Victoria Park

[UrbanWaterloo]

Victoria Park
Downtown Kitchener
Website (kitchener.ca/VictoriaParkLake)

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20Post%201%20Image.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchener,_Ontario)

[Spokes]

New guardians for city jewel
Victoria Park committee members see ways to make it more vibrant
September 5, 2007 | TERRY PENDER, RECORD STAFF | http://news.therecord.com/article/237655


KITCHENER - In the summer, the quality of the lake water is nothing short of disgusting.

At times, goose droppings are so thick on the ground that people stay away.

Drug dealers ply their trade, sheltered by a large berm.

And some of the drug dealers' regular customers -- prostitutes -- work along David Street.

This is life in Victoria Park, the crown jewel in the city's collection of 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of parkland and open spaces.

And despite a few unattractive elements, the park remains hugely popular.

Children and parents pack the splash pad and playground in warm weather, thousands turn out for summer festivals, the sounds of pickup soccer last until dark, and the Boathouse Restaurant on Victoria Lake draws people in at night as the region's most popular venue for blues.

In an effort to better manage the park, the residents living around it will soon have a direct pipeline into City Hall.

City councillors recently established a working group for park issues.

The Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association nominated four citizens to sit on it --Rych Mills, Bob Sharpe, Tony Maas and Susan Coulter.

"The city always says it's the jewel in the heart of the city so let's treat it like one," Mills said.

"If you think we are a bunch of neighbours who want special attention you are right, because we live next to a special place."

The park working group will also include city hall staffers from the community services department, operations, community programs and special events.

The citizens in the group can bring issues directly to staff, and through them to city councillors.

Mills grew up in the area, and the park was his backyard as a child. He wants to see better staffing and programming.

He opposes flattening the berms along David Street, where drug dealers can be found.

"If you don't want bad people to take over the park you've got to get the good people in the park," Mills said.

The Kitchener Blues Festival set a new attendance record this summer, and there is talk of setting up a stage in Victoria Park as the event expands. Mills has no problem with that, as long as it doesn't have a negative impact on nearby residents.

But a priority for Mills is the dredging of Victoria Lake. A large, urban area drains into the lake, which fills with sediment.

"It's been 12 or 15 years since it was last dredged. You can't put a canoe on it now without the paddles hitting the bottom."

The quality of the water flowing in and out of the lake is a major concern for Sharpe, a Wilfrid Laurier University geographer living nearby.

Victoria Park and its lake are key spots on the Schneider Creek watershed.

The lake acts as a storm water management pond that contains the runoff from 60 per cent of the city and prevents flooding.

The creek and lake are treated like sewers, Sharpe said.

"That is one of my key interests -- to see the creek restored and recognized as a healthy water body," Sharpe said.

"It is not going to happen quickly, easily or cheaply."

Long stretches of the creek are a concrete chute.

After heavy rain, it becomes dirty-brown water rushing through the city on its way to the Grand River.

"The creek would have to be treated in different ways in different segments," Sharpe said.

Cleaning up the water in Victoria Park means cleaning up the water coming into it.

Where possible, trees need to be planted along the edges of the creek to cool the water.

Along other sections the creek should meander, pool and ripple.

Where possible the concrete sides and bottom should be removed to allow the rainwater to soak into the ground.

"The park and the neighbourhood can't be viewed in isolation," Sharpe said.

"They have to be viewed as part of a wider system."

The water rushes so quickly through the creek after heavy rains the banks are eroding in some areas.

Sharpe said a public-education campaign is needed about the importance of Schneider Creek.

Signs should be erected to help people interpret the natural features, he said, and trails should be built along the creek so people can enjoy and appreciate the waterway.

"I see the park as a keystone in that," Sharpe said.

The working group for the 27-hectare (59-acre) park will review any issues related to the park.

The group will also review the priorities for future development of the park as set out in a strategic plan.

The group has been asked to act as advocates and stewards, seek public input and bring concerns to city staffers and councillors.


Creeks may be key to cleaning Victoria Park lake
July 7, 2008 | Terry Pender, RECORD STAFF | http://news.therecord.com/article/378970


KITCHENER - The water slowly meanders and pools, shaded by a mature stand of hardwood trees, on its way through Monarch Woods.

These are ideal conditions for an urban creek--the water flows slowly allowing sediments to settle out, and cool shade prevents the growth of algae and toxic organisms such as botulism.

This is the Henry Strum Greenway that flows from Ira Needles Boulevard, through Monarch Woods and under Fischer-Hallman Road to a point south of Victoria Street where it joins Schneider Creek.

Following a botulism outbreak a few years ago the city renaturalized this creek as it flows through Monarch Woods.

Water quality in the creeks flowing into Victoria Park lake is getting a lot of attention these days. City officials, concerned citizens and consultants are developing plans to improve the water quality in the lake and reduce the buildup of sediments.

It may seem like a long way from Victoria Park to Monarch Woods, but the creeks and lake are all part of the same ecosystem, said Robert Sharpe, who teaches environmental studies and geography at Wilfrid Laurier University.

And any long-term solution to improving Victoria Park lake must include improvements to water flowing into it, Sharpe said

Sharpe lives near the park, and sits on the city's Victoria Park Working Group. He is also part of a public advisory committee working with the engineering firms CH2MHill and Stantec to develop solutions to the poor water quality in Victoria Park lake.

Every 10 to 15 years Victoria Park lake becomes very shallow as sediments build up. As the shallow water gets warmer, algae thrive. Botulism outbreaks in the past killed hundreds of ducks and geese.

Dredging the lake is a stopgap solution at best, and costs millions of dollars each time. So the city and its consultants are looking for long-term answers and casting their eyes up the creeks that flow into the lake.

Victoria Park lake was built as a stormwater management pond to collect the runoff from much of the city.

Much of the water flowing into Victoria Park lake comes from storm sewers -- concrete channels designed to quickly move water out of urban neighbourhoods.

"And that is going to be the pricey thing to fix," Sharpe said.

Busting up and removing the concrete, planting trees along the creek and changing how it flows, would all help, Sharpe said.

Change has already come to some sections of the Sandrock Greenway -- where stormwater ponds have been built, trees planted, and rocks used to slow the water.

The city's consultants have issued a list of water-flow options to generate discussions and suggestions from the public.

