported that introducing weekend part timers have resulted in lower quality ice. They do not take the same care that full time staff do; Require one more soccer field. Have added one more field but there are drainage issues; Need to repair or replace the benches around the sports fields as they are unsafe; Insufficient restrooms at the sports complex. Have added Port-a-Potties for soccer; Minor hockey is the biggest arena user but their numbers are declining. Future Perspectives Opportunity to develop a walking path around the sports fields so that families, parents, grandparents, etc. can use it while one member of the family is attending a soccer or baseball practice / game; Should consider a new washroom building with storage spaces and a new concession at the complex, as existing facilities are in poor condition and insufficient; More promotion to generate awareness and increased participation is needed; Build on current successes, such as free skating for seniors and kids on Tuesdays and Fridays; Need more diverse programs, especially for children and seniors. 4-9

50 Other Perspectives A structural review of the buildings and facilities is completed every five years; The arena s capital maintenance requirements have been or need to be identified for the asset management data base; The arena was constructed as a private rink by the Lion Club and other community members. It was built in sections. It is an old building but has many newer components. The oldest compressor is approximately twenty years old, and there are no original compressors left; Six minor hockey tournaments and two men s league tournaments occurred last year; Staff have limited contact with field users as their use is primarily evenings in the summertime. Soccer occurs Tuesday and Thursday evenings only. Lots of other time available; Baseball is declining, and only have two diamonds. Co-ed baseball occurs on Friday nights; Only have one playground constructed in 2010 at the complex; The Region has acquired waterfront property. The Township could be expected to maintain it; The railway corridor has been offered up to property owners. This is a challenge and has resulted in piece-meal ownership situation; There is only a $20 difference between prime and non-primetime ice hour costs at the arena Senior Township Staff A focus group and two interviews were completed involving five senior Township staff. Strengths Hockey is a major activity and is significantly supported by the community. Many people are involved; Hunting and fishing have become a more significant activities; Lake Erie provides the Township some great beaches, and people come from all over Niagara to utilize them; The cottage community grows to 10,000 people in the summer which provides some interesting perspectives; 4-10

51 A good soccer presence, and registration has increased. Eleven soccer fields are now available, although they would like one or two more; Received very few complaints or concerns expressed about parks and recreation services; The library is very popular; A strong trails system and natural areas; The new playground is seen as positive and exciting; The Marshville Fall Fair is a strong event; Minor baseball is showing some come back. Areas for Improvement / Concerns The Feeder Canal is underdeveloped and has no apparent use; The arena runs an operating deficit, and the net cost of parks and recreation services is in the order of approximately $250,000 per year; The age of the arena is a concern, as well as access and fire code challenges that could be in the order of $500,000 to correct; The library is pretty well maxed out. There is a storage deficit and books cannot be kept on the site. Roof repairs have been continuous; How to better utilize the waterfront space is a major concern in terms of parking, signage, garbage collection, washrooms etc. It tends to be a free for all; The Township does provide some grants and services, such as for the Fall Fair and the Marshville Heritage Village. However, there is no strong policy structure in this area; Don t have parks in all the areas of the community, and only one playground; The parks tend to be mostly passive; The park s active focus tends to be only on sports fields; The Township has no active role in programming, and others are trying to do it but challenges are emerging. No one really has the role to go out and find out what people are interested in doing and how to bring programs and services to the community, such as lacrosse, power 4-11

52 skating, March Break programs, etc. There is no real community development function. Should this be a role for the Township? Currently only traditional sports are offered in the Township. What about splash pads, skate boards and other opportunities? The only access to the beach is through road allowances until the Region s purchase of lakeshore property; Cottagers become very upset with the parties, parking and other behaviours at the beach. This is a major area of challenge; In some of the rural areas, recreation is not a priority as they are self-directed and don t feel they should be contributing; A sense that the tennis courts and baseball fields are underutilized; A small population results in lower tax rates which makes challenges for the delivery of these services; The Township does provide services to special events and others with little return for the costs incurred; The Township does not have Development Charges currently for parks and recreation and has only $25,000 in its Parkland Dedication Fund; The library reserves are limited and they focus primarily on trying to source grants. Future Perspectives Demographics are working against minor sports, particularly hockey and figure skating; An aging population could likely project a need for more seniors services; The 2.5 acres bought the Region creates a unique opportunity but needs follow-up investment to create a really unique opportunity and to reduce conflicts. The Region does have a vision to buy land on both lakes which is supportive to Wainfleet s waterfront; ATVing is a challenge for some landowners and on roadways. A longer term solution would be helpful; The loss of the arena would be a significant negative blow to the community but how to keep it competitive and reasonably priced is going to be a challenge; 4-12

53 The library is at its maximum and may need to consider expansion in the future; The Feeder Canal represents a unique opportunity that should be capitalized on in the future; With hockey and figure skating registration down, what are the future impacts on the arena? Maybe the arena should be closed until 4:00 p.m.; New regional arena facilities in Dunnville, Port Colbourne, St. Catharines and other locations could impact the demand for ice in Wainfleet particularly for adult utilization, as many of these new facilities are within a fifteen minute drive; Lacrosse and other activities could be considered for the future, as well as indoor summer arena use; The key strategy question will be what can the arena be used for beyond current levels; Need to give consideration to a community development strategy for recreation and culture programs; The CN abandoned rail line requires some decisions by Council. The selling of certain lengths of the trail has resulted in a lack of connectivity. ATV groups have shown interest in this resource as a trail. The new Official Plan potentially could indicate its use as a trail; Potentially the Feeder Canal could have a walking / bicycle trail on one side and an ATV trail on the other; The Township should integrate its parks and recreations services more centrally into the regional economic development strategy, as well as tourism related to restaurants, bed and breakfasts, etc.; There could be one fewer elementary school in the Township in the future, going from three to two. Currently there is no reciprocal use agreements for community use of the schools; The fire code review of the arena, which was built in 1974, does represent a concern as a major potential capital cost for the Township Members of Council All members of Council participated in one on one interviews. Strengths Softball has increased in recent years after some decline; 4-13

54 Participation in soccer is on the rise; Strong minor hockey and figure skating programs; The waterfront is a significant asset; The arena and soccer facilities are well used; Good facilities for a community of 6,600 people; Strong natural, cultural and historical assets; The Marshville Heritage Festival attracts 30,000 visitors a year; The Feeder Canal, Wainfleet Bog, the lakeshore, the Welland River, the Conservation Areas, the Gordon Harry Trail, the Agricultural Fair and the Heritage Festival are all strong assets and opportunities for the community; The arena is the hub of recreational activity and is not just for hockey as it has a senior s room; A track exists for demolition derbies and tractor pulls; The library offers good programs and is strongly supported; A strong rural community where people often undertake their own recreational activities; Strong efforts to keep things affordable. Areas for Improvement / Concerns The decline in participation numbers for minor hockey and figure skating; Concerns over what will happen to arena utilization due to declining youth registrations, and how to increase them; Will amalgamation of the Wainfleet Minor Hockey Program with Pelham s program create challenges; Some 7,000 registered ATVs but no place to ride. Does an opportunity exist? Waterfront opportunities exist in terms of the Lakewood Easter Seals site, the Region s purchase of land, road allowances, etc. However, these need to be followed up with amenity investments i.e.; parking, washrooms, garbage collection, etc., in order to reduce the tensions with waterfront property owners; 4-14

55 Confusion over who owns what on the lakeshore is also a challenge; The Feeder Canal line should be restored; There is limited promotion of opportunities in the community, such as fishing, hunting, etc.; There is a lack of more diverse recreational activities, such as a skateboard park, etc.; A general perspective that the lakeshore is not being used well in terms of water-based sports, such as kite surfing, wind surfing, boat launches, etc., and also including walking and cycling; Need to develop an integrated and comprehensive access and development strategy for the waterfront dealing with all the different properties; There are opportunities for agri-tourism that are underdeveloped; The arena needs redevelopment and possibly another facility should be added to support other types of activities, such as the Fall Fair which reduces access to ice; Should the Fall Fair be considered for another location; Significant restrictions on developing the tax base of the community which presents challenges to undertake service initiatives; The arena deficiencies and the potential costs; Limited opportunities to keep children and youth active; Baseball diamonds and tennis courts are underutilized; Currently no perspective on how to use the landfill site at Station Road which is closed; In some areas, the Gord Harry Trail is becoming an eye sore, as the ATV s and horses are rutting up the trail. Future perspectives; Developing a combined trail for ATVs, snowmobiles and other uses, potentially along the Welland River and creeks; Deciding how the arena should proceed forward in terms of replacement or renewal; Potential need for a larger hall for rentals above 250 to 300 people; A future potential need for library expansion; 4-15

56 Need to give consideration to beach front development that overcomes the challenges and maximizes opportunities and economic impacts, along with sound environmental stewardship; Need to assess how to enhance parks and recreation services within a small tax base; Some of the focus should be on economic development and increasing eco-tourism, hunting and fishing, attendance at events, etc.; May need to consider a comprehensive community complex like other communities are developing for seniors, teens, ice, library, etc. Also potentially a need for a venue for visiting doctors, diabetes / flu clinics, safety evacuation centre, etc., Should consider lacrosse, skateboard, parks and other activities if they are justifiable; What is the potential of unopened road allowances for ATV trails; Need to look at enhanced community engagement, such as social outings and sports events; Consider converting the lakeshore property at Old Cove into a multi-use, four season recreational and outdoor education / agri-tourism venue, partnering with the Conservation Authority, school boards, Fair Board and others; Should not consider a twin pad facility in the future but focus on the current arena capacities. Other Perspectives Wainfleet is unique, aging and has a low tax base; With a small population, the strategies on service delivery need to be practical; A facility for youth, seniors and community events is needed; Need to integrate tourism, events, recreation and culture more effectively with enhanced promotion, and pursue more community development initiatives. 4.3 Community Workshop On April 6, 2011, at the Wainfleet Volunteer Fire-Fighter s Community Hall, some fifty-three members of the community participated in a community workshop in support of the Recreation Master Plan s development. Two larger and one smaller work table were formed. The following comments were provided to the questions posed to the participants and consolidate the results from all three tables. 4-16

57 Strengths A lot of land available across the Township; A good amount of trails / public land for hiking and cycling; A demand for skateboarding that is available in surrounding communities; Good parks, especially for younger children; A good arena; Soccer fields now available at the complex; Adequate number of baseball diamonds; The Heritage Village, Fall Fair and tractor pulls are great events; Volunteers for sports groups are available; The diversity of the population; The main recreation facilities are centralized and accessible; Strong family oriented community with traditional values; Outstanding natural environmental features on the Lake Erie shoreline, the Welland River, wild life, etc.; A safe and respectful community; Some good programs for younger children and seniors; Have been investing in trails; The waterfront activities that are available; Skydiving attracts people to the community and has won awards; The beaches that are unique and of high quality; The youth groups with the churches being key providers of service; The Lions Club and its hall; The Conservation Area resources; The Gord Harry Trail; 4-17

58 The Feeder Canal. Areas for Improvement / Concerns More activities for youth, such as skateboard park; More legal trails with better connections; Activities to keep youth more occupied; Development of an ATV facility that can also be used for dirt bikes. Should be gated with night use; Better lighting on Side Road 20 for cycling and walking; Additional outdoor basketball nets; Transportation challenges in a rural area; The aging population; The low population and the impact of services on taxes; Managing the hunters and ATV trespassing; No parking or amenities at the beach front; Challenges at the beach, with home owners having to deal with noise, intrusions and cleaning up the beach after public use; A lack of leadership within the community for recreation services planning and development; People working in silos, and there is no leadership on funding and grants acquisition; Need to finish the soccer fields. Also have drainage problems on some baseball areas; Roads are too dangerous for bicycling and walking, and therefore, have to drive to trails; The potential impact of wind turbines on the landscape; Should have more play areas, toboggan hill, etc.; Confusion over who owns the beach and where the property lines are; There is also no life-saving training in the community which is located on one of the most dangerous lakes within the Great Lakes system. 4-18

59 Future Perspectives The population will grow on a limited basis; Need more public amenities and commercial shopping; Concern over the half million dollars to improve the arena; Would like to see a fitness centre, possibly at the arena; Improve the hiking trails to facilitate bicycling and include maps and trail heads; Better communications and marketing of what is available, possibly more integrated with tourism; Likely to see more retirement aged people within the population and fewer youth; Farm consolidation could result in fewer rural homes and families; The Mid-Peninsula Corridor could split the community and change its land development profile; What will be the impact on the arena and other facility use and programs with fewer youth and more seniors? Housing is becoming less affordable which could change the population; Maybe losing one of the elementary schools which could impact the community; Need to consider green energy and the cost of travel; Have aging buildings that will have significant renewal costs; There is an increasing government focus on children s activities for lifestyle and health prevention initiatives; Will likely need a new arena within ten years. Other Perspectives Arena renewal or redevelopment needs to consider an elevated viewing hall to support tournaments, a fryer in the concession and be multi-use; A large contingent of youth attended in regards to a skateboard park with the following perspectives: o Tie such a facility into other recreation facilities; 4-19

60 o o o Need to have a half-pike, bowl, flat bank, lighting and also various ramps and rails; Could use tennis courts at times; Prepared to undertake fundraising. 4.4 Community S urvey During March of 2011, all 1,700 residential addresses in Wainfleet received a mailed Recreation Master Plan Survey. Responses were received via return mail, drop offs at key locations and through the Township s electronic website. In total, 179 or approximately 11% of municipal residential households responded. The following information profiled the responses received. Table 4-1 examines respondent longevity residing in the community. One in three residents had lived in the community eleven or more years, and almost 10%, six to ten years. Therefore, the residency of respondents tended to be longer term. Table 4-1 Longevity in Wainfleet / Number of people in household Answer Options Response Percent Total Responses Residing Less than 2 Years Residing 2 to 5 Years Residing 6 to 10 Years Residing 11+ Years 1 Resident 2 to 3 Residents 4 to 6 Residents 7+ Residents 4.5% 8 8.9% % % % % % % 6 This table also examined the number of residents in each household. Some 56.4% of respondents had two or three residents, and another 22.9% had four to six residents in their household. The data indicated almost 80% of household had between two and six individuals, suggesting both a mix of young families but also an aging population with only two residents or empty nesters. 4-20