Options for Victoria Lake include:

Do nothing.

Maintain existing lake configuration and dredge sediments.

Reconfigure lake to improve circulation and water quality.

Have Schneider Creek bypass the lake.

The options for the creeks and tributaries flowing into the lake include:

Do nothing.

Slow the flow with stormwater collection ponds along the creek.

Change the creek channels.

Reduce the sediment in the tributaries.

Anyone with suggestions can submit them to the city engineer on the project, Kevin Mick (kevin.mick@kitchener.ca), or CH2MHILL's consulting engineer Tom Mahood (tom.mahood@ch2m.com).

"Whatever they can do to revitalize that lake would be great," Sharpe said.

Sharpe is joined by Tony Maas on the public advisory committee for the Victoria Lake improvements project.

Maas said he's excited about how the problems and possible solutions are being viewed.

"Instead of just viewing this as, let's say, the best cycle for dredging the lake, they are looking upstream and taking a watershed approach, which is contemporary thinking but not always done, so I totally commend the city on taking that approach," Maas said.

Maas also likes the idea of renaturalization for stretches of creek, and aerating the lake with wind-powered pumps to improve water quality.

"We can always clean these things up. It comes down to issues of costs and what are the best approaches?" Maas said.


Victoria Park Lake cleanup to cost millions
January 30, 2009 | Greg Mercer, RECORD STAFF | http://news.therecord.com/article/479466 (http://news.therecord.com/article/479466)


KITCHENER - At an early stage in the planning to deal with toxic sludge in Victoria Park Lake, consultants briefly considered a very simple solution -- fill in the lake.

But the image of Victoria Park without its lake didn't go over well with the public, and the idea was ditched.

Instead, the consulting group hired by the city focused on a more involved, multi-million-dollar plan to fix the former park jewel that is becoming known for bacteria and bad smells.

At a public meeting last night, they outlined a proposal to dredge the sediment that lines the bottom of the man-made lake -- the product of years of urban runoff carried in by Schneider Creek and storm sewers.

The lake was last dredged in 1995, and the sediment that's gathered since is 1.5 metres deep, enough to bury a car.

A 2007 study estimated more than 51,000 tonnes of it sits in the lake.

Problem is, that sediment is "technically toxic waste," said Stantec engineer Steve Brown, one of the consultants. That means it could only be disposed of in a landfill, which could cost close to $6 million.

"We can't just go and put it on a farmer's field somewhere," he said.

According to the proposal, the lake would need to be permanently restructured to prevent further sediment buildup. That's estimated to cost between $800,000 and $1.3 million.

Among the options in this plan is a proposal to remove the island in the lake's western edge, widen and deepen the lake or build a sediment basin and weir to stop gunk from flowing into the rest of the lake.

The lake would likely need to be drained to do this work, which could take about four months, Brown said.

Members of the public have until Feb. 5 to tell the city what they think.

Not that people have been keeping quiet. The consultants say they've been floored by how seriously residents take tinkering with the lake.

"From day one, there's been a lot of public interest in this. It's been exceptional," said project manager Tom Mahood, of engineering firm CH2M Hill.

His group hopes to have a recommended plan before city council by April. In it, there will also be suggestions on what to do upstream, to clean up the waterways that eventually flow into the lake.

That could include removing concrete that lines those creeks and restoring vegetation, said Tony Maas, one of the citizens on the project's public advisory committee. If council approves a plan, the public will have another chance for comment during the 30-day environmental impact assessment.

All this for a lake that nature never intended. Victoria Park Lake was created by widening Schneider Creek in 1895, back when Kitchener was the town of Berlin.

The lake became the centrepiece of the urban park. Longtime residents like Cleta Young remember the lake in the 1930s and 1940s, when it was a magnet for citizens.

Families would bring picnics to the edge of the water, and men did brisk business renting out canoes and rowboats, Young said.

Years of sediment buildup and poor water flow changed that. Now, in the summer, the lake's stink and appearance drives people away. The toxic sludge at the bottom has allowed bacteria to bloom, causing two botulism outbreaks since the 1980s that have killed hundreds of birds.

Young says the city should spend the money to get the lake back to its former glory.

"It's not just for this year, or the next. It's for future generations," she said.


Residents upset with low ranking for cleanup of Victoria Park Lake
November 24, 2009 | By Terry Pender, Record Staff | http://news.therecord.com/article/634392 (http://news.therecord.com/article/634392)


KITCHENER — Residents are lobbying city council to put a higher priority on cleaning up Victoria Park Lake and the creeks that run into it.

On Monday city councillors reviewed the proposed 2010 capital budget of $146 million, but there is no money to begin work on improving the water quality in Victoria Park.

“It’s most distressing and disappointing,” Bob Sharpe, a member of the Victoria Park Working Group, said in an interview Tuesday.

In fact, the proposed 10-year capital spending forecast does not contemplate any work on Victoria Park Lake, which is filling with toxic sediment, for another nine years. The accumulation of sediments makes the water shallow and warm, good conditions for breeding botulism. Goose droppings are often floating in it.

Sharpe and many other residents near and around Victoria Park took part in an environmental assessment that examined how water quality in the lake and creeks can be improved. That assessment was finished in June of this year and work must begin within 10 years or another environmental assessment will be required.

Sharpe said he and others expected the city to take action much sooner than the timetable contemplated in the capital spending plans.

“I am perplexed why there wasn’t some level of consultation with the various actors involved in the environmental assessment,” Sharpe said.

In another nine years the lake could be filled with sediment, which would make it much easier for city officials to just fill it in and re-route the creeks around it. That idea was suggested by consultants who led the recent environmental assessment, but it was loudly rejected by residents.

“I do feel kind of blindsided by this,” said Sharpe, a Wilfrid Laurier University geographer, who lives near the park.

Sharpe is supported by Tony Maas, another member of the Victoria Park Working Group, who said: “If our reputation becomes one of deferring investment in cleaning up the centrepiece of the city then I am not sure the priority-setting process is serving us well.”

The 2010 capital budget calls for spending more than $12 million on the new public works yard at the former B.F. Goodrich site, $4.1 million on new vehicles, $1.3 million on The Aud and community arenas, $340,000 on community centre maintenance and $120,000 on parking spaces for faculty and students at the Wilfrid Laurier Graduate School of social work on Duke Street.