61 Table 4-2 examines the gender and age profile of the respondent population. Approximately 47.0% were male and 53% female. This is typical of Ontario s population, which generally has a 50% to 48% ratio female to male. Table 4-2 Gender and Age Group Profile Answer Options Response Percent Total Responses Male 46.4% 83 Female 53.1% to % 4 26 to % to % % 44 In terms of respondent age profiles, almost 60% were forty-one to sixty-five year of age and another 25% over sixty-five years of age. Only 17% were forty years of age and under. The respondents reflected an older aged population with very few, 2.2% being eighteen to twenty-five year olds. This is reflective of the aging population though it is skewed more than the demographics in Section 2 indicated towards an older age profile. No conclusions on the general population s age can be considered based on this data. Table 4-3 examines respondents evaluation of parks, opens spaces and community trails. The dominant response of the four available was good for all three categories, 47.4% for parks, 45.9% for open spaces and 45.5% for trails. Excellent ratings ranged from 14% for parks to almost 18% for open spaces and trails. Approximately 60% to 66% of respondents rated these elements as excellent or good. All the fair rankings were in the mid 20% range, while the poor rankings were 14% for parks, 15% for community trails and 9% for open spaces. The data indicated high levels of positive evaluation for the outdoor landbased resources in Wainfleet. Table 4-3 Respondents Evaluation of Parks, Open Spaces, Community Trails Answer Options Excellent Good Fair Poor Total Responses # % # % # % # % Parks Open Spaces Community Trails Table 4-4 examines respondents use of the outdoor resources. The primary category of use frequency was rarely, by over 50% of respondents for parks, open spaces and community trails. Open spaces had the highest overall use levels at daily and weekly levels, while parks and community trails had the highest monthly usage. Part of this reflects the seasonal use of parks and the limited number of such resources 4-21

62 in Wainfleet. Trails are used but on limited basis. None of the resources had overwhelming use on a regularized basis, but as the usage levels indicated, more ad hoc pursuits take place. Table 4-4 Respondents Use of Resources Answer Options Daily Weekly Monthly Rarely Total Responses # % # % # % # % Parks Open Spaces Community Trails Table 4-5 examines respondents rankings of outdoor park and open spaces, and their use involving specific facilities and venues in parks and open spaces. A rating scale of 1 to 5, with a 1 being low and a five high, was used and an average rating calculated. For soccer and baseball fields, the rating average was 3.01, beach access 2.35, playground / play equipment 3.21, tennis courts 3.63, passive use areas 2.79, community trails 2.69 and other uses The rating average indicated that except for beach access, all the ratings are above the midpoint which would be a 2.5 average rating. Table 4-5 Respondent Rankings of Outdoor Parks and Open Spaces Answer Options Most Used Use Somewhat Rarely Used Never Used Rating Average Total Responses # % # % # % # % Sports Fields for Soccer and /or Baseball Beach Access Playgrounds / Play Equipment Tennis Courts Passive Use (strolling, reading, unorganized sports, etc.) Community Trail Use (walking, rollerblading, cycling) Other Uses (skateboarding, BMX, x- country skiing) Tennis courts, other uses and playground / play equipment had the highest ratings. However, except for beach access which was the most used by almost one third of respondents, all the other used facilities were identified as primarily never used. Beach access was the most heavily used over all the use categories, following by sport fields, trails and passive areas. 4-22

63 Table 4-6 examine what venues respondents had visited. Just over 75% of respondents had visited a public beach access, just over one half had visited the sportsplex, and only 13% had visited the tennis courts. The sportsplex and beach accesses have been widely used. The tennis courts had limited utilization. Table 4-6 What Venues Respondents Have Visited Answer Options Yes No Total Responses # % # % Tennis Courts A Public Beach Access in Wainfleet Wainfleet Sportsplex Park Table 4-7 examines respondents evaluation of the importance of parks, open spaces and community trails to residents quality of life in Wainfleet. Though some of these sites have limited utilization, they are widely seen as significantly important and valuable. Parks were identified by 44% of respondents as very important and by just over one third as important. Over 75% of respondents identified parks as very important or important to the quality of life in Wainfleet. Similarly for community trails, 46.2% identified them as very important and another 6.0% as important, resulting in some 72% identifying them as very important or important. Open spaces also had 46% very important and 30% important representing approximately 70% of respondents identifying them as very important or important. Respondents clearly identified the importance of these venues and resources to the community. Table 4-7 Respondent Evaluation of the Importance of Parks, Open Spaces, Community Trails and the Quality of Life Answer Options Very Important Important Somewhat Important Not Important Total Responses # % # % # % # % Parks Open Spaces Community Trails Table 4-8 examines respondents evaluation of recreation services in Wainfleet. Just over one half, 52.7% identified them as good and another 11.8% as excellent. However, one in four respondents identified them as fair and one in ten respondents as poor. Recreation service had a lower level of evaluation as to quality and importance compared to parks, open spaces and community trails. 4-23

64 Table 4-8 Respondent Evaluation of Recreation Services Answer Options Response Percent Total Responses Excellent 11.8% 20 Good 52.7% 89 Fair 25.4% 43 Poor 10.1% 17 Table 4-9 examines respondents use of recreation facilities. Special events/festivals were attended by 83.2% of respondents which is a significantly high number. Ice activities attracted exactly one half of the respondent population. These two recreation activities / facilities drew significant participation amongst respondents. Just over one half of respondent families participated in soccer, 27.4 % in adult programs and 23.8% in baseball. Youth and seniors programs drew 18.6% and 16.3% identification respectively, with community centre, gymnasium programs use at approximately 15%. The use profile identifies the significant importance and attraction of special events and festivals, and the dominant positioning of ice activities within the user mix. Soccer represents a third tier, with baseball and adult programs at fourth level. Senior s, youth and gymnasium programs all represented a fifth tier. Table 4-9 Respondents Use of Recreation Facilities Answer Options Yes No Responses # % # % Ice Activities Baseball Soccer Seniors Programs Youth Programs Community Centre or Gymnasium Programs Special Events / Festivals Adult Programs Total 174 Table 4-10 examines respondents recreation and leisure programming-based preferences. Two thirds of respondents identified a preference for adult activities for thirty-one to fifty-nine year olds, and another 53.0% for older adults sixty years of age and over. All other age categories had less than 50% identification, though children six to fourteen years of age and youth fifteen to nineteen years of age were close to the 50% identification at 49.6% and 46.2% respectively. Early years programming was identified by one third of respondents and young adult programs by 30%. Adult, older age and children / youth programs tended to be the most preferred programming age categories. 4-24

65 Table 4-10 Respondents Preference for Recreation and Leisure Programming Based on Age Groups Answer Options Yes No Responses # % # % Early Years (0-5) Children (6-14) Youth (15-19) Young Adult (20-30) Adult (31-59) Older Adult (60+) Total 170 Table 4-11 profiles respondents evaluation of current recreation programs. In terms of the rating average, all the programs were rated between 2.19 for the condition of the Fire Fighter s Memorial Community Centre, to 2.64 for the availability of seniors programs. The average ratings tended be at the midpoint, 2.5, which is where youth programs were also identified. Table 4-11 Respondent Evaluation of Recreation Programs Answer Options Excellent Good Fair Poor Rating Average # % # % # % # % Total Responses Availability of Recreation Programs Availability of Seniors Programs Availability of Youth Programs Condition of the Wainfleet Arena Condition of the Firefighters Memorial Community Centre In terms of the evaluation, all the program categories were mostly identified as being good, ranging from a low of 37.2% for availability of senior programs to a high of 62.4% for the condition of the community centre and 52.1% for recreation programs. Except for the availability of seniors program, over 50% of respondents identified the various categories as either good or excellent. Senior programs had approximately 54% as fair or good which aligns with an aging population. Table 4-12 outlines respondents family use frequency of specific recreation facilities. Again, rarely used was the most dominant response of the four responses possible, being 86.6% for the Friendship Seniors Room, 90.9% for a fitness program and 73.3% for the Moore Room. The highest regular ranking was for the Wainfleet Arena at 30.0%. All the other regular uses were less than 8%. Once in a while responses drew approximately one third of respondents to the community centre, one quarter of respondents to 4-25

66 the arena, and one in five respondents to the Moore Room. tended to have the strongest youth profiles. The arena and the community centre Table 4-12 Respondent Family or Members of Facility Use Frequency Answer Options Regularly Once in Awhile Rarely Total Responses # % # % # % Wainfleet Arena Moore Room The Firefighters Memorial Community Centre Friendship Room (Seniors) Fitness Program Table 4-13 assesses respondents rating of recreation programs and facilities contributions to resident quality of life in Wainfleet. Table 4-13 Respondent Importance Ratings of Recreation and Facilities to the Continuing Quality of Life in Wainfleet Answer Options Response Percent Total Responses Very Important 45.7% 79 Important 35.8% 62 Somewhat Important 13.9% 24 Not Important 4.6% 8 Almost 46% of respondents identified recreation facilities as very important and another 35.8% as important. Some 82% identified recreation programs and facilities as very important or important contributors to the quality of life in Wainfleet. Though use levels vary dramatically and are not necessarily intense, the recreation resources themselves are seen as having valuable contributions to the community and resident quality of life. The following chart outlines the open-ended responses to the final question in the survey. Beach access, amenities and boat launch identifications dominated the responses, being indicated thirty-one times by respondents. This was followed by eighteen identifications for more / improved trails, bike lanes and trail amenities. Improved communications, promotions and marketing, and more recreation classes, clubs and programs for youth, teens and seniors, each drew eleven responses. Beyond this level, arena renewal / improvements had nine identifications, developing the Feeder Canal six, and there were a series of other items that drew fewer responses. 4-26

67 The results of this question are consistent with what was heard in many of the focus groups and at the community workshop. The beach / lakeshore area is a high value asset, as are the trails. Gaps in terms of communications and marketing, more recreation classes and clubs and programs were also identified, all of which are leadership and coordination issues. 4.5 Cons ultation S ummary Focus Groups, Interviews and Community Workshop The following material provides the key summary points that emerge with the aggregation of all the consultation input received for the Wainfleet Recreation Master Plan. Strengths / Strongest Assets The Wainfleet Arena; The soccer complex; The library and the Marshville Heritage Village; The Lake Erie shoreline, beaches and accesses; The Gord Harry Trail and other trail elements; The wide open areas and rural landscape; The quality of life, and close knit community with traditional values; The eco and agri-tourism potential; The Seniors Room, playground and tennis courts; Number of strong and well directed community organizations, involving minor sports, sky-diving, trail groups, etc.; The committed volunteers; The improvements to the Fall Fair; The outstanding work of the Lion s Club in support of the community; The user fee levels; The growing soccer registration; The Conservation Area Parks, the Feeder Canal, the Wainfleet Bog, the closed landfill site and other assets that have potential; An excellent public library service. Areas of Improvement / Concerns Significantly declining participation rates in minor hockey, figure skating and minor baseball; The reduction of the number of young people in the population, and the possible closing of one elementary school; 4-27

68 The conflicts on the waterfront in terms of the challenges between the cottage owners and public use, as well as determining where the boundary lines are; The limited growth capacity of the community, the small population which influences program participation and viability, as well as the impact of services on a small property tax base; Transportation costs in a rural community with a broad geography; The impacts of ATVs, bicycles and horses on the trails, along with a lack of amenity services or integrated trail systems; The cost to renew the arena; Drainage issues for the twelfth soccer field and some baseball fields; The underdevelopment of the Feeder Canal, the abandoned rail line and other assets; Lack of amenities at the shoreline to attract both local users and tourists; No lacrosse, basketball, volleyball or other programs; The aging membership of the service clubs; Declines in the number of volunteers; The lack of a large facility for community gatherings of over 250 people; Very limited opportunities, other than traditional sports for children and youth to keep them busy, to spark their interests or to improve socialization; No evident leader or leadership strategy for the marketing and promotion, development, coordination, planning or other dimensions of service delivery in the community, resulting in everything being undertaken individually by community groups; The implications on the arena s viability in light of declining youth populations, potential mergers of minor hockey programs and the emergence of new arena facilities in Port Colborne, Welland, St. Catharines and other areas; Need for better trail and water route maps, trail amenities, such as trail heads and markers, etc.; No integration of tourism, recreation, culture and related activities or promotion of Wainfleet as Niagara s Playground ; Evident tensions in the community in regards to ATV use on roadways and private lands; No accessibility of trails in the winter time; Need for additional dressing rooms and storage areas, plus a fryer in the concession in the arena; Need to replace benches and undertake other sports fields improvement in the complex, including a possible new service facility with washrooms, concessions, storage, etc.; No coordinated or policy-based user fee structure; Recreation does not appear to be a priority amongst key leadership groups within the community; 4-28