By comparison, the total capital spending planned for sports fields, trails and parks is $3.7 million, significantly less than what the city plans to spend on new vehicles. In the past couple of years the city spent more than $7 million on a new software system for its finance division.

“We have invested a lot of time, money and effort in doing this environmental assessment for Victoria Park Lake,” Maas said.

“Up until recently I was under the impression this was a priority for the city.”

Grant Murphy, the city’s director of engineering, told councillors it will cost an estimated $16 million to clean up and redesign Victoria Park Lake and the creeks flowing into it.

Maas said nobody on the Victoria Park Working Group expects the city to fund all of that work in a single year, but it should begin right away and the costs should be spread over several years.

“I recognize the challenge we are facing with limited public revenues and the economic situation doesn’t help,” Maas said.

The 2010 capital budget will not be adopted by city council until Jan. 18. It plans to hold a public input session for both the capital and operating budgets on Jan. 11.

Victoria Park cleanup meeting set for Tuesday
January 4, 2010 | Record Staff | http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/650055


Residents of the Victoria Park neighbourhood are holding a public meeting Tuesday night to rally support for the clean up of Victoria Lake.

The meeting is intended to bring all residents up to date on the issue and show council the project has support from across Kitchener and Waterloo, said Sue Coulter of the Victoria Park Working Group.

The 100-year-old lake in the park is filling up with sediment, carried in by storm water, and is in need of dredging. An environmental assessment completed last year suggested several possible options for the lake that would provide a longer-lasting solution to the sediment and storm water problem.

The city has not set any money aside for the $16-million project in its proposed 10-year capital budget until 2019. Members of the Victoria Park Working Group and the neighbourhood association say work to clean up the lake needs to start sooner than that.

City council asked staff last month to come back with a report detailing options to move the project up in the capital forecast. That report is expected to be complete Tuesday.

Coulter said e-mails and messages of support from residents across the region have come in to the working group and the neighbourhood association. She said it’s clear from the response that the health of the park is an important issue for all users, not just residents surrounding the green space.

The public meeting is open to everyone and starts at 6 p.m. in the Victoria Park pavilion.

Members of the public will have a chance to voice their opinions on the 2010 budget during a public input meeting at city hall on Jan. 11.

Rate hike would pay for cleanup of Victoria Park lake
January 6, 2010 | Melinda Dalton, Record Staff | http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/650267


Work to clean up the Victoria Park lake could start as early as next year if city council approves a recommendation that would finance the $16-million project through new stormwater user rates.

The recommendation comes from a staff report released Tuesday that looks at options for moving up the project in city’s spending forecast.

Members of the Victoria Park Working Group and the neighbourhood association, who co-hosted a public meeting on the issue Tuesday night, generally welcomed the option, which would see improvements to the lake and the stormwater management upstream complete by 2015.

“In November, it was off the table. It was so far down on the list and they’ve come back with a working solution that isn’t far off what was originally planned, which is great,” said Sherrie Grise of the neighbourhood association. “It still has to be passed and it still has to be prioritized, but at least with this, it’s acknowledged and it’s back on the table and it’s being discussed like the important issue that it is.”

The 100-year-old Victoria Park lake is filling up with sediment, carried into it through stormwater from neighbourhoods upstream.

The problem isn’t new, but city’s solution to date has been to dredge the lake of sediment once every 15 years or so without addressing the larger stormwater issues.

A lengthy environmental assessment, which included significant input from residents and park users, was completed last year with the aim of finding a long-term solution for the lake.

It recommended the city start work in 2009 on a plan to dredge and deepen the lake, build a forebay and develop a system of retention ponds upstream to keep sediment from flowing into the park. The city estimates that work would cost between $9 million and $16 million.

However, when the city’s proposed 10-year capital budget forecast was presented to council last month, the project wasn’t slated to start receiving funding until 2019 — a decision that shocked and enraged residents and users of the park.

Councillors asked city staff to go back and find options for moving up the start of the project. Staff returned with three options, which will go before council Monday.

Pulling funding from infrastructure projects and trying to secure federal grant funding were two of those options, but neither was recommended. The first would increase the city’s infrastructure deficit and a March 2011 completion deadline for grant funding wasn’t realistic.

Staff is recommending the city finance the improvements by implementing a stormwater rate structure that would impose a fee on every property owner, rather than drawing stormwater funding from property taxes as is currently the practice.

Right now, $5.46 per month of the property taxes paid on a single family home goes to stormwater services. Changing to a rate system would cost the same household about $7.92 a month.

Waterloo has already approved a similar stormwater rate system.

The stormwater fee, which would appear on monthly utility bills, would be charged to all property owners in the city. That has raised concerns from groups like churches and school boards, currently exempt from property taxes, who would be required to pay the new stormwater fees.

Adopting a rate structure would allow the city to finance the lake project and ensure the “sustainability” of the city’s entire stormwater management system, according to city staff. A service and funding study of the city’s stormwater management completed last year found Kitchener is “falling short on many of its practices.”

The city’s stormwater budget is currently $5.8 million. The new rate system would bring that up to $9.9 million.

“The stormwater rate will be used to help protect the quality of surface water and groundwater,” Grant Murphy, the city’s director of engineering services, said in an email response Tuesday.

“I think of it as an investment in source water protection and the environment.”

About 90 people gathered at the Victoria Park pavilion for last night’s public meeting on the lake project.

While some expressed concern that linking the lake clean up to a controversial new fee could cast a negative light on the project, others were more optimistic. They see the proposal as an opportunity to highlight the larger issue of sustainable stormwater management.

Most agreed a commitment on the timeline was significant, even if there wasn’t total consensus on the best way to fund the project.

Some participants questioned why the solution for the lake project couldn’t be a hybrid of the three options by employing some short term stimulus funding, cash from other areas as well as a stormwater user fee system.

Meeting organizers encouraged residents to bring detailed queries to the city at a public input session on the 2010 budget next week. They asked residents to come wearing green to show support for the project.

“City council and the mayor have challenging decisions to make,” Tony Maas, a resident of the neighbourhood and member of the working group, said in an interview after the meeting. “I think citizens spoke up and made clear the appropriate decision is not delay. While we are in an economic challenge, that doesn’t mean they don’t need to be making these difficult decisions.”

That public input meeting will take place Monday in the city hall council chambers starting at 7 p.m.

[Spokes]

I'm glad they're going with a long term solution to the problem rather than having to dredge the lake every X years.

I think the rate increase is reasonable. It's worth it to maintain/fix the city's major park.

[Spokes]

Supporters for Victoria Park project voice concerns over stormwater user fee
January 12, 2010 | Melinda Dalton, Record Staff | http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/654911


KITCHENER — Dozens of residents, many clad in green to show their support for the Victoria Park Lake clean up project, packed council chambers Monday night to voice their opinions on the 2010 budget.

They came armed with questions and concerns about a city staff proposal that could delay the lake cleanup project to 2011, but would fund the project through a new flat-rate stormwater user fee.

“The issue of the stormwater user fee has begun to overshadow the lake clean up issue,” Anna Maste of the Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association, said in a delegation before council.

“Our task has now become two fold. We need to ensure not only that the lake clean up is funded, but also that the stormwater user fee does not become known as a tax solely to support Victoria Park Lake, as many people have incorrectly understood it.”

Council is looking at ways to move up the $16 million lake clean up project in the capital forecast. The project, which would include dredging and deepening the lake and addressing stormwater issues upstream, is not currently slated to start receiving funding until 2019.

The rate structure would be initiated in 2011 to bring in the money needed to fund the lake project and bring the entire stormwater management system in the city up to what city staff calls a “sustainable level of service.”

The rates would generate $9.9 million annually and would cost a single family home $7.92 a month and a non-residential property $126 a month.

That’s an increase of about $2.50 a month for the average residential property and about $60 a month for non-residential property over the portion of property taxes now used for stormwater services.

Properties including schools and churches, which don’t pay property taxes, would be required to pay $81.66 a month.

Mayor Carl Zehr said he spoke with representatives from both school boards last week, who expressed concern there hadn’t been a significant dialogue between the tax-exempt properties and the city on the rate proposal.

He said the city is committed to sitting down with representatives from tax-exempt properties before the rate system comes back to council for its final decision in the spring to further discuss the mechanics of implementing the fees.

The flat fee system proposed by city staff means that everyone would pay the same rate based on their property type, regardless of the square footage or amount of impervious surface on their land.

Bob Sharpe, of the Victoria Park Working Group, presented three main concerns gathered during a public meeting last week, that included tying the project to a stormwater program and a flat-fee rate.

“We are concerned that tying the financing of the Victoria Park Lake (improvements) explicitly and solely to this funding source would mean that if the stormwater management and funding proposal does not receive the approval of council in the coming months, there will be no money available (and) we’ll be right back where we started,” he said.

Sharpe asked council to consider moving up the design phase of the project to 2010 to ensure the next council, voted in this October, would have a stake in the project and its scheduled implementation.

Grant Murphy, the city’s head of engineering services, said he would not support such a move because pushing up the project would mean taking other projects in the design phase off the table.

Mayor Carl Zehr said the city recognizes the significance of the park project and, given the support for the project already, the issue is unlikely to disappear from the agenda for the new council.

Dan Chapman, the city’s treasurer, told council they could amend the 10-year capital forecast in May if the rate system is approved to include moving up the lake project.

The working group also asked council if there was any other place in the budget from which money for the park project could be taken.

Councillors asked staff to look at those options and their implications and bring their findings back to the final budget meeting on Jan. 18 as well as options to move the design phase up to 2010. They will make a decision on implementing a stormwater rate system in May.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Two side-by-side ice rinks are set-up in the open field.

January 15, 2010
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[Spokes]

Council makes Victoria Park Lake cleanup priority
January 18, 2010 | Melinda Dalton, Record Staff | http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/658576


KITCHENER — City council has agreed to make the clean up of Victoria Park Lake a priority and establish a new stormwater rate system that will generate the cash to fund the project.

Councilors unanimously supported a revised recommendation from staff that puts the lake clean up first on the list of stormwater projects that will be funded by the new utility fee.

That was welcome news to members of the Victoria Park Working Group, who have been campaigning to get the $16 million project back on track since it was pushed to the end of the 10 year capital forecast late last year.

“To hear that it is the No. 1 issue and that it’s unanimous I think is as reassuring as they can be,” Bob Sharpe, a member of the working group, said in interview after he addressed the finance and corporate services committee Monday.

He said there have been at least two other attempts to get a full clean up of the lake started in the past, but both times it fell off the city’s list of priorities. Because of that, the group was pushing for a firm commitment on the project’s timeline to make sure it survives the transition to the new council after the fall election.

“It really was a question of getting as much reassurance to us as well as to project that out to the public because I think there will still be some dismay and some cynicism,” Sharpe said. “But this is as far as we can go and the best we can do right now.”

The fees would generate $9.9 million for the city’s stormwater services, bringing its budget up to what staff call a “sustainable” level of funding. Those funds would be used for all stormwater operations and infrastructure improvements across the city including things like street sweeping and cleaning out stormwater ponds, retrofitting older ponds to meet new regulations and updating storm sewer pipes.

The city agreed in principle to establishing a rate structure system that would charge property owners a monthly fee for service, but haven’t decided how those rates would be calculated.

City staff is recommending a tiered flat-rate system that would charge a flat rate based on the type of property — single or multi-unit residential, commercial or tax-exempt. Several supporters of the lake project and city councillors said they’d prefer the so-called Single Family Unit rate structure, which would take into account property size and the amount of impervious service on a property.

Property owners with large amounts of paved surfaces and extensive roofs would shoulder more of the fees, but could earn credits for diversion efforts. Residential property owners would pay based on the size of their property and how to compares to the average amount of impervious surface on properties of its size.

Grant Murphy, the city’s director of engineering services, said while that system may be more equitable, it is more costly and would take up more resources to get it up and running because each property would have to be assessed.

The tiered flat-fee could be up and running by January 2011, a timeline which would mean funds for the Victoria Park Lake clean up would be in place sooner. The design phase of that project could start in 2011 and work on the lake, which needs completed in the winter time, could start in early 2012. The project can’t get underway any sooner because of staff and resources already allocated to high priority projects, Murphy said.