69 The Township has very limited capital funding opportunities to support parks, recreation and culture development initiatives, as there is no Development Charges and there is only $25,000 in the Parkland Dedication Fund; The library may need to consider long term expansion. Also has storage and roofing challenges; The loss of Easter Seals Park in the lakeshore area; The need for a skateboard park for the youth to reduce travel times and to bring the service closer to where they live; Little promotion for hunting, fishing, agri- and eco-tourism opportunities; The roads are too dangerous for bicycling and walking, and therefore, trails are even more important; Lack any unique recreational opportunities, such as a toboggan hill, more playgrounds in local urban nodes, a splash pad and related considerations. Future Perspectives Integrating tourism, recreation and culture; Whether to rebuild or renew the Wainfleet Arena in light of significant transitions in regional ice supply, changing demographics and declining youth participation; Better utilizing the trails, the Feeder Canal and related perspectives; Developing the waterfront in the terms of both access and amenities / services, as well as for boat launching, wind surfing, kite surfing, etc.; Developing an ATV venue / trail in the community; Improving the trails, trail amenities and accessibility; Developing a coordinated / integrated leadership capacity for the planning, promotion, development and services integration of park and recreation services for the whole Township; More activities for seniors, children and youth to broaden the spectrum of opportunities available; Improved utilization of parks, open spaces and related areas that are available in the community; Potential development of a multi-use community complex, that could have an expanded library, arena, fitness room, more meeting rooms, seniors and teen spaces and related activity areas; Developing greater volunteer capacity and interest in the community; Looking to make the community Niagara s Playground, and being integrated with the Region s economical development and tourism strategies; Expanding the summer use of the arena, considering lacrosse, indoor skateboard facility, basketball, volleyball, etc.; Potential consideration of a recreation board or council to guide and lead park and recreation development in the community; Improve supports to community organizations to enhance their sustainability and viability; 4-29

70 Increasing the heritage and cultural opportunities in the community; A possibility of a walking path around the sports complex to support family healthy activities, along with a new service building with a concession, storage, washrooms, etc.; Do not consider a twin pad arena facility; Capitalize on the tremendous capacities, energy and good will of the population, service clubs and others, and develop a stronger focus on parks, recreation and culture activities to enhance the quality of life in Wainfleet Community Survey The highlights from the Community Survey were as follows: Identified an aging population who have had long residency in the community, with a balance between older empty-nest couples and families with two or more children; Intermittent use of parks, community trails and open spaces, combined with a very high value for these resources in terms of the contribution of the quality of life in Wainfleet; Higher user incidence rates for the sports fields and the arena; Average ratings for the quality of the recreation facilities and services; High value for the recreation facilities and venues relative to their contribution to the quality of life in Wainfleet; Program preferences for adults, seniors and children and youth; Most identified ideas for future considerations involved waterfront development in terms of amenities and new activities; improvement to the trails, bike lanes and more leadership coordination for parks and recreation in terms of communications, promotion and marketing and community development. 4-30

71 VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN 5 TRENDS AND STRATEGIES 5.1 Introduction In developing the Recreation Master Plan for the Township of Wainfleet, a number of key trends and strategy options and considerations are relevant in setting directions and courses of action for the ongoing development, delivery and evaluation of parks and open spaces and community trails and recreation. The following material is contributory to developing the specific services strategies and recommendations to be incorporated within the Master Plan. 5.2 S ervice Activity and Development Trends Aging and Youth Populations One of the most significant and well documented trends within Canadian society is that of the aging population. By 2016 to 2020, over 30% of most urban centre residents in Ontario will be over the age of sixty. Known as the "baby boom generation," this will have a profound impact in both the types of leisure services / activities that will be undertaken and resident servicing expectations. Today, many of the "boomers" are or are quickly moving towards an "empty nest" lifestyle. That is, their children have either left home to go to university or college or into the work world, or will be shortly. As a result, many of these adults are not raising families, have different priorities and are starting to, as they age, undertake different forms of leisure activities. Affordability, access, time available to participate, pursuing deferred interests and other impacts are occurring. Currently, the "baby boomers" are 50 to 65 years of age of which one half are 55 to 65 years of age and one half are 50 to 55 years of age. They represent a significant proportion of the population, and from a public policy perspective, have typically been the centre point to most major government public policy initiatives over the last five decades. As this generation ages, there has been clear identification politically and service delivery wise towards health oriented issues. As a result, the following trends are being identified: Increasing political importance being placed on health care services. As boomers age, they become increasingly concerned about health care. This is also augmented by the fact that over 60% of a person's health care costs on average are incurred in the last five years of life; This generation tends to pursue interests and activities based on convenience, quality and price; compared to previous generations who tended to be significantly more price sensitive with convenience as a lower priority; C hapter: TRENDS AND STRATEGIES 5-1

72 This population group can also be somewhat nostalgic, often having a "60s phenomena" and have high expectations as to what their fees will provide, the quality of service received, the instantaneousness of response to information and other customer service perspectives. Major assessments of this generation, as per the books Boom, Bust and Echo, or Sex in the Snow, have identified profiles of this population as being more inwardly looking to their own needs, having higher expectations and being uniquely different from the previous generations, which is primarily those who are associated with the depression and the war era. An aging population will have the following participation impacts in parks, recreation and related services: A rising interest in bird watching, genealogy, walking and related health / fitness / wellness oriented activities; Declining interest in joining clubs, membership-based activities. This is evident in some changing profiles for senior centres, as well as golf course memberships where there is a trend to offering multiple courses in the same membership package; An increasing trend towards private fitness centres, personal trainers and related activities. A general willingness to pay for activities, but often asking what one gets for the increased costs on a year to year basis. More like a private sector purchase interaction; Broader travel interests; Increasing interests in art, culture and heritage. Other related demographic shifts, also involve the following points: The percentage of people retiring under the age of 60 has generally increased over the last two decades, resulting in younger and healthier retirees, even though legislation now bans forced retirement at an age threshold and economic impacts could, at least, in the short term, impact pensions; Improved pensions, as well as more females retiring from the workforce with pensions, which is uniquely different than when seniors discounts were established thirty years ago for a different type of seniors demographic and financial situation; Many early retirees and other seniors are undertaking consulting, part time contracts and ongoing work activities, or pursuing hobbies or deferred interests on a vocational basis; Seniors populations are showing interest in increased physical fitness and other related activitybased programming which is different from the more traditional socialization oriented leisure programming for older adults. In conjunction with the aging trends and impacts, is the fact that the birth rate as per the 2006 Census indicates 1.5 children per family, which has stabilized at a low level after a period of decline from over three children per family in to 1950s and 1960s. Many couples are not having children or only having one child. The projections for most urban environments in Ontario, is that for the 0-19 population over 5-2

73 the next twenty years, to either remain stable in terms of their current absolute numbers of individuals in these age categories or to actually see declines in the number of youth. The question in regards to youth services is not that youth are going to disappear or that there is going to be less of them, rather, it is more the fact that there will not be significantly more of them which has been the traditional planning profile for parks and recreation services for the last forty to fifty years. Therefore, proportionately, they will represent a reduced segment of the total population which is a uniquely different planning framework. As a result of the demographic shifts over the next fifteen years, there will be more mature adults in terms of numbers who are looking for different types of recreation and park opportunities while there will not be a growing but rather a likely stable or declining youth population. This trend uniquely changes some of the perspectives as to the planning and delivery of park and recreation services from what has historically been the benchmark of the last decades. The Echo Boom generation, now 28 to 39 years of age, has left secondary school and post-secondary institutions. They were the last identifiable growthoriented youth age cohort. The future of children and youth services will now focus on existing or declining youth population volumes. For Wainfleet, the population of children and youth is scheduled to decline proportionately and in absolute numbers Changing Cultural Face of Canada Due to birth rate declines, Canada needs approximately 300,000 plus net new immigrants per year to sustain its current population. This is felt to be a significant goal for the country in order to ensure a stable and growing economy. As a result, Canada has encouraged immigration from around the world in order to meet these particular policy objectives and strategic outcomes, probably more so than any other country. What has significantly changed related to immigration has been the source of new immigrants and refugees. Traditionally they have come from northern Europe, the Mediterranean area and related regions in large numbers through the later part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. In the last twenty years, they have increasingly been arriving from non-traditional sources, such as the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America. Many of these individuals have also been refugees from war torn, impoverished countries, with no fundamental experiences or traditions in regards to leisure activities, education, health care, etc. Others have come with a different array of leisure experiences, involving soccer, cricket and other leisure activities specific to their culture but of limited exposure historically in Canada. From a park and recreation services perspective, an ethnically diverse population creates communication requirements to inform and educate new Canadians about services, ranging from everything from how to source information to encouraging participation in new activity experiences. This trend also can impact the types of services that people are interested in, ranging from increased soccer participation, to reduced interest in activities that they may have no history in, such as ice-based sports, baseball, fitness and related considerations. 5-3

74 5.2.3 Sports Activities There are some significant changes occurring within minor and adult sports activities which is one of the cornerstones to parks and recreation planning and development. In terms of field sports, a number of key trends are emerging. The first is the substantive growth in soccer. Soccer has grown in the early 2000 s to over 500,000 registered youth soccer players in Canada, both male and female. It now has the highest level of minor sports registration for any sporting activity in Canada. A projection by Soccer Canada, 2004, forecasted that registration by 2010 will be over 1,000,000 participants which effectively doubles the participation rate in soccer if this outcome were to occur, which is twice the registration for hockey. Soccer has four key attributes that are attracting participation: Low cost of participation; More structured / definable times during the summer months which are valued by busy families; Superior aerobic activity and benefit compared to baseball, golf and similar activities; Connections to immigrant population experiences and interests as it is the dominant global sport. With the significant increases in youth soccer also come growth in women's and men's adult soccer and the introduction of Master's soccer leagues. These are following the same courses / patterns that adult baseball and hockey have followed over the last forty plus years. As a result of these trends, one can anticipate continuing growth in demand for soccer facilities, both for recreational and competitive use. Soccer is also following similar patterns in terms of pursuing more highly developed sites to support competitive and tournament play, lighted fields, clubhouses and other higher level facilities than sometimes have historically been provided. This development is similar to the up-scaling of ice, baseball and other sport venues. A counter trend to the soccer growth has been a decline in some communities in minor baseball registration. Also, there has been decline in some communities in the number of adult slo-pitch participants. Some minor baseball associations have experienced declines in registrations of 30% to 60% over the last number of years from the peak registrations after the Toronto Blue Jays won two World Series. Many of these individuals have transferred to soccer. Also, the impact of golf, year round aquatics and hockey / skating and other sports have impacted baseball. The Ontario Baseball Association has undertaken an active promotional campaign for the sport over the last five years and is reporting some renewal of participation levels. For adult baseball leagues, trends are more variable from community to community. Some communities have experienced a decline in the number of adult participants in slo-pitch and adult fastball leagues have been variable. This could be because of changing lifestyles, where summer is more intensive in terms of business and other activities, the impact of ethnic populations who have no long-term history with baseball and other impacts. 5-4

75 Other interesting trends involve tennis and golf. Tennis has had a highly cyclical history. In the 1970s, tennis participation grew significantly and many communities developed extensive community-based tennis facilities. By the 1980s, tennis had declined in participation rates, with many communities moving from public facilities to private or publicly-oriented club environments. Today, tennis has a continuing interest at a recreation level, but is not one of the dominant high growth sport activities. Tennis court servicing needs to be considered in order to ensure reasonable opportunities but is no longer a given component in individual park master plans and development strategies as occurred in previous decades. Golf has increased its youth participation, due to interests in U.S. scholarships, the impact of professional golf figures and golf courses attempting to attract more youth players on daytime Monday to Friday use as both a revenue source and for developing future golfers. A significant growth period appears to have peaked, though there is a continuing interest in youth golf opportunities, which are primarily delivered through private sector and not-for-profit golf course operators. Some municipalities do operate public golf courses and a few expansions have occurred in recent years, though the number of new public municipally operated golf courses has not substantively increased over the last twenty to thirty years compared to the growth rate in non-municipal golf courses. Other sports considerations involve a host of lesser known activities. One is cricket, which tends to have increasing interest amongst specific cultural connections in the population, particularly East and West Indians who come to Canada. Interest in this sport appears to be tied significantly to settlement patterns in North Rexdale, Mississauga / GTA and the Waterloo Region. However, as facilities are developed and immigration patterns unfold, there may be increasing interest over time but likely within narrower interest parameters. Another sport that has some changing parameters is rugby. In recent years, women's rugby has unfolded as a participation sport in the secondary school system. It is also now part of the Ontario Summer Games. Consideration is being given to introducing female rugby into the Canada Games. Such exposure will likely impact participation levels. However, like men's rugby, it tends to be specialized and operate within a narrower market segment but will potentially have increased participation. Another area of consideration is the movement towards extreme sports. This is primarily an American phenomenon that is driven to a certain degree by television coverage. A number of communities, large and small, Lakeshore, London, Kitchener, Niagara Falls and other communities, in their recent Master Plans, had community groups approach them with respect to developing moto-cross courses, extreme bicycle venues and related activities. For over a decade, skateboarding activities within formal skateboard parks have been of increasing interest and many municipalities have introduced them. The City of Sarnia has constructed an in-ground bowl. The City of Kitchener Community Services Master Plan calls for the development of four permanent venues, one in each quadrant of the City. Many municipalities are moving towards making permanent investments in these outdoor facilities. Some requests are being received by communities for indoor skateboarding facilities. This service however has tended to evolve within the private sector domain. 5-5