The city is applying about $900,000 worth of federal infrastructure funding for the design phase of the lake project, but that means that work will need to be completed by March 2011.

The move to a flat fee rate system that would include funds to finance the park project would mean an increase of about $3 per month per property. Right now, property owners pay for stormwater services through their tax bill.

Murphy told the finance and corporate services committee Monday that the city could consider implementing the flat-fee approach initially and then move to a user fee system in a few years.

Council asked staff to bring several rate options back to committee on Feb. 8 and to initiate a consolation process with property owners who are currently tax-exempt, including schools and churches, who could be required to pay the fee.

A detailed report on the rate system and its implementation will be brought to council at the end of May.

[Spokes]

I'd love to see a small restaurant built in the park on the lake. The Boathouse is great, it's a good bar, but its not perfect. Its a little to "grungy" for some (I like it for what it is), the patio's a bit small, and they open too late during the week. Something where you could sit out on the lake for lunch mid week would be great. And it'd be another draw to get people downtown.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Hot Air Balloons

September 20, 2010

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Lake Fish

October 9, 2010

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[EdM]

Anna was on the Jeff Allan show recently to discuss the lake funding.

http://www.570news.com/listen/listenplayer/185503--9am-victoria-park-lake

[UrbanWaterloo]

Information centre to focus on Victoria Park Lake
June 21, 2011 | City of Kitchener | Link (http://www.kitchener.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx?newsId=P2IZe5TqXHYJpU1Bxp2BygeQuAleQuAl )

A public information centre will be held this Thursday, June 23, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Victoria Park Pavilion, to update the community on the improvements that are planned for Victoria Park Lake.

The city has begun the next phase of the project, which includes the detailed design and subsequent construction of the improvements.

Citizens are invited to learn more about the recommended solution - a reconfiguration of the lake to improve its function, which city council approved based on the findings of a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) study.

The EA was undertaken to explore alternatives to address both sediment accumulation and water quality in the lake and to improve the overall condition and function of the lake and its upstream watershed.

Those who attend the public information centre will also have the opportunity to ask project-related questions and provide input and comments on the proposed solution.

Project information will be available for viewing, and the study team will be on hand to discuss the information and answer questions.

What: Victoria Park Lake improvements - public information centre

Date: Thursday, June 23, 2011

Time: 6 to 8 p.m.

Location: Victoria Park Pavilion, 80 Schneider Ave., Kitchener

[bcwessel]

Open house to explain dredging work planned for lake at Victoria Park
Terry Pender | The Record | 22 June 2011 | LINK (http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/551951--open-house-to-explain-dredging-work-planned-for-lake-at-victoria-park)


Work is scheduled to start in November or December on the $10-million cleanup and physical changes to the small lake in Victoria Park.
An open house on the plans is scheduled for tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Victoria Park Pavillion at 80 Schneider Ave. City staff are looking for public reaction to the plans before they are completed. . .

The plan calls for dredging the lake to remove the sediment. This is the most expensive part of the plan because some or possibly all of the sediment may have to be trucked to a special dump that handles toxic waste. . .

The lake will be widened and deepened near the railway tracks. This will slow the water down as it comes into the lake. In the future, most of the sediment should collect in this area.
The edge of the lake is now lined with wire baskets holding rocks — gabion walls. Those baskets will be removed and replaced with rocks and new plants. This should discourage geese from using the lake.
The paved pathway that goes around the lake will be changed to stay along the water’s edge in front of the Boathouse restaurant.
Another pedestrian bridge will be installed closer to the railway tracks. New railings for the Roos Island bridge will be installed.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Learn more about Victoria Park lake project
September 22, 2011 | City of Kitchener | Link (http://www.kitchener.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx?newsId=8yYu7UGX6rAe5lA5HmHOlKXzvQeQuAle QuAl)

A public information centre will be held Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Downtown Community Centre, to update the community on the detailed design and planned construction at Victoria Park Lake.

The detailed design has been completed and additional information will be available on the anticipated construction impacts and schedule associated with the lake improvements.

This work is an extension of the environmental assessment that was completed in 2009. In addition, a number of park features identified in the Victoria Park Strategic Plan -- including a new pedestrian bridge, replacement of the boathouse dock/patio, and lake edge replacement -- will also be constructed.

The proposed works will address both sediment accumulation and water quality in the lake and improve the overall condition and function of the lake. The park feature improvements will also enhance the heritage and cultural setting of the park.

Those who attend the public information centre will have the opportunity to ask project-related questions.

Project information will be available for viewing, and the study team will be on hand to discuss the information and answer questions.

What: Victoria Park Lake improvements - public information centre

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011

Time: 6 to 8 p.m.

Location: Downtown Community Centre, 35B Weber St. W., Kitchener

[UrbanWaterloo]

Lowering lake levels in Victoria Park begins
October 25, 2011 | City of Kitchener | Link (http://www.kitchener.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx?newsId=CovM3xwYBUhaXFdNhD0ssAeQuAleQuAl )

As the work on Victoria Lake gets underway, lake levels will be lowered this week. This will be done over the course of the entire week and it is anticipated that actual visual impacts will be noticed by the middle or end of the week.

Native fish in the lake will be relocated to an off-line pond in Guelph/Eramosa Township, a plan that has been approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). Non-native fish, predominantly carp, will be removed from the lake. The carp are considered invasive and damage the lake ecosystem and will be euthanized humanely, as per MNR guidelines.

The sediment in the lake currently has higher water content, so dewatering allow some of the sediment to dewater via gravity. Some odours will likely occur because of decaying organic matter. As the work continues, the lake will start to look more like a stream with large portions of the bottom exposed.

Construction is anticipated to begin in November 2011, assuming all approvals have been granted, and be completed by late spring 2012. Park visitors are encouraged to continue to stay outside of the boundaries of the lake limits for safety reasons. Once the construction work is completed, the lake levels will be returned to their original level and will be conserved as an open, uninterrupted body of water.