76 The growth in extreme sports is tentative due to the liability issues from injuries, the potential need for supervision and the level of attraction is variable on an activity by activity basis, often very narrow in scope. Therefore, the ability of a municipality to engage raises questions around accessibility, and trying to serve broad-based activity interests across the community Facility Quality One of the fundamental transitions of the last twenty year has been the qualitative leaps that parks and recreation facilities have experienced in municipal, YMCA and other related venues. The large multi-use complex, the twin pad ice facility and the tournament / competitive level quality of many park facilities and community centres has been widely evidenced. One community builds a state of the art facility and other communities start to look at that facility as the new standard. One of the long-term planning considerations is the need to determine what level of quality new park facilities should be developed at and how do existing facilities and venues compete and not be cannibalized in terms of current use moving to newer facilities. This also needs to be considered on a regional market basis where neighbouring municipalities may be building significant new park facilities that could be used by residents of Wainfleet, such as in Port Colborne, Welland and Dunnville. With increased facility quality comes increased initial capital costs, as well as increased on-going maintenance and operational costs. Therefore, these investments become more significant in terms of their total cost implications. As marketing and user preferences becomes a more critical part of the choices people make in terms of investing their leisure dollars, facility and venue quality becomes important and the rates and fees structure around these facilities tends to increase. Sometimes, as rates and fees for users increase, quality expectations also increase Tourism and Sport Tourism One of the interesting trends within the parks and recreation services sector has been the merging of tourism strategies within parks and recreation servicing. Increasingly, particularly as facility quality increases, the opportunity to attract day visitors and overnight tourists increases via tournaments, shows and special events. One dimension of this has been the development of market segments within tourism called sport tourism and the other festivals and events. Sport tourism involves tournaments, meets and other similar events that bring individuals and teams from out of town into the community for one or more days. Festivals and events attract large audiences for music, cultural, heritage or other themes. There has been a long history of local soccer and baseball tournaments; track and field meets; and related activities. What is increasingly occurring beyond this level, is municipalities interested in pursuing larger provincial, national and international events, such as the World Under 17 Soccer Tournament, the Ontario Games, the Ontario Senior Games and many other such events. Cities like London, Kitchener, Brantford, Ottawa, Halifax, Brandon, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Kamloops represent cities that have become very aggressive in the sport tourism sector. 5-6

77 The drive to sport tourism, as an increasingly marketed and municipally supported enterprise, results from the potential economic and related employment impacts that this type of activity can bring to the community in terms of room, food, retail, gas and other sales. They also are, at the minor sports level, popular amongst non-profit organizations due to their potential fundraising capacity for the host organizations. Increasingly, major municipal park and recreation parks and facility development is being rationalized based on their sport tourism capacity in conjunction with the regular activity use supported by the facility or service Environmental Areas Over the last ten years, and in particular the last several years, the world s concern in regard to the environment, particularly global warming, has substantially increased. Significant growth in political priority has been placed on environmental issues and needs. For municipalities generally, and leisure services specifically, this trend has considerable connectivity. One of the considerations which has occurred over several decades, is the municipality s role in the preservation of identified environmental land areas. Recently, the City of London passed a by-law that all woodlots would now become open space. The Town of Fort Erie has identified numerous parcels of land outside of the Official Plan that have potential environmental / open space priority. Other communities are increasingly reconsidering ravine lands, water courses, forested areas, wetlands, shorelines and related areas for public acquisition and conservation, either directly by the municipality or through partners, such as with local Conservation Authorities or the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Conservation Authorities typically now do not have the budgets to pursue the acquisition and management of all the parcels of land that municipalities are becoming engaged with. This engagement often is not initially driven by the municipality itself, but from community advocates who form various coalitions in order to create community awareness and political support for the preservation of specific sites. It is anticipated, that municipalities over the next twenty plus years, will have an increasing stewardship role in the protection, conservation and day-to-day management of a variety of environmental areas. Some of these areas will be able to sustain little if any human activity, while others will become significant open space and park venues. An interesting perspective on this, is the Town of Fort Erie has recommendations under consideration to develop a Land Conservancy Foundation as a way to facilitate this particular initiative. This would be similar to the concept of the Nature Conservancy of Canada which has just received significant federal funding support. Another dimension of the environmental consideration, relates to facility design. There are increased expectations that municipalities will use the latest environmental technology in facilities in order to both set an example, as well as to save operating costs. Many municipalities have been active in energy reduction programs that require significant up front capital investments. Other municipalities have taken leadership roles, to undertake pilot and development programs in their buildings to test environmentally friendly technology or to be demonstration sites. One initiative involves the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) program. Through its new OP, the Township has adopted policies to promote energy efficiency including a policy to investigate ways of reducing energy 5-7

78 consumption at all Township-owned, maintained and/or operated facilities and equipment, and the potential retrofit of older energy inefficient buildings User Fees and Charges A number of municipalities are increasingly looking to user fees and charges for leisure services to fund a higher proportion of the costs of services delivery. On the cost side, municipalities are also looking more at the total cost of services delivery, involving department and corporate overheads, long-term repair and rehabilitation costs, etc. On the revenue side, some rates and fees policies identify a specific coverage revenue target for children's / youth services, with usually a higher one for adult services. However, many municipalities still do not have a defined cost structure as a baseline to develop their user fees. Today, more sophisticated discussions are occurring on what is the role of the users in funding higher proportions of facility access costs, especially specialized facilities with high costs and more limited participation profiles, e.g.: municipal golf courses, fitness centres, tournament-quality sports field, etc. This is a key strategic question that has profound political considerations, influences the grants and subsidies provided by a municipality to various user groups and represents a significant challenge in terms of key principles around affordability, accessibility, enhanced resident health, a balanced set of participation opportunities and investing community tax dollars wisely and fairly. Some other communities have undertaking efforts to develop a sound cost understanding of services delivery and are recognizing the challenges of structurally changing this dimension of leisure services delivery, as many of the fees charged have no real foundation, have evolved on an ad hoc basis and are not connected to each other by a set of principles or an unifying strategy or policy framework Market Segmentation / Services Differentiation One of the business components that is emerging into the parks and recreation services operating environment is the recognition that the population is not generic or homogeneous as to what activities they wish to undertake and at what participation / quality levels. Increased target audiences or market segmentation strategies are emerging. As an example, participation can often now be tracked on the following levels of interest: Experimental, general interest, etc.; Hobby / specialized interest; Competitive / elite interest and skills development. Each of these levels has various degrees of intensity, cost and user preparedness to pay user fees and participation. They also have different levels of park and facility quality and capacity requirements. These range from the amount of seating for competitive and tournament oriented activities to the fact that unorganized recreational baseball can occur on school board or other less developed and maintained baseball fields. 5-8

79 The tendency in many municipalities has been to deliver services on a more generic basis. However, changing facility quality expectations results in a question as to whether all facilities need to be developed at a high end or whether different levels of park and facility development should occur in terms of quality and capacity supported by different levels of user fees. This is a changing consideration, in that historically municipalities have charged a common level of user fees for ice, fields, etc. An increasing trend is to consider charging different fees and rates based on the quality of the facility, with potential premiums being charged for the time slots that are most in demand. This is a more of a business model and also focuses on different levels of intensity, interest and ability to pay. The repositioning of the market to a more targeted approach may also result in changes to two of the other trends identified in this report related to user rates and fees as well as park and facility quality Volunteers and Services Delivery Another emerging strategic theme and challenge for municipalities is the sustainability of volunteer service organizations as important service providers and partners. Volunteer organizations have a long and valued history in the delivery of an array of leisure services. However, increasing concerns are being raised about the sustainability of these organizations, particularly from a financial perspective, as operating and capital costs rise to significant levels, and their ongoing ability to recruit committed and / or skilled volunteers becomes increasingly challenging. A loss of capacity and service from this sector would greatly impact the availability of park and recreation services. Therefore, municipalities will need to examine various options, inputs and roles that it may be in a position to undertake in order to maximize the supports available to voluntary organizations in order to sustain, and if possible, enhance their present capacities. Governance and technical training, marketing and analytical supports, advocacy initiatives, volunteer recognition, grants acquisition, and other activities and services could be considered based on individual group needs. There are also a number of trends that are influencing the availability of and the level of participation of volunteers. First, is the assumption that with more retirees of an earlier age, the province educational requirements for forty hours of community service by secondary school students and the historical tradition of volunteerism, that there would be a significant supply of volunteers to support Boards of Directors positions of non-profit entities, programs and services delivery, administrative supports and related activities. However, there has been a trend in recent years for volunteers to become more project-focused rather than engage in longer-term involvement. However, reports from non-profit organizations who deliver continuous service speak to the challenges of attracting volunteer Board of Directors and operational support volunteers where the need is more for continuing, longer-term commitments. This trend speaks to the challenges that are evident where people are looking to volunteer on a targeted basis and know what their defined commitments are. A second consideration is that many of the leisure services and community supports that exist in a community have evolved on the basis of few key volunteer players, some who have provided twenty to thirty or more years of leadership. However, succession is becoming an increasing challenge for some non-profit organizations and community groups, especially where it is not evident that there is the leadership commitment and support necessary to replace those individuals who are moving on. This 5-9

80 generational transition in volunteer leadership and commitment is a challenge to sustain the range of community services that are offered in communities across Canada. Third, is the increasing challenge around accountability and red tape involved with volunteering? Organizations, especially those involved with youth, often now often require police checks, costing anywhere from $25.00 to $50.00 per check. Other volunteers are concerned about accountability of working with youth and the negative public exposure that can occur. More and more not-for-profit community organizations need to undertake complex evaluation and reporting programs to government which creates more paperwork and less time associated with program and organizational development and delivery. The changing nature of the volunteer environment is becoming a potential constraint. The fourth, and final, consideration is that many volunteers are highly educated, have been involved in supervisory or managerial leadership and have a host of experiences. Therefore, how they are treated, valued, recognized, trained and supported becomes important as the sophistication of volunteer increases. Many not-for-profit organizations and community groups do not have a tradition or a capacity to adapt to some of the changing profile considerations of volunteers. Volunteers continue to be critical to the development and delivery of leisure services. However, their availability, development, use, recognition, recruitment, succession and related considerations, as well as changing preferences around their commitment and interests, needs to be effectively addressed and responded to in order to sustain a strong and vibrant volunteer pool in support of a broad array of accessible and affordable leisure services Urban Design and Intensification Parks and open space provisioning is, and will be more so in the future, influenced by key land use development trends occurring in urban centres in Ontario. The Ontario Government has approved an urban intensification or Growth Strategy that will over time see 40% of new residential development occurring in developed areas and only 60% in greenfield zones in the GTA by It is anticipated this probably will move out to other areas of Ontario in the future. This strategy will result in a growing amount of infilling and intensification of densities in currently developed areas. Some of these projects will be small infills while others will involve the demolition of existing land uses, sometimes involving industrial or commercial converting to residential. Unlike the historical development of the last five decades which tended to be large tracks of greenfields where parks, open spaces and trails could be integrated into the overall design process through secondary plans, and land could be acquired at a rate of 5% dedication, the new projects will have other implications for parks, open spaces and trails Community Trails For over thirty years, communities have been developing trail systems throughout their community. These trails have utilized hydro rights-of-way, waterfront public lands, linear ravine systems, direct purchases of land and linkage and acquisition of land through the Planning Act in new development areas. Community trails have become one of the most popular and sought after development initiatives 5-10

81 within communities. Initially, walking and jogging-type activities were the prominent use. In more recent years, cycling, rollerblading and other uses have emerged in force. The design of trails has advanced significantly, in terms of hard surfaces to support wheelchairs and bicycle use, rest areas to support older aged users and the concept of connecting destinations so that a linked network evolves. These destinations often involve schools, large parks, attractions, commercial areas, waterfronts, special environmental features and a host of other community resources. In the last ten years, Trail Master Plans have become common amongst municipalities and are often linked to bicycle master plans and other transportation systems plans. One of the most significant trends of the last five years, has been the linking of community trails to broader linear transportation network planning as a component in these networks. As a result, community trails are increasingly taking on a role as an alternate or active transportation resource in combination with the fitness, recreational and related activities that have traditionally been the value basis for these resources. With the development of the broader network system, and also with the integration of trails between municipalities, particularly in regional government areas, has come the notion of a three tiered trail system: The spinal corridors that are the primary transportation routes; The local trails that connect neighbourhood and other destinations within communities; The specialty trails that are theme-based, such as the Winery Trail in Grimsby and Lincoln, the Beer Trail in Waterloo and Guelph, many waterfront trails and those associated key geographic features, such as the Bruce Trail along the Niagara Escarpment. Community trail development is evolving, is generally a primary resource development initiative and needs to be considered in all new and renewal development occurring within communities as both a recreational experience that sustains leisure interests, fitness and related activities, as well as providing alternate transportation opportunities. In addition, as trails become more multi-use, involving everything from cyclists training for marathons to seniors walking for health, comes the need to better manage trail utilization to reduce conflicts and to provide trails on a year-round basis. Trail conflicts have existed where bicyclists have collided with trail users, often seniors. As a result, using defining yellow lines to separate use or to have two track trail systems in heavy use areas have been developmental strategies that have evolved. Also evolving, is the development of trail heads, the use of tea rooms and other services along the trails and the maintenance of trails in the wintertime to facilitate year-round utilization. As the role of trails evolves and utilization grows, trails will become an increasingly important resource that will need continuing investment, maintenance and management to sustain their value and effective use and benefits. 5-11

82 5.3 S trategies Collaboration, Partnerships and Joint Ventures The use of partnerships and joint ventures has come to dominate many of the discussions around future leisure services delivery. They are seen as a service delivery strategy that uses all the resources in the community, allows organizations and individuals with expertise and capacity to more effectively deliver service, expands service opportunities within the community and potentially achieves greater cost efficiencies through economies of scale and more coordinated / integrated delivery efforts. In terms of strategies, the use of partnerships and joint ventures, and the expansion of their role and application in delivering major leisure facilities, is a strategy that will need to be examined in all services initiatives. This should be a check list question for each project as to potential partner s identification, feasibility and desirability. However, the challenges with partnerships, in terms of risk, sustainability, mutual benefit and value for investment, needs to be continually assessed. Partnerships are also evolving in different contexts. As one example, YMCAs now have over seventy municipal partnerships and joint ventures in the delivery of leisure services in Canada. The Town of Goderich in 2005 / 2006 entered into a partnership with the Sarnia / Lambton YMCA to build and operate the new South Coast Recreation Complex involving an indoor pool, arena, walking track, gymnasium and fitness centre, along with operating all the Town sports fields, a second arena and leisure programming. YMCAs are also moving into significant partnerships with the City of London on Northeast Recreation and Aquatics Centre and have undertaken similar initiatives in the City of Sarnia, along with discussions on a new complex in the City of Waterloo that could include sports fields. In the City of Niagara Falls, a new recreation complex was built by the City and the YMCA in partnership, which houses a YMCA, Branch Library, City s Parks and Recreation Offices and a major outdoor skateboard park. Many different types of partnership models are evolving, both in terms of leisure programs and venues. There are ongoing efforts to consider different ways of delivering services than traditional municipal only approaches. Financial constraints and the increasing spectrum of leisure services interests results in collaboration, partnerships and joint ventures representing important strategies in responding to an ever changing operating environment Role of the Parks and Recreation / Community Services Departments Municipalities have traditionally held significant responsibility for the development and delivery of parks and recreation services within their communities. This has been generally undertaken through a department of Parks and Recreation/Community Services that is funded in whole or in part by the local municipality. The municipal role over many years has been as direct financier, developer and operator of parks and recreation facilities and programs. In more recent years, there has been some contraction of the role in leisure services delivery for some municipalities. Some municipalities have opted to allow non-profit, community-based, private enterprises and others to undertake more of a role in leisure programs 5-12