[Adrian]

Hot Air Balloons rising from Victoria Park.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWmXQQRJZO4

[UrbanWaterloo]

Heritage Permit Application HPA 2011-V-018 – Victoria Park Lake Flagpole Removal
PREPARED BY: Grant Murphy, Director of Engineering
SUBMITTED BY: Jim Witmer, Director of Operations; Grant Murphy, Director of Engineering; Alain Pinard, Director of Planning
DATE OF REPORT: October 25, 2011 | DATE OF MEETING: November 1, 2011
REPORT TO: Special Council | REPORT NO.: INS 11-089 (http://icalendar.esolutionsgroup.ca/Public/GetDocument.ashx?DocumentId=77793b6f-570a-4e88-b656-335a8ea5f3a6&IsShare=True)

RECOMMENDATION:

For information

BACKGROUND:

In April 2011, staff and consultants began work on the detailed design of the Victoria Park Lake reconfiguration and sediment removal. In addition to these improvements, the study team also investigated the implementation of various enhancements identified in the Victoria Park Strategic Plan. Six (6) enhancements are viable to proceed with and include: 1) removal of the defunct pump station, 2) repair of the existing heritage bridge piers, 3) replacement of the entire lake edge treatment, 4) removal of the flagpole located in the middle of the lake, 5) reconstruction of the dock and patio structure at the Boathouse, and 6) construction of a new pedestrian bridge at the upstream end of the lake.

As part of the design and approvals process, Heritage Permit Application HPA 2011-V-018 was submitted seeking Council’s permission to make alterations to Victoria Park as part of the Victoria Park Lake Improvements Project. The proposed alterations include the removal of the flagpole. In processing the Heritage Permit Application, Heritage Planning Staff did not identify a
concern with the removal of the flagpole, given its removal would not in Staff’s opinion have a negative impact on the significance of the heritage district or Park. The Heritage Permit Application was considered by the Heritage Kitchener Committee on October 4, 2011 and the Committee recommended approval to City Council. At the October 24th Council meeting Heritage Permit Application HPA 2011-V-018 was brought forward for consideration. Council deferred consideration of the removal of the flagpole pending additional information.

REPORT:

Park Operations Staff are recommending that the flag pole located in Victoria Park Lake be removed as part of the Victoria Park Lake Improvement Project and the rationale is the following:


A pole was first used in this general location in the lake on a temporary basis during winter skating activities. A hole was drilled in the ice and a wooden pole inserted to support lighting and possibly loud speakers. A more permanent pole was installed at some time in the 1950’s and is not part of the original park design. The existing pole is a replacement of earlier versions installed in 1995. Additionally, skating on the lake is no longer permitted, as such this equipment is redundant..
The Victoria Park Area Heritage Conservation District Plan does not identify the flagpole as a specific heritage attribute of the Park. The Plan does identify views over the lake and the natural setting of woods and grass as being key elements and makes the following statements: Conspicuous engineered structures such as pressure treated lumber retaining walls, concrete containers and metal gabions baskets should be discouraged and replaced over time with designs that become indivisible from the landscape; and, Built structures in the lake, such as light standards and loud speakers, should be discouraged as being disruptive to the visual serenity of the Lake. In the opinion of City Staff, as an engineered structure located in the middle of the Lake, the flagpole is conspicuous and might be considered disruptive to the aesthetic serenity of the Lake. As such, its removal would not be inconsistent with the guidelines and objectives of the Victoria Park Area Heritage Conservation District Plan.
The existing flag pole is difficult to access to raise, lower or replace the flag since a boat is required to gain access. Any repairs to the flag hardware or to untangle the flag, or any other operation involving access to the pole itself above grade requires the use of skilled workers. Currently it is the Forestry Division arborists, trained in safe climbing techniques, who are called upon to untangle the flag or complete repairs to the hardware. This is time consuming and takes these workers away from their primary duties.

The erection of a new flagpole in another location in the Park (on land), may be investigated by the City at a later date, and would be subject to Heritage and Operations review.

ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:

The partnership that we are proposing to form with the Region of Waterloo is in line with the City’s Strategic Plan, particularly the Development and Environment Community Priorities.

Community Priority - Environment

“Continue to show leadership in the development of an environmentally sustainable community.” The approach of testing the sediment once it is at the landfill will provide the Region of Waterloo and the City of Kitchener with data to determine what potential viable disposal alternatives might exist for this type of material. The cost associated with sediment disposal is a problem faced by all municipalities and by choosing the proposed approach; we are demonstrating our leadership in this respect.

Community Priority - Development

“Maintain a balanced approach to replacing and/or expanding existing infrastructure and building new infrastructure.” There are over 100 stormwater management facilities that will eventually require sediment removal and the work associated with Victoria Park Lake will
provide us with a better understanding of the potential re-use of this material and could help make sediment disposal more cost effective. This in turn will result in a greater number of stormwater management facility cleanouts and therefore a better maintenance of our existing infrastructure.

Community Priority – Quality of Life

The review and consideration of Heritage Permit Applications supports the Quality of Life Community Priority of the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan. The process to consider alterations to designated property helps to ensure that the heritage attributes of a property, and therefore its heritage value, are conserved. Cultural heritage resources are valuable assets that contribute to the quality of life of a community in a variety of ways. They represent and strengthen the identity and distinctiveness of a community; play a significant role in economic development; stimulate revitalization and attract tourism.

Victoria Park is recognized as being the jewel in the City’s crown, and a haven of tranquility and beauty for residents and visitors alike. The designation in 1997 of the Victoria Park Area as a Heritage Conservation District served in part to publicly recognize and promote awareness of the heritage value of Victoria Park. Much of the significance of the Park lies in the aesthetic values of its Romantic Landscape design. The Victoria Park Lake Improvements Project proposes to reconfigure the Lake to improve its function. In processing this Heritage Permit Application, the City is upholding its responsibility to ensure the aesthetic and heritage values of Victoria Park and the Heritage District are conserved.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

N/A

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:

During the detailed design of the Victoria Park Lake Improvements, two (2) public information centres (PIC) were conducted. One PIC was held on June 23rd, 2011, to receive community input early in the design phase. The second PIC was held on September 27th, 2011, to share the outcome of the detailed design and share what the public could expect during construction.

At the June 23rd 2011 public meeting, an opportunity for the public to comment on the possibility of removing the flag pole was provided. There were 39 responses received with 18 respondents wanting the flagpole to remain where it is, 14 that wanted it removed completely and 7 of which requested that it be relocated.

CONCLUSION:

This report is provided for information to Council in support of Heritage Permit Application HPA 2011-V-018.