83 delivery in order to expand services, reduce competition and to use all the resources available within the community, such as in Niagara Falls. Other municipalities, due to the growth in leisure services and changes in the market and fiscal realities associated with those services, have tended to focus their role on community development, venue development and operations and coordination / facilitation activity related to marketing, information provision / referrals and related supports to the overall leisure services network in the community Capital and Operating Finances For the last decade, considerable change has occurred within the context of capital and operating finances for major parks and recreation facilities. For the last ten years, targeted senior government recreation and culture grants for leisure facilities have not been as available though some opportunities have opened up in recent years via infrastructure, rural development, culture and other granting programs. For decades, these grants contributed up to one third of capital costs via Wintario and other programs. In more recent years, fundraising, direct financing, Development Charges, municipal grants, corporate sponsorships and other strategies have become significantly more important in funding major parks and recreation facilities and development. Beyond the loss or limiting of capital grants, the capital funding environment has continued to change significantly. Amendments to the Development Charges Act in 1999 have reduced the application of this capital funding source for new resources. The definition of eligible facilities has been reduced, e.g.: no cultural facilities, a redefinition of the service level has lowered the thresholds for the funding of future facilities needed to support population growth in the community, and there is a 10% arbitrary capital cost reduction, along with a penalty for overcapacity. As a result, Development Charges, which have been a primary source for parks and recreation facilities capital funding, especially in faster growing communities, can have a reduced role under the current legislation. Fundraising and corporate sponsorships have become an increasing source of capital funding for larger parks and recreation facilities. The opportunities to name facilities, to fund specific rooms or equipment, along with traditional cash donations have become increasingly important. However, the overall fundraising environment is increasingly competitive as not only the leisure services sector, but many sectors are competing for funds on a daily basis, such as health, education and others. Within the context of fundraising, corporate sponsorships have grown significantly which results in a changing relationship with corporate funders who take a stronger marketing and visibility-based approach to their contributions towards a particular project or program. Also, sometimes they wish to contribute value-inkind as a displacement for direct funding. Fundraising may not always work as a strategy and securing and retaining volunteers to drive a fundraising campaign is a concern due to community volunteer fatigue. Fundraising can be a goal but does not come with a guarantee. It has enhanced application for joint venture initiatives where there may be significant shared outcomes. There is now a wider mix of capital funding sources applied to parks and recreation facility initiatives than in the past. Where major facility initiatives were once funded from two or three sources, it is likely in the future, that they will require four, five and six sources. This direction will create stronger partnership needs and a greater risk orientation related to creative financing approaches. 5-13

84 Another dimension of the financial strategies and trends is the emphasis on sustainability. Sustainability is seen as the ability to continue to operate a facility or deliver a program within the financial resources of the organization and meet the investment goals or benefits defined for the service. Often times, if a municipality provides initial financial support, the question emerges as to how the services is reduced or completed. It is a question often confronted by the Ontario Trillium Foundation to the funders. This emphasis is intended to ensure sponsoring groups take a longer term view and do not become overly reliant or dependent on funders. It is also intended to focus service providers on the business perspectives of the operation and to intensify self-financing and revenue generation strategies Multi-Use Facilities The multi-use concept for major parks and recreation facilities has been available and used for many years both as a concept and in practise. Multi-use facilities have more critical mass, potentially better operating and capital economies of scale, higher visibility and greater customer service potential by creating a single access venue. However, they also tend to result in larger facilities that move to a district and municipal-wide servicing perspective, potentially reducing neighbourhood / local area level presence and roles. There can be some significant trade-offs. Multi-use approaches have been identified from the research as a strategy in developing major venues in communities often with school boards and libraries. It is a strategy that is the basis for a partnershiporiented development model. Therefore, multi-use, which means bringing together the most number of uses and users that have demonstrated need and the right compatibilities, should be a valued venue development strategy within this Master Plan Use of Schools and Their Availability Currently, some community-based leisure programs and activities occur within schools owned and operated by the local school boards. Bill 160 reshaped school management and operations, including the cost of maintaining schools, how surplus schools are disposed of and other key considerations. In June 2004, the new provincial government of the day announced $20 million provincially to facilitate increased affordability access to school-based facilities. This program was renewed in late 2006 and continues. It is primarily focused on indoor activities but can involve outdoor uses. The community use of schools user fees were recast between 1995 and 2004 to reflect a true cost accounting approach compared to the previous more free / low cost access model. This resulted in reduced use of schools and pressure for more municipal facilities due to affordability issues by community service providers. If school use were to be eliminated, it creates a need to develop new community centres and related facilities often with gymnasiums. Another community use of schools relationship issue is the development of campuses or the attachment of community facilities to schools. Future campus strategies will need to be assessed for balance, vulnerability and risk before being entered into due to increasing school closures and anticipated schools or undeveloped school sites that are not needed are being sold off. School boards also benefit from joint school and park development and have relied on adjacent parkland to fulfil school green space, play space and sport and physical education curriculum. 5-14

85 Due to school closure policies and directions of school boards, the building of additions to schools for community facilities is potentially a less supportable strategy then it was fifteen to twenty years ago. A preferred strategy in this regard may be to develop multi-use facilities with other partners if longer-term sustainability is evident. If access to schools can be reasonably achieved and sustained, it represents an affordable and preferable strategy for providing selected indoor and outdoor activity spaces. With respect to non-specialized facilities, school resources continue to represent one approach as they are the most widely distributed resources for the provision of leisure programs in the community. They are flexible, service many neighbourhoods and represent a potentially more cost efficient approach. In terms of strategic directions, access to school sites should be a preferred delivery strategy under the following conditions: Local area / neighbourhood servicing strategies for both programmed and non-programmed activities; By improving relationships between the users and the onsite school staff to enhance access and participant experiences; Pursuing the development of specialized facilities with schools with caution, particularly existing schools in areas with declining student enrolment; Examining opportunities for campus relationships between the school boards and park and recreation facility providers, ensuring that there is a reasonable contingency plan, if school development does not proceed or if a school closure occurs Balancing Rehabilitation with New Development / Adaptive Reuse Another strategy consideration is whether parks and recreation facility initiatives become focused on new venue development or the redevelopment of existing sites via additions, renovations, venue renewal and related changes. The strategies around this particular consideration will need to be evaluated on a case by case basis. It will also be dependent on what partnerships are available and what resource transitions are occurring at the time related to the types of uses, level of need and funding that is available. It may be that rehabilitation with expansion is a less capital intensive strategy than new construction if no land costs are incurred and if better economies can be achieved operationally. As a strategy, new parks and recreation facility/venue initiatives should be evaluated as to what options are available to achieve the facility/venue in the context of rehabilitating and readapting an existing facility or venue. Balancing new facility and venue development with existing facility and venue rehabilitation should be part of an evaluation framework related to parks and recreation facilities development. A fourth dimension of this strategy is both planned and non-planned adoptive reuse of venues. As venues and their facilities age and new trends and technology emerge, facilities need to be renewed, often significantly, in order to hold and grow their user base and revenues. 5-15

86 5.3.7 Capital Facility Maintenance One of the often forgotten dimensions of parks and recreation facility ownership is the ongoing capital maintenance of parks and recreation facilities with respect to the replacement of major components, such as park playground equipment, sports field infrastructure and other elements. Over a twenty year period, considerable capital rehabilitation can be required. Portions of these costs are sometimes paid for from reserves contributed from annual budgets. However, other supports are usually required due to the magnitude of the project and limitation of reserves. Since these projects often do not involve expansion or renovations, but rather capital replacement and maintenance, they typically are not candidates for fundraising or partnership approaches. One of the key recognized trends is that many public bodies have significant capital maintenance and reserves deficits that will put increasing pressure on operating budgets in order to sustain these facilities and venue resources. The utilization of pro-active reserve funding approaches for capital renewal, selfsustaining debt coverage and other financing strategies should be incorporated. 5.4 S ummary The following material summarizes the trends and strategies perspectives. An aging population profile is evolving, but there will not necessarily be an absolute decline in youth numbers. Therefore, a need to have a more balanced services delivery focus that moves beyond a strong youth orientation focus since the 1960s; The ability to address, both through the principle of inclusiveness and participation, the needs and impacts of a changing ethno-cultural mix within the population. A mix that will have other types of interests based on their traditions and experiences, as well as will want, in some areas, to adapt to Canadian leisure activities. Education, communications, engagement and focused contact with these communities represent important strategy considerations; Key trends related to sports activities, which are one of the traditional bases of parks and recreation services delivery, as follows: o o o o o Increased participation of females in sports, particularly related to girl s and women s soccer, rugby and other sports; Expected growth in soccer at both the youth and adult levels; Increased interest in extreme sports and specialized sports, such as year-round outdoor ball hockey, more skateboarding facilities, etc.; Some declines in baseball and related activities; Potential interest in culturally-related activities such as cricket. Ever increasing expectations amongst users relative to facility quality, driven both by consumer and fee expectations, as well as what is being developed in other communities. This has significant capital and operating cost implications; 5-16

87 The increasing merger of sport and cultural tourism with parks and recreation services facilities and operations as one of the key rationales and points of investment; An increasing interest in the environment and the conservation of key environmental features, such as water / wetlands, woodlots, ravines, etc., which often brings additional lands and management responsibilities to a municipality; An increasing emphasis on energy efficient facility and venue designs, using LEED Standards as a baseline; The increasing sophistication, emphasis on and impact of user fees and rental rates development relative to how they are prepared, their fairness and equity, transparency; and the ability to develop them in a meaningful and consistent way; The growth in market segmentation and services differentiation between recreational use, higher skill interests and other types of uses that define different market niches and varying types of expectations and levels of needs amongst participants; The increasing role of not-for-profit, private sector and community organizations in the delivery of services and the potentially changing role of municipalities with a greater emphases on facilitation and community development; The growing use of partnerships, joint ventures and community engagement as a basis to facilitate services development and delivery; The increasing use of a wider array of capital and operating financial sources to support services delivery, including corporate sponsorships, community fundraising, senior government grants, etc.; The increasing emphasis on multi-use venues and the potential to use more of the community s facilities in terms of institutions, schools, clubs / associations, etc.; A growing emphasis exists to balance the need for the rehabilitation of aging facilities in conjunction with the development of new facilities. Also the importance of ensuring adequate resourcing for ongoing capital facility maintenance, renewal and serviceability is important. 5-17

88 VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN 6 DOCUMENTS REVIEW 6.1 Introduction A series of documents were reviewed that are potentially, directly or indirectly connected to the development of the Townships of Wainfleet s Recreation Master Plan. The following material provides summaries for each of the relevant documents and / or submissions. 6.2 Towns hip of Wainfleet Official Plan Locally adopted in September 2010, the Township s Official Plan provides for the preparation of a Recreation Master Plan and establishes the following policy directions pertaining to parks and recreation: Protect, maintain and improve public access to the Lake Erie shoreline as a public amenity by maintaining waterfront lands in public ownership including concession road stubs, encouraging other government agencies to assist in the purchase waterfront lands in strategic locations and to provide parking and other facilities, and requiring dedication of lands adjacent to the shoreline as a condition of development, reducing conflict between landowner and nonlandowner use of the shoreline; Encourage compatible recreational use of the Natural Heritage System and the conveyance of Environmental Protection Area lands to the Township, Conservation Authority or private conservation organization beyond mandatory public dedication, with consideration to the use of conservation easements where conveyance cannot be achieved; Promote Wainfleet as a recreational destination and support tourism and related recreation uses (e.g. potential for a historical interpretative centre adjacent to the canal in the Wainfleet Village area is recognized and encouraged, provision of a safe cycling system connected to key recreational destinations and amenities); Encourage active, healthy and social lifestyles and maintain and improve the Township s open space and recreational resources including physical and visual access to the Lake Erie waterfront, conservation and protection of shoreline lands for recreational use, acquisition of additional parkland and the provision of an adaptable parks and open space system to address the needs of a growing and changing population, an interconnected pedestrian and bicycle trail system linking to the Niagara Escarpment and the Greater Niagara Circle Route that encourages both recreational and active transportation use, and establishing a neighbourhood park in each hamlet; C hapter: DOCUMENTS REVIEW 6-1

89 Require parkland dedication at the rate of 5% of lands proposed for residential development and 2% of lands proposed for commercial, institutional and industrial development, or cash-in-lieu at the Township s discretion, and do not accept Hazard Lands, wetlands, floodplains, Environmental Protection or Conservation Areas, residual lands, or pedestrian walkways and bike routes as parkland dedication except along the Lake Erie Shoreline; Design parks and open space to incorporate safety and accessibility for all, with significant road frontage, defined pedestrian access, visual privacy for adjoining residents, consistent fencing where required, street trees, seating and shade areas; Comprehensively address the needs of cyclists by requiring the provision of trail and cycling facilities and corridors as a condition of development approvals, identifying high priority cycling routes and corridors, ensuring compatible integration with the road network, cycling-supportive policies, safety programs and promotional initiatives; Ensure trail design includes sufficient width for cyclists and pedestrians, slopes under 5 percent, way finding, regulatory and interpretive signage, benches and garbage receptacles. Building on this policy framework developed in the Township s Official Plan, the Recreation Master Plan will articulate more detailed strategies and action items to achieve the stated objectives and desired outcomes the Official Plan provides related to parks and recreation. Given the currency of the Official Plan and the community consultation that has contributed to its development, no significant changes to the policy directions of the Official Plan have been identified through the Situational Analysis. The Situational Analysis has re-confirmed many of the policy directions and has suggested a few areas for fine-tuning and elaboration of the parks and recreation policies of the Official Plan, including potential modifications to specific sections identified earlier in this report in relation to defining priority locations for future parks and playgrounds, cycling policies and the land use designations applicable to the Wainfleet Sports Complex. 6.3 Fire S afety Inspection R eport Wainfleet Arena, March 9, 2011 The Chief Building Official and Manager of By-law Enforcement submitted to the Township Fire Chief, a Fire Code Compliance Report completed by Quarteck Group Inc. The letter itemizes the following considerations: The arena has been constructed through a series of additions without the benefit of required permits which has brought the entire building into non-compliance with the Ontario Building Code; The arena, due to its size, now requires a standpipe system as a result of the expansion; The Township needs to undertake a review of arena use to determine if these uses, particularly for exhibition and other similar events, will continue. If these types of uses are going to continue, then a sprinkler system is required. 6-2

90 With a sprinkler system is installed and a fire access room provided to a minimum of 50% of the building permit, the following could be undertaken at the arena: Use for exhibitions and similar events; Combustible construction additions would be able to remain; Standpipe requirement would be waived; Some of the required fire separations and fire resistant ratings would be waved; The travel distance to a required exit is increased. If the arena has not fire sprinkler system, then the following considerations would prevail: The arena would not be able to be used for exhibitions or similar events; The areas of the arena made of combustible would need to be removed; The exits in the bleacher areas would need to be reinstated; Fire separations are to be in compliance with the Fire Safety Inspection Report. The letter goes on to indicate that a fire alarm system must be installed whether a sprinkler system is instituted or not. The letter highlights significant concerns in regards to Ontario Building Code and Fire Code requirements at the arena relative to how the facility has been developed. Use of the arena for special events, such as the Fall Fair and other large assembly activities could be impacted. Also, the use of the arena for special events that maybe under consideration or be popular in the future, would not be available unless action is taken in regards to the items identified. The current estimates related to the remedial requirements of a sprinkler system, and other improvements that are required, could be in the order of $500,000. These costs do not include additional improvement that will be required overtime, under the Accessibility For Ontarians With Disabilities Act that could impact washrooms relative to new turning radius requirements, bleacher access for people with mobility challenges or in wheelchairs, door opening sizes and other perspectives. The Fire Code Letter and the possibility of accessibility investments, suggests that the arena, built in 1974, will require significant reinvestment to sustain compliance requirements without expanding its capacity in terms of user volumes or new activities. 6.4 Skateboard Park A series of delegations have been made to Council or have been reported on in the media, in regards to a possible skateboard park. The delegations have involved mostly groups of teenagers. Some of the issues that had been identified in discussions with Council have involved: Liability concerns; Capital funding sources; 6-3

91 Whether the tennis courts could be used as an alternate venue; The fact there is no safe designated area in the community for skateboarding which is popular amongst teenagers, the roads are too busy and local businesses are discouraging skateboarding in urban areas; Parents have to drive their children to Welland, Niagara Falls and other locations which is costly and takes time. To date, Council has asked staff to assess the need and a direction in this regard. There is also evident interest, in that approximately fifteen youth attended the community workshop to express their interest in such a facility. 6.5 Niagara ATV Club S ubmis sion The following material reflects the highlights of a presentation undertaken by representatives of the Quad Niagara ATV Club to the Wainfleet Council in March of The following are the highlights in the full submission: The Quad Niagara ATV Club was formed in July 2008 and has a Niagara Region wide membership and focus; The primary efforts focus on developing a legal trail network in the Niagara Region that is safe; Club members range in age from nineteen to sixty-five years of age, with a growing membership; The club is in good standing with the Ontario Federation of All-Terrain Vehicles (OFATV) which is a provincial voice for organized ATVing in Ontario; OFTAV has signed a Letter of Intent with the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) to work together on related initiatives that the two organizations have in common with regards to trail use, as well as the sharing of resources; The OFTAV is providing a youth training program aimed at youth between the ages of twelve and sixteen; The OFTAV has a policy that no affiliated club will utilize any trails that are groomed in the winter months unless they are expressly designated for the purpose of shared use and or the use of the ATV Club only. In 2006, the Canadian All-terrain Vehicles Distributors Council had a third party study undertaken in regards to the economic impact of all-terrain vehicle recreation in Canada, with the following highlights identified: 975,000 operating ATVs in Canada; A user spend of $3.3 million directly on accommodations, meals, equipment, fees, etc.; 25,000 Canadians are directly employed or self-employed serving ATV users; 6-4

92 The numbers of operating ATVs are growing at approximately 5.9% annually, with a particular interest in Western Canada. The study goes on to indicate significant economic impact, being in the order of $6 billion to $10 billion annually on a multiplied basis. In terms of trail development funding the Club identified the following sources: OFATV works closely with the Canadian Off Highway Vehicle Manufacturers Association in regard to trail funding for area clubs; The federal government has earmarked $25 million towards trail development, of which OFATV is applying for funding; The Ontario Trillium Foundation recognizes trails for off-highway vehicles as a worthy investment; Club membership fees, fundraising and rides also generate revenue for the Club. The Quad Niagara ATV Club identified a series of activities and community events it has been engaged with: A safety booth for school aged children; Winter parades in various municipalities; The Antique Power Show in Crystal Beach; Wheel of Century on the Niagara Parkway; The teaching of youth safety courses; Have provided backup rescue crew support during snowstorms. The document provides a series of information packages and a host of other documentation in support of identifying that ATVing is a growing, organized and recognized activity, not too dissimilar with the growth and development of trails and trail operations by snowmobile clubs and their provincial organization, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs. Their primary request is for an ATV venue and / or trail system within Wainfleet. They have worked with Niagara Falls in a similar undertaking, and they are having discussions currently with Pelham and St. Catharines. They indicate that there are 7,000 registered ATVs in the Niagara Region and that this number is growing. Their longer term strategy is to work with each municipality in the Niagara Region to develop a legal trail system where everybody can be well served. They identify significant economic benefits, improved landowner relations, enhanced safety, community participation and economic contributions and related outcomes as a positive benefit of such an initiative. 6-5

93 6.6 Towns hip of Wainfleet Agricultural S ociety Leas e This is a 1974 lease between the Township and the Agricultural Society for use of the Wainfleet Arena for the Fall Fair. The key tenants are: Eight days of use commencing the Saturday prior and ending the Sunday following the Wainfleet Fall Fair; Rental charge to be set by the Township each year; The Fall Fair will keep the building clean of debris and objectionable material; The Township represents that the arena is in good condition and state of repair; The Fall Fair will ensure a minimum of $10 million worth of insurance; The Agricultural Society will only use the building for the Fall Fair and Expo. This lease has been in place for approximately seventeen years. As a result, the arena does not initiate ice-making and use activities until approximately October 1 st each year. The seasonal start date for ice users is later compared to neighbouring municipalities. The Fall Fair has been growing and is a major event within the community. The arena provides an anchor facility for the Fall Fair. 6.7 Towns hip and Mars hville Heritage S ociety Leas e This lease was signed in March 2006 and provides for the Marshville Heritage Society Inc. to utilize Township-owned lands for $1 per year. They key covenants are as follows: The Heritage Society is responsible for all costs, liability, damage, etc. in operating the venue; The land can only be used for the Marshville Heritage Village, who pays all taxes, pays 75% of all insurance costs applicable to the lands and any structures; Pays 100% of all insurance costs for new structures after January 1 st Township Accessible Customer S ervice Policy This policy became effective January 1st It focuses on enhancing customer service accessibility under the Accessibility For Ontarians With Disabilities Act where all accessibility requirements need to be achieved by The general policy outlines the accessible customer service requirement for the Township, involving its elected officials, volunteers and those serving the Township in an appointed capacity. 6-6

94 The procedures involve all the key categories as stipulated in the Act involving: Assistive devices; Service animals; Support persons; Notice of temporary disruptions; Training; Feedback process; Notice of availability of documents; A review process. This documentation conforms with the requirements of the Act, and therefore, achieves the accessible customer service intents under the Act. 6.9 Towns hip Alcoholic B everages Policy on Municipal Lands and Within Municipal B uildings This is a March 2005 policy related to the consumption of alcoholic beverages on / in Township venues. Key perspectives of this policy are: The consumption of alcoholic beverages is restricted on municipally-owned land and within its buildings except as permitted under the By-law; Consumption of alcoholic beverages will only be permitted on Township owned lands and within Township owned structures as follows: o o o On a special occasion basis provided that all permit requirements of the provincial government have been satisfied; Provided that alcoholic beverages are served by persons with certification from a recognized Ontario-Server Program or training approved by the AGCO; No alcoholic beverage serving is permissible during the Marshville Heritage Festival or other occasions as maybe specified by resolution of Council. The Alcohol Beverage Consumption Policy of the Township is aligned with compliance requirements from licensing bodies, and has the inclusion of trained or / certified servers as the minimum requirements Niagara As s ociation for Chris tian E ducation S chool In May of 2011, a representative of the Niagara Association for Christian Education, a charitable organization that owns the building and property that formally housed the Welland Port Christian School, provided a letter to the Director of Operations of the Township of Wainfleet in regards to their interest in the Recreation Master Plan. The building they own was a fully functioning school until recent years. They anticipate there could potentially be some good fits with any recreational plans the Township may be considering. They identified the following facilities within the school building: Gymnasium; 6-7

95 Classrooms that could be retrofitted to serve meeting rooms; Kitchen for large groups; Offices; Storage areas. The uses that they identified included: Day or overnight camps due to the access to the river; Camps associated with astronomy, observatory, environmental sciences other branch of the sciences or with arts programs. They asked to be considered in the Recreation Master Plan relative to potential uses of their venue that may arise, involving indoor recreation, culture or related space requirements. 6-8

96 VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN 7 CONCLUSIONS AND STRATEGIC THEMES 7.1 Observations and Conclusions The following observations and summaries have been prepared based on the research and consultation Location, Demographics and Development Primarily a rural area, with a population of 6,600 residents with an extensive Lake Erie waterfront. Larger neighbouring municipalities exist on three sides of Wainfleet, many with more extensive and newer recreation facilities, such as twin pad arenas. More remote from the main QEW highway corridor, though if the future Mid-Peninsula Corridor were developed, this would create significantly enhanced access into Wainfleet and could dramatically impact the development of the community. Population growth has been 5.5% or approximately 350 individuals over the last ten years, 35 people per year. By 2016, the population is forecasted to be 7,200 individuals and 8,200 individuals by The projected population growth will not have a significant impact on local parks and recreation service demand levels. The Township has an aging population, having moved from a median age of 36.9 in 1996 to 42.5 in The youth age categories of 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 have diminished proportionately between 1996 and 2007, the 15 to 19 year olds have sustained an 8% representation, and all the older age categories have shown an increase or relative stability. The aging trend is anticipated to continue, with a potential reduction in the absolute number of youth, which could activate the closing of one of the current four elementary schools. As a rural municipality, cultural diversity has not become a significant characteristic within the population as only 12.7% of Wainfleet residents were not born in Canada. However, cultural diversity has increased significantly across the broader Niagara Region and will continue to do so in the future. Wainfleet has eight settlement areas, of which Wainfleet Village is the centre point and home to most of the built parks and recreation facilities. Less than 10% of the Township population lives in the settlement areas, indicating the significant rural context of the community. C hapter: CONCLUSIONS AND STRATEGIC THEMES 7-1

97 The lakeshore area has significant existing development. The thirteen kilometre waterfront traverse all of Wainfleet, has extensive seasonal homes and an increasing number of permanent dwellings, with many of the seasonal properties owned by out-of-township individuals. Building permit activity has been limited, with less than twenty building permits per year since 2007, and only nine in Parks, Open Space and Community Trails The existing parks inventory has a provision of 2.5 hectares of parkland per 1000 residents. There does not appear to be any need for additional parkland for the existing population. The Official Plan identifies park expansion to establish a neighbourhood park in each hamlet as a means to encourage active lifestyles. However, the settlement areas are relatively small from both population and land size perspectives. The Township has an extensive array of Conservation Areas, Niagara Parks Commission and Niagara Region sites; four elementary schools; and large natural areas, such as the Wainfleet Bog, the closed Station Road landfill site, the Welland River, the Feeder Canal and the lakeshore area, all of which are significant open space resources for both passive and active recreational activities. Wainfleet is home to three golf courses and one private school site that is now vacant in Wellandport Recreation Facility Utilization The Wainfleet Arena is well utilized, at over 93% of prime time hours. Minor sports, hockey and skating principally, constitute over 80% of the use profile. Non-prime time use is limited. Moore Hall at the Wainfleet Arena and the Volunteer Firefighters Community Hall are the main assembly spaces. The first one can support 50 to 60 individuals, the other site up to 70 people. Both operate at less than 30% of capacity. User fees have been established. They tend to be priced at the lower end of market, particularly for ice, and there seems to be a significant menu of ice charges, of which some have limited utilization Township Financial Activity The Wainfleet Arena is the dominant financial operation in terms of total revenues and total costs. It is budgeted to have an operating deficit of approximately $138,000 in