[UrbanWaterloo]

71185351

[plam]

The existing flag pole is difficult to access to raise, lower or replace the flag since a boat is required to gain access. Any repairs to the flag hardware or to untangle the flag, or any other operation involving access to the pole itself above grade requires the use of skilled workers. Currently it is the Forestry Division arborists, trained in safe climbing techniques, who are called upon to untangle the flag or complete repairs to the hardware. This is time consuming and takes these workers away from their primary duties.The erection of a new flagpole in another location in the Park (on land), may be investigated by the City at a later date, and would be subject to Heritage and Operations review.

Who woulda thought that a pole in the middle of the lake is a pain in the neck to access?

Doesn't sound that heritage to me.

[panamaniac]

Since there's already a flag on the Clocktower that is a symbol of the City, I think the park is probably adequately "flagged" without another one in the pond (better take it down quick before Ottawa makes it illegal to do so ......)

BTW - 60,000 tons of sediment! That's a heck of a lot of goose poop.

[mpd618]

The dredging is a perfect chance to find out whether the old statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I really is down there.

[bcwessel]

The Record (http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/618426--bridge-boathouse-improvements-on-hold-as-victoria-park-lake-project-begins) is reporting that the bridge and Boathouse patio improvements have been put on hold due to a lack of funding - a $400 000 shortfall. Apparently the cost of landfilling the goose droppings, running at a 600% premium compared to the cost for uncontaminated sediments, accounts for nearly a quarter of the entire Victoria Park rehabilitation budget.

[DHLawrence]

The dredging is a perfect chance to find out whether the old statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I really is down there.

If memory serves it didn't stay there long. Bronze was needed for the war effort so it was hauled away and melted down not long after.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Work on Victoria Park lake begins today
November 14, 2011 | City of Kitchener | Link (http://www.kitchener.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx?newsId=th2ikp5lA5HK4AgvcrgCHRqK9AeQuAle QuAl)

Construction on Victoria Park Lake starts today. Fencing around the limit of the works and around trees to be protected will be among the first things done as work begins. As part of the installation of the fencing, public access across the bridges will no longer be permitted for safety reasons.

Construction traffic will be focused on Jubilee Drive for the next several weeks. At this time, no road closures are proposed.

The pavilion will remain open during construction. Access to trails around the lake will also be maintained, where possible. However, it is recommended that the public keep its distance from the work area and watch for trucks and other equipment driving onto the site. The access points will be at Dill Street, Park Street and Roland Street.

Once all fencing is in place, and excavation of the sediment has begun, the lake will continue to be dewatered. Portions of the lake will be dewatered at one time and once the material has been removed, the lake edge will be installed.

Work will likely begin at the southeast end of the lake, near the boathouse, and progress up the lake. Landscaping work will be completed last. No vehicle is permitted to park for more than three consecutive hours on any city street unless signs are posted to indicate otherwise.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Victoria Park Lake Construction - January 14, 2012

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20January%2014,%202012%20-%201%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20January%2014,%202012%20-%202%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20January%2014,%202012%20-%203%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20January%2014,%202012%20-%204%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20January%2014,%202012%20-%205%20R.jpg

[Brando_T]

Now with some cold weather I hope the smell from the excavation goes down...I notice it simply driving by the park on my way to and from work.

Lot of equipment onsite, lot of earth being removed.

[tomthip]

Here's a pretty cool video from the Record on the work being done at the park.

http://www.therecord.com/videozone/661313--rebuilding-the-lake

661313

I didn't know a bulldozer can go that deep in the mud. It's practically snorkeling in the sediment.

[UrbanWaterloo]

February 25, 2012

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20February%2025,%202012%20-%201a%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20February%2025,%202012%20-%201b%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20February%2025,%202012%20-%202c%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20February%2025,%202012%20-%202d%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20February%2025,%202012%20-%202f%20R.jpg

[WaterlooNative]

Am I correct in guessing that the box channel (The lovely 'path' through the middle of the water) is a culvert from one of the previous restorations?

I have many happy memories of boating and skating on the lake. I look forward to the end result

[UrbanWaterloo]

Victoria Park Lake update
March 22, 2012 | City of Kitchener | Link (http://www.kitchener.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx?newsId=94h1vjXwySNRPlUsjr54xuZZQeQuAleQ uAl)

The dredging of the 100-year-old Victoria Park Lake is nearing the end of the heavy construction phase with approximately 85,000 tons of sediment and native soils being removed and hauled to the Region of Waterloo’s landfill site in Cambridge.

Other significant completions include: deepening the lake to three metres in most areas to assist with cooling the water and improving hydraulics; reinforcing the 2.2-kilometre lake edge using over 4,000 concrete blocks and nearly 2,000 natural stones; and repairing the abutments and piers at the Heritage Bridge.

The next phase of the project focuses on the area between Fountain Bridge and the railway tracks and includes construction of a forebay. This is a key component of this project that will capture most of the sediment and allow for easy removal.

Only one more month of heavy construction is expected. This is impressive considering the complexity of the project, the tight work area, the precipitation resulting from a milder than usual winter, and the unknowns that are typically encountered when working with old infrastructure. The overall completion date is June 2012.

[UrbanWaterloo]

April 13, 2012

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20April%2013,%202012%20-%203%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20April%2013,%202012%20-%205%20R.jpg

http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/Victoria%20Park%20-%20April%2013,%202012%20-%206%20R.jpg

[UrbanWaterloo]

Victoria Park Public Washrooms
REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF REPORT: April 16, 2012 | DATE OF MEETING: March 16, 2012
SUBMITTED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department
PREPARED BY: Greg Hummel Manager Park Planning and Development, and Doug Hergott Manager Facilities Management
REPORT NO.: INS-12-023 (http://icalendar.esolutionsgroup.ca/Public/GetDocument.ashx?DocumentId=f4f3b411-c255-4906-b8af-cc9c8df61564&IsShare=True)

RECOMMENDATION:

That staff implements the solutions outlined in options 1 & 2 of the “Potential solutions for washroom access” section of the report for 2012-2013: Existing seasonal washrooms will operate year round and portable trailers be installed during special events within Victoria Park – Commons.