98 Total parks and recreation revenues in 2010 were approximately $198,000; total costs were approximately $564,000, with an operating deficit of $367,000. This is a per capita charge of $55.58 per person and a coverage rate of approximately 35%. The Wainfleet Library has an operating deficit planned in 2011 of $341,000, representing a $51.68 per capita charge and a coverage rate of 6.5%. The Ontario Libraries Act does not allow for the collection of user fees. The Township has limited capital funding capacity at this time. There is no Development Charges By-law for parks and recreation, though a by-law is being considered. Also, the Parkland Dedication Fund has only approximately $25, Community Consultation Focus Groups, Interviews and Community Workshop Strengths / Strongest Assets The Wainfleet Arena; The soccer complex; The library and the Marshville Heritage Village; The Lake Erie shoreline, beaches and accesses; The Gord Harry Trail and other trail elements; The wide open areas and rural landscape; The quality of life, and close knit community with traditional values; The eco and agri-tourism potential; The Seniors Room, playground and tennis courts; Number of strong and well directed community organizations, involving minor sports, sky-diving, trail groups, etc.; The committed volunteers; The improvements to the Fall Fair; The outstanding work of the Lion s Club in support of the community; The user fee levels; The growing soccer registration; The Conservation Area Parks, the Feeder Canal, the Wainfleet Bog, the closed landfill site and other assets that have potential; 7-3

99 An excellent public library service. Areas of Improvement / Concerns Significantly declining participation rates in minor hockey, figure skating and minor baseball; The reduction of the number of young people in the population, and the possible closing of one elementary school; The conflicts on the waterfront in terms of the challenges between the cottage owners and public use, as well as determining where the boundary lines are; The limited growth capacity of the community, the small population which influences program participation and viability, as well as the impact of services on a small property tax base; Transportation costs in a rural community with a broad geography; The impacts of ATVs, bicycles and horses on the trails, along with a lack of amenity services or integrated trail systems; The cost to renew the arena; Drainage issues for the twelfth soccer field and some baseball fields; The underdevelopment of the Feeder Canal, the abandoned rail line and other assets; Lack of amenities at the shoreline to attract both local users and tourists; No lacrosse, basketball, volleyball or other programs; The aging membership of the service clubs; Declines in the number of volunteers; The lack of a large facility for community gatherings of over 250 people; Very limited opportunities, other than traditional sports for children and youth to keep them busy, to spark their interests or to improve socialization; No evident leader or leadership strategy for the marketing and promotion, development, coordination, planning or other dimensions of service delivery in the community, resulting in everything being undertaken individually by community groups; The implications on the arena s viability in light of declining youth populations, potential mergers of minor hockey programs and the emergence of new arena facilities in Port Colborne, Welland, St. Catharines and other areas; Need for better trail and water route maps, trail amenities, such as trail heads and markers, etc.; No integration of tourism, recreation, culture and related activities or promotion of Wainfleet as Niagara s Playground ; 7-4

100 Evident tensions in the community in regards to ATV use on roadways and private lands; No accessibility of trails in the winter time; Need for additional dressing rooms and storage areas, plus a fryer in the concession in the arena; Need to replace benches and undertake other sports fields improvement in the complex, including a possible new service facility with washrooms, concessions, storage, etc.; No coordinated or policy-based user fee structure; Recreation does not appear to be a priority amongst key leadership groups within the community; The Township has very limited capital funding opportunities to support parks, recreation and culture development initiatives, as there is no Development Charges and there is only $25,000 in the Parkland Dedication Fund; The library may need to consider long term expansion. Also has storage and roofing challenges; The loss of Easter Seals Park in the lakeshore area; The need for a skateboard park for the youth to reduce travel times and to bring the service closer to where they live; Little promotion for hunting, fishing, agri- and eco-tourism opportunities; The roads are too dangerous for bicycling and walking, and therefore, trails are even more important; Lack any unique recreational opportunities, such as a toboggan hill, more playgrounds in local urban nodes, a splash pad and related considerations. Future Perspectives Integrating tourism, recreation and culture; Whether to rebuild or renew the Wainfleet Arena in light of significant transitions in regional ice supply, changing demographics and declining youth participation; Better utilizing the trails, the Feeder Canal and related perspectives; Developing the waterfront in the terms of both access and amenities / services, as well as for boat launching, wind surfing, kite surfing, etc.; Developing an ATV venue / trail in the community; Improving the trails, trail amenities and accessibility; Developing a coordinated / integrated leadership capacity for the planning, promotion, development and services integration of park and recreation services for the whole Township; More activities for seniors, children and youth to broaden the spectrum of opportunities available; 7-5

101 Improved utilization of parks, open spaces and related areas that are available in the community; Potential development of a multi-use community complex, that could have an expanded library, arena, fitness room, more meeting rooms, seniors and teen spaces and related activity areas; Developing greater volunteer capacity and interest in the community; Looking to make the community Niagara s Playground, and being integrated with the Region s economical development and tourism strategies; Expanding the summer use of the arena, considering lacrosse, indoor skateboard facility, basketball, volleyball, etc.; Potential consideration of a recreation board or council to guide and lead park and recreation development in the community; Improve supports to community organizations to enhance their sustainability and viability; Increasing the heritage and cultural opportunities in the community; A possibility of a walking path around the sports complex to support family healthy activities, along with a new service building with a concession, storage, washrooms, etc.; Do not consider a twin pad arena facility; Capitalize on the tremendous capacities, energy and good will of the population, service clubs and others, and develop a stronger focus on parks, recreation and culture activities to enhance the quality of life in Wainfleet. Community Survey Identified an aging population who have had long residency in the community, with a balance between older empty-nest couples and families with two or more children; Intermittent use of parks, community trails and open spaces, combined with a very high value for these resources in terms of the contribution of the quality of life in Wainfleet; Higher user incidence rates for the sports fields and the arena; Average ratings for the quality of the recreation facilities and services; High value for the recreation facilities and venues relative to their contribution to the quality of life in Wainfleet; Program preferences for adults, seniors and children and youth; Most identified ideas for future considerations involved waterfront development in terms of amenities and new activities; improvement to the trails, bike lanes and more leadership coordination for parks and recreation in terms of communications, promotion and marketing and community development. 7-6

102 7.1.6 Broader Trends An aging population profile is evolving, but there will not necessarily be an absolute decline in youth numbers. A need to have a more balanced services delivery focus that moves beyond a strong youth orientation focus since the 1960s; The ability to address, both through the principle of inclusiveness and participation, the needs and impacts of a changing ethno-cultural mix within the population. Key trends related to sports activities, which are one of the traditional bases of parks and recreation services delivery, as follows: o o o o o Increased participation of females in sports, particularly related to girl s and women s soccer, rugby and other sports; Expected growth in soccer at both the youth and adult levels; Increased interest in extreme sports and specialized sports, such as year-round outdoor ball hockey, more skateboarding facilities, etc.; Some declines in baseball and related activities; Potential interest in culturally-related activities such as cricket. Ever increasing expectations amongst users relative to facility quality, driven both by consumer and fee expectations, as well as what is being developed in other communities. This has significant capital and operating cost implications; The increasing merger of sport and cultural tourism with parks and recreation services facilities and operations as one of the key rationales and points of facility investment; An increasing interest in the environment and the conservation of key environmental features, such as water / wetlands, woodlots, ravines, etc., which often brings additional lands and management responsibilities to a municipality; An increasing emphasis on energy efficient facility and venue designs, using LEED Standards as a baseline; The increasing sophistication, emphasis on and impact of user fees and rental rates development relative to how they are prepared, their fairness and equity, transparency; and the ability to develop them in a meaningful and consistent way; The growth in market segmentation and services differentiation between recreational use, higher skill interests and other types of uses that define different market niches and varying types of expectations; The increasing role of not-for-profit, private sector and community organizations in the delivery of services and the potentially changing role of municipalities with a greater emphases on facilitation and community development; 7-7

103 The growing use of partnerships, joint ventures and community engagement as a basis to facilitate services development and delivery; The increasing use of a wider array of capital and operating financial sources to support services delivery, including corporate sponsorships, community fundraising, senior government grants, etc.; The increasing emphasis on multi-use venues and the potential to use more of the community s facilities in terms of institutions, schools, clubs / associations, etc.; A growing emphasis exists to balance the need for the rehabilitation of aging facilities in conjunction with the development of new facilities. Also the importance of ensuring adequate resourcing for ongoing capital facility maintenance, renewal and serviceability is important. 7.2 S trategic Themes The following material identifies the Strategic Themes that have emerged from the Situational Analysis Report and provide a basis upon which to develop the Township of Wainfleet Recreation Master Plan. The Lake Erie waterfront is a phenomenal resource but a point of tension and underdevelopment, and lacks direction, development and resourcing. How can the lakefront challenges be overcome, more enhanced opportunities created for both local resident recreation and tourists, and a greater benefit achieved for all? The Wainfleet Arena is the hub for recreation activities in the community, which are primarily focused on minor sports. The arena has significant building, fire code and future accessibility code challenges. What is the appropriate strategic direction in terms of investing in renewal or rebuilding or other alternatives? With the changing demographics and no central recreation services planning or leadership capacity in the Township, how does the community continue to assess needs, establish priorities and develop the appropriate services that meet the needs of children, youth, seniors, adults and families? Many of the community s recreation resources also have significant tourism potential. Tourism is a priority economic development initiative for both the Region and the Township. How can integration of these two service areas be achieved, and how can one build on the other to maximize benefits to Wainfleet? Trails, for hikers, cyclists, ATV ers, snowmobilers, horseback riders, etc. are a key asset within the community but are not necessary working in harmony. How does the Township and the community build on the existing trails to create the connections, supporting amenities, marketing, new trail development and related investments that maximize the trail system s opportunities and use? How does the Feeder Canal, the abandoned rail line and existing trail interconnections and extensions support this area of community activity? 7-8

104 With considerable regional recreation facility capacity coming on stream or planned, much of it in close proximity to Wainfleet, what are the benefits and risks of the Township and / or community organizations investing in expanded recreation facilities outside of the trails and waterfront, as well as in light changing demographics to an older population mix? In spite of limited land development growth and the property assessment growth concerns expressed around affordability and impacts on property taxes, what is the appropriate role and levels of investment for the Township, and what other capital and operating funding resources are available, especially in a post-stimulus senior government granting environment? With considerable identification that there is limited, non-traditional recreation activities for youth and teens, as well as a growing seniors population, who provides leadership in the planning and provision of services for these targeted groups, what are their interests and how does one respond to the continually changing nature of these interests, ranging from splash pads to skateboard parks, to more variable seniors activities? With both the opportunities and challenges associated with ATVing in the community, what can be achieved to reduce tensions with landowners, enhance recreational activity opportunities and to generate economic impact benefit from this activity as it becomes more organized and continues to grow in participation? How does the Township establish the capital funding for the renewal of major assets on an ongoing basis as they age, as well as to fund venue improvements, ranging from field drainage, to health and safety, to upgrading seating, etc.? What is the role of the Township in the long term conservation and in facilitating balanced utilization of the exceptional natural, heritage and related resources within the community. 7-9

105 VOLUME I SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS TOWNS HIP OF WAINFLE E T R ECR E ATION MAS TE R PLAN APPENDIX I Maps 1, 2, and 3

106 Metler Road ATTERCLIFFE 14 Regional Road 45 WELLANDPORT Side Road 42 Old River Road West Regional Road 27 Gracey Road Robertson Road Kilts Road Old River Road East Township of Wainfleet Parks and Recreation Master Plan Map 1 - Parks and Open Space System Canborough Road Henderson Road Diltz Road Marshagan Road Chippawa Creek 19 Concession 6 Road Traver Road Elsie Road Perry Road Putman Road BECKETT'S BRIDGE Legend Parks & Open Space Parks Lake Shore Access Public Open Space 1. Wainfleet Sports Complex 2. Lakeshore Road Tennis Court 3. Lions Community Centre 4. Station Road Naturalization Park Public Beaches 5. Wainfleet Lake Erie Public Access 6. Long Beach Conservation West 7. Long Beach Conservation East 8. Long Beach 9. Belleview Beach 10. Waynes Park Beach 11. Sunset Beach 12. Reebs Bay 13. Orchard Grove Beach 14. Chippawa Conservation Beach Public Conservation Lands 15. Long Beach Conservation Area 16. Morgan's Point Conservation Area 17. Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area 18. Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area 19. Chippawa Creek Conservation Area 20. Gord Harry Conservation Trail Trails / Cycling Network!!!! On Road Route!!!! Off Road / Multi-use Trail!ô F Fire On Road Bike Facility Niagara Region Bicycle Network Unopened Road Allowances / Former Rail Line (Possible Trail Linkages) Schools Golf Courses Railways Parcels Wainfleet Boundary Anderson Road Wainfleet Dunnville Townline Road Core Natural Heritage System Environmental Protection Areas Side Road 44 Side Road 44 Wellandport Road HENDERSHOT CORNERS EPA Provincial Significant Wetlands EPA Provincial Life ANSI Environmental Constraint Areas ECA Significant Woodlands ECA Valley Shoreline Buffer ECA Significant Wildlife Habitat Core Natural Heritage CNH Earth Science ANSI CNH Municipal Drain CNH Fish Habitat Shafley Road South Hendershot Road Zion Road Flanagan Road Smith Road Sider Road Sider Road Concession 2 Road ² Marr Road Marr Road Case Road Winger Road WINGER Clarendon Street West Lowbanks Pettit Road Willford Road ,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Meters Winger Road Pettit Road Wills Road Wills Road Clarendon Street West Burkett Road Long Beach 15 6 Gilmore Road Gilmore Road Bell Road Concession 1 Road Minor Road 7 Priestman Road Johnson Road Feeder Line Abbey Road 2 Daley Ditch Road Willow Bay Peterson Road 5 Misener Road CHAMBERS CORNERS Emerson Road WAINFLEET Feeder Road West Abbey Road Farr Road Side Road 22 Brawn Road 8 3 Regional Road 24 Side Road 20 Highway 3 Side Road 20 4 Station Road Mill Race Road 1 Augustine Road Gents Road Buliung Road Clarendon Street East Ramp OSTRYTHON CORNERS Gord Harry Trail Lakeshore Road Concession 3 Road Dixie Road Dixie Road Burnaby Road 20 BURNABY Hewitt Road Overholt Road Malowany Road Garringer Road Feeder Road East 16 Morgan's Point 9 Moore Road North Morgans Point Road Tunnacliffe Road North Tunnacliffe Road South Rattler Road Golf Course Road 10 Willson Road Deeks Road North Churchill Avenue Deeks Road South Lambert Road 11 O'Reillys Road South Graybiel Road Rathfon Road Green Road North Green Road South Forks Road Wainfleet Bog 18 Bertie Formation (iii) Quarry Road 12 Phillips Road Morog Road Wainfleet Wetlands 17 Erie Peat Road Camelot Beach Youngs Road North Youngs Road South Port Colborne Wainfleet Townline Road North Lakeshore Road Data used under license with The Regional Municipality of Niagara The Regional Municipality of Niagara Cement Road 13

107 Lee Street Highway 3 Feeder Road East Clarendon Street East Mill Race Road KEY MAP N.T.S. Bell Road Church Street Feeder Road East Clarendon Street West Feeder Road West Park Street Sugarloaf Street FIRE HALL Feeder Road West WAINFLEET!ôF Side Road 20 Highway 3 Wainfleet Sports Complex MARSHVILLE HERITAGE VILLAGE ARENA ST. ELIZABETH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Side Road 20 BASEBALL DIAMONDS SOCCER FIELDS ² 1:4, Meters Data used under license with The Regional Municipality of Niagara The Regional Municipality of Niagara Township of Wainfleet Parks and Recreation Master Plan Map 2 - Wainfleet Village Sports Complex

108 Dixie Road Burnaby Road Peterson Road Side Road 20 Rattler Road Willson Road Ellsworth Road North Graybiel Road Quarry Road Kwik Mix Road Youngs Road South Wills Road Clarendon Street West Gilmore Road Feeder Road West Clarendon Street West Abbey Road Daley Ditch Road Abbey Road Side Road 22 Side Road 20 Dixie Road Garringer Road Malowany Road Wainfleet Bog Erie Peat Road Burkett Road Gibson Road Biederman Road Bertie Formation (iii) Concession 1 Road Ramp OSTRYTHON CORNERS Moore Road North Highway 3 Reeb Road Cement Road Gord Harry Trail Wainfleet Wetlands Lowbanks Long Beach Conservation West Long Beach Minor Road Lakeshore Road Tennis Court Long Beach Conservation East Wainfleet Lake Erie Public Access Long Beach Brawn Road Station Road Naturalization Park Lions Community Centre Walnut Hill Road Augustine Road Station Road Side Road 18 BURNABY Hill Avenue Lakeshore Road Cook Lane Morgans Point Road Morgan's Point Buckbee Road Neff Street Harbourview Road Golf Course Road Churchill Avenue Waynes Park Beach Lakeshore Road Sunset Bay Beach Legend Parks & Open Space Parks Lake Shore Access Public Conservation Lands Trails / Cycling Network!!! On Road Route Rathfon Road Maplewood Drive Woodland Drive Reebs Bay Lakeshore Road Camelot Beach Core Natural Heritage System Bessey Road Camelot Drive Environmental Protection Areas Orchard Grove Beach EPA Provincial Significant Wetlands EPA Provincial Life ANSI Township of Wainfleet Parks and Recreation Master Plan Map 3 - Shoreline Parks & Open Space ² Belleview Beach ,000 1,500 2,000 Meters!!! Off Road / Multi-use Trail!ô F On Road Bike Facility Niagara Region Bicycle Network Unopened Road Allowances / Former Rail Line (Possible Trail Linkages) Schools Golf Courses Fire Railways Parcels Wainfleet Boundary Environmental Constraint Areas ECA Significant Woodlands ECA Valley Shoreline Buffer ECA Significant Wildlife Habitat Core Natural Heritage CNH Earth Science ANSI CNH Municipal Drain CNH Fish Habitat Data used under license with The Regional Municipality of Niagara The Regional Municipality of Niagara

109 APPENDIX II Regional Policy Plan Amendment and Model Municipal Bicycle Transportation Policies

110 Bill 33 THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF NIAGARA BY-LAW NO A BY-LAW TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT TO THE OFFICIAL PLAN FOR THE NIAGARA PLANNING AREA TO PROVIDE REVISED BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND MAPPING WHEREAS it is deemed expedient to further amend the Official Plan heretofore adopted by Regional Council for the Niagara Planning Area, THEREFORE the Council of the Regional Municipality of Niagara enacts as follows: 1. That the text and map attached hereto are hereby approved as Amendment to the Official Plan for the Niagara Planning Area. 2. That the Regional Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to give notice of Council s adoption in accordance with Section 17(23) of the Planning Act. 3. That this By-law shall come into force and take effect on the day upon which it is passed. THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF NIAGARA (Peter Partington, Regional Chair) (Kevin Bain, Regional Clerk) Passed: March 5, 2010 Page 1 of 8

111 Bill 33 AMENDMENT TO THE OFFICIAL PLAN FOR THE NIAGARA PLANNING AREA The Official Plan for the Niagara Planning Area is amended to include the following text and map identified as Schedule A which replaces the current text and map found in Section 9.F: SECTION NINE TRANSPORTATION 9.F Bicycling The Niagara Region is committed to meeting the needs of cyclists as part of an overall strategy for transportation, active living, environmental sustainability, improved quality of life, energy conservation, tourism and land use management. This direction is supported by both National and Provincial policies such as Smart Growth initiatives, the Federal Gas Tax Fund, the Planning Act, the Provincial Policy Statement, and the Places to Grow Plan. The Provincial Growth Plan contains policy directives that support and facilitate bicycle transportation in community planning. It calls for the creation of complete communities, a term that acknowledges the desire to provide residents with options for where and how they choose to live, work and play. The Plan also calls for the development of communities of the future that are more compact, transit friendly and pedestrian/cycling oriented. In addition, a key objective is to reduce traffic gridlock by improving access to a greater range of transportation choices. Bicycling is an important transportation option in the above context leading to positive, mutually supportive change. The Niagara Region has demonstrated this commitment for cycling by: Preparing and adopting the Regional Niagara Bikeways Master Plan (August 2003) and its predecessor, the Regional Niagara Bicycling Study (1995); Forming the Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee to advise Regional Council on matters related to cycling; Developing and maintaining 255 lane kilometres of cycling facilities as of 2008; Promoting Niagara as a cycling destination for tourists; and Informing and educating Regional residents about the benefits and safe practices of cycling. Page 2 of 8

112 Bill 33 The following objectives and policies reflect the community s aspirations and priorities as well as the Regional commitment to ensure cycling is maintained as a legitimate and viable form of transportation. Objectives for Bicycling Objective 9.F.1 Objective 9.F.2 To encourage cycling in Niagara and work towards a bicyclefriendly environment as part of an active living/active transportation strategy that improves community health and enhances the overall quality of life. To promote safety and complimentary community behaviour through cycling education and enforcement initiatives. Objective 9.F.3 To recognize and support cycling as a legitimate and environmentally sustainable form of transportation for all trip purposes, utilitarian as well as recreation. Objective 9.F.4 Objective 9.F.5 Objective 9.F.6 To promote cycling as part of Niagara's tourism experience in partnership with the Niagara Economic Development Corporation, private/public sectors and other agencies (e.g. Wine Route Network connections and facilities, and Niagara Bike Train support). To continue to develop, support and evaluate on a five year basis, a region-wide on and off- road cycling network (as shown on the map entitled Niagara Region Bicycle Network ) and related infrastructure for a broad range of users and interests. To ensure the region-wide on and off-road cycling network is planned, designed, constructed, and maintained according to recognized standards and/or guidelines. Objective 9.F.7 To incorporate cycling considerations (e.g. supportive infrastructure, routes and modal connectivity) in the Region's policies, land use and transportation planning activities. Objective 9.F.8 To encourage and assist local municipalities: i) to incorporate and support cycling considerations (e.g. supportive infrastructure, routes, modal connectivity) and bicycle-friendly initiatives in municipal land use and transportation planning policies and activities. ii) to develop bicycle facilities which connect with the region-wide on and off-road cycling network (e.g. Greater Niagara Circle Route). Page 3 of 8

113 Bill 33 Objective 9.F.9 Objective 9.F.10 Objective 9.F.11 To encourage and help ensure the integration of other cycling initiatives and facilities with the region-wide on and off-road cycling network including but not limited to the Waterfront Trail, the Greater Niagara Circle Route, the Trans Canada Trail and other networks outside of Niagara. To maximize the annual infrastructure improvements for cycling with the aim of completing the region-wide cycling network in a timely manner over the next 15 years. To inform and educate the travelling public about being both respectful and sensitive to the needs of farmers carrying out normal farm practices in agricultural and rural areas (e.g. slow moving farm vehicles on roadsides, farm spraying operations, bird bangers, etc.). Policies The Niagara Region will: Policy 9.F.1 Continue to maintain, support, encourage and fund the activities of the Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee: i) as an advisory sub-committee of the Integrated Community Planning and Public Works Committee with membership consisting of political, public, interest groups, appropriate agencies and Regional staff representation; ii) as a forum providing for public and agency input into Provincial, Regional and local cycling decisions in areas such as policy development, bikeway network development, cycling education, safety, promotion/encouragement, enforcement; and iii) to undertake tasks related to the above Objectives. Page 4 of 8

114 Bill 33 Policy 9.F.2 Ensure timely implementation, monitoring and updating of the overall Bicycling Network shown on the map titled Niagara Region Bicycle Network where it follows Regional, municipal and other on and off-road routes, and facilitate implementation elsewhere, with continuous and safe linkages through the Niagara Region s Capital Works programs and related programs of other agencies and partnerships (i.e. Waterfront Regeneration Trust, Niagara Parks Commission, Ministry of Transportation, International Bridge Authorities, Railways, Transport Canada and other jurisdictions). Policy 9.F.3 Where the Niagara Region Bicycling Network is proposed on a local municipal road, the Regional Municipality will be responsible for funding of the bicycling facility, subject to annual review, prioritization, funding limits and Regional Council approval. If these funds are not available, the local municipality is encouraged to seek other funding for the bicycle facilities and if unsuccessful may proceed with capital works without the bicycling facility. Policy 9.F.4 i) Provide the Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee with the approved annual Regional roads rehabilitation and construction program as well as the capital works program for sewer and water works to examine and to provide recommendations on bicycling-related works subject to overall considerations (e.g. budgetary, stakeholder, property) identified by the Niagara Region Integrated Community Planning and Public Works Committee. ii) Where the approved capital works program identifies sewer and / or water works or road construction or rehabilitation on urban Regional roads not identified on the Bicycling Network; and where such roads serve, in whole or part, to support and facilitate connections or linkages to the Bicycle Network; Regional Council may consider providing bicycle routes and facilities as part of any infrastructure development or improvements on those roads after assessing the economic, social and environmental implications of the project. Page 5 of 8

115 Bill 33 Policy 9.F.5 Minimize the risk to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists by adopting provincially and/or nationally recognized engineering standards as guidelines to assist in the planning, design, maintenance and operations of safe bicycle facilities on the Bicycling Network. Prior to the design and construction of a bikeway or facility, safety and operational matters, including agency and utility requirements, will be considered as well as the cultural, scenic and other environmental attributes through which the designated routes pass. The impact of adjacent agricultural operations on cyclists and impacts from cyclists on adjacent agricultural operations and infrastructure also will be considered. Off the Bicycling Network, the current practice of providing an extra 0.5 to 1.5 metres of paved shoulder along Regional roads will be continued where possible. Policy 9.F.6 Co-ordinate and promote the development and connectivity of the Niagara Region Bicycling Network with local and adjacent municipalities other agencies and other modes of transportation. Furthermore, request these jurisdictions to plan and develop their own supportive policies and bicycle infrastructure through planning documents and associated capital works programs. Policy 9.F.7 Support and assist in the protection of abandoned rail and other linear corridors for off-road trails; and recommend that local municipalities and other stakeholders consider various means to protect and/or acquire such corridors. Off-road trail facilities are completely separate from the travelled portion of a roadway with surface treatments that may vary according to the needs of recreational or utilitarian cyclists. Policy 9.F.8 Request minimum provisions for safe and secure bicycle parking and endof-trip change facilities in high activity areas, such as work places and public facilities in Regional and local policies and regulations. Policy 9.F.9 Local municipalities are strongly encouraged to integrate bicycling and transit for utilitarian and recreational purposes by allowing users to access both modes of transportation through intermodal opportunities. Some strategies that might be considered include: allowing bicycles on transit vehicles during off-peak periods, bicycle racks on buses, bicycle lockers at major transit stops, and sheltered/secure bicycle parking facilities at public and institutional workplaces and for bike and ride recreation trips. Page 6 of 8

116 Bill 33 Policy 9.F.10 Policy 9.F.11 Recognize that cycling facilities located on private property will only remain open with the approval of the property owner. Support the promotion and delivery of cycling tourism in the region (e.g. Niagara Bike Train, Wine Route network connections and facilities, route signage strategy, mapping and web site), as well as educational activities and initiatives designed to improve cyclists and motorists skills and safety. This also will include information that addresses sharing the road with agricultural vehicles and the need to recognize normal farm practices in the agricultural areas. Policy 9.F.12 Require all proposed developments and infrastructure undertakings at the environmental assessment and planning approval stages, to provide facilities for cycling, including extensions and improvements to the bikeway network in keeping with the provisions of this Policy Plan and the Regional Niagara Bikeways Master Plan, where feasible. In particular, public sector projects will be expected to show leadership by incorporating facilities and infrastructure for bicycling in their planning and design decisions. Local municipalities are encouraged to include in their planning documents development standards, and implementation tools and incentives, to secure bicycling infrastructure and facilities. Page 7 of 8

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