And

That staff investigate the need for additional or more permanent washrooms in Victoria Park through a public engagement process and report back to Council with the findings and recommendation(s).

BACKGROUND:

On March 5, 2012, Council received Chief Administrator’s Office report CAO-12-004 regarding the Victoria Park Lake Boathouse with additional conditions related to: the patio extension; installation of pathway gates with closing times being determined by staff as part of lease negotiations; and, the washrooms at the Victoria Park Lake Boathouse being made available while staff investigate the possibility of building permanent public washrooms:

This report addresses the 2 items of the resolution related to public washroom access

“public washrooms be made available at the Victoria Park Lake Boathouse while staff investigate the possibility of building permanent washrooms in the north end of Victoria Park or in the vicinity of the Victoria Park Lake Boathouse; and,
“Staff be directed to investigate the option of having a permanent unisex bathroom on the northeast side of the Victoria Park lake Boathouse.”
REPORT:


Current washroom facilities and fixtures in Victoria Park:


Seasonal washrooms are adjacent to summer playground/splash pad area:
Male Washroom: 4 cubicles & 4 Urinals
Female: 5 cubicles
One Accessible Family Washroom with Change Table

The seasonal washroom facility is traditionally open for use April 1st – October 31st


Boathouse Washrooms:


Male: 1 Accessible cubicle & 2 Urinals
Female: 1 Accessible cubicle & regular cubicles

There is consensus recognition that the Boathouse needs to have dedicated washrooms for their business function. While there has been a suggestion of a shared arrangement for washrooms through 2012, the City needs to separate the need for year round washroom access and increased washroom access during special events from the Boathouse business.

Event Information:

Event bookings have increased use of Victoria Park over the past few years. Statistics are outlined below:

In 2005: 18 bookings in Victoria Park.
In 2011: 39 bookings in Victoria Park.

These bookings included:
Walks – Parkinson Assoc, Canadian Cancer Society
Corporate/Picnics – Manulife, various banks
Non-Profits – Humanists, Tri-Pride
Culture – Kitchener Musical Society Band, Link Picnic, Kitchener Blues Festival, Multicultural Festival

There are also a number of other events that take place in Victoria Park including Kidspark, Word On The Street, Link Picnic, etc.

Potential solutions for washroom access:


Seasonal washrooms located by Children’s playground can be operational year round. Facilities Management would see slight increased operational costs (utilities, custodial, security) and need to adjust budgets, but the solution could be implemented immediately.


Portable Trailers could be brought into the park at the commons rink shed location for seasonal use and to accommodate the increased demand during events. Seasonal use could run mid-June to mid September. This solution would require sanitary and water tie-in at an estimated one time Capital cost of $8,000. Trailer rental costs could be offset by the budget traditionally allocated to rent single unit porta-potties. Although the total rental cost would be very close, the trailers would provide a better user experience.


Public washrooms could be installed at 79 Joseph St. The facility sits at the entrance to the park and would service the park and events throughout the downtown. Estimated Capital costs (Class C):

$167,000 + HST. Or ~$225.00/ sq ft

The scope of the project would include demolition, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, concrete, finishes, block/brick work. The creation of separate male & female washrooms, including accessible and family amenities (Male washroom: 1 accessible stall, 1 regular stall, 3 urinals, 3 sinks, change table) (Female washroom 1 accessible stall, 3 regular stall, 3 sinks, change table). The scope also includes the creation of a custodial and storage room. Included in the cost is plumbing, electrical, HVAC, floor sink for the custodial/storage room.

Facilities Management would see a slight increase in operational costs (utilities, custodial, security) and need to adjust budgets. The increase in budget would be offset somewhat by current budgets for the Boathouse. Facilities Management staff will closely monitor budget variances in 2012 and recommend any necessary increase as part of the 2013 budget process.


A new washroom facility could be planned in the 10 year capital forecast, if endorsed as part of the public engagement process. Scope and budget would be established through the process.

Appendix A is provided to illustrate the location of current & potential washroom facilities.

Travel distance between these locations.

Boathouse to Seasonal Washroom Facility: 600 meters
Boathouse to 79 Joseph Street: 220 meters
Boathouse to Bus Station: 450 meters
Boathouse to City Hall: 500 meters

As a city wide park, Victoria Park (75 acres) has had the luxury of two washrooms facilities to meet the needs of users within the park. Other city wide parks have only one main washroom facility to meet the needs of users. For special events within these parks, additional washroom facilities are brought in to meet the demand. The distances to the washrooms from areas within each park are similar to those listed above for Victoria Park.

McLennan Park (95 acres)
Kiwanis Park (119 acres)
Huron Natural Area (300 acres)

ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:

Theme: Efficient and Effective Government Customer Service

Goal: Provide services to the public that match or exceed the customer's expectations and adopt standards that put people first to ensure excellent customer service.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

The financial implications for 2012 would be a capital expense of $8,000 to install the sanitation connection near the rink shed in the commons area. Special Events would monitor the cost of the washroom trailers through the 2012 festival season. Facility management will also continue to monitor washroom seasonal operational costs.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:

N/A for current phase

CONCLUSION:

An interim solution for washroom access in Victoria Park can be achieved through year round access to current seasonal washrooms and the installation of additional washroom trailers during the special events season. A recommendation for a long term solution will be brought forward to Council following further analysis and a public engagement process.


http://wonderfulwaterloo.com/wdrive/Sports%20and%20Recreation/Victoria%20Park/INS-12-023-VictoriaParkWashrooms-Figure1.jpg

[metropolis]

I've tried to find more information on this but couldn't. Maybe someone here can explain the purpose of the berm running down the middle of the lake? I think it's quite unsightly.

[BuildingScout]

I've tried to find more information on this but couldn't. Maybe someone here can explain the purpose of the berm running down the middle of the lake? I think it's quite unsightly.

Watch the video above for the explanation. It's a storm drain that will be covered once the water level raises back to its proper level. The normal water level will be high enough to cover the concrete blocks along the shore and about half of the rock blocks on top of it.

[markster]

Watch the video above for the explanation. It's a storm drain that will be covered once the water level raises back to its proper level. The normal water level will be high enough to cover the concrete blocks along the shore and about half of the rock blocks on top of it.

What video?

[BuildingScout]

What video?

The one in post #25 by tomthip in this thread.