HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-12-004 - Victoria Park Boathouse Public Consultations.combineREPORT TO:Council
DATE OF MEETING:
February 6, 2012
SUBMITTED BY: Rod Regier, Executive Director
PREPARED BY:
Rod Regier, Pauline Houston
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: January 31, 2012
REPORT NO.:
CAO-12-004
SUBJECT: Victoria Park Boathouse Interior and Exterior Renovation
Options Review with Public Consultation
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Victoria Park Lake Boathouse improvements be undertaken using the $500,000
approved in the 2012 Capital Budget to secure the Boathouse as a City of Kitchener
asset which is suitable for use as a cultural and commercial venue;
That lease revenue and/or energy savings from this property be allocated to fund the
$110,000 shortfall over the term of the lease;
That Council approve in principle a design concept based on “Option 4” for the patio that
extends from the Boathouse to the lake edge and around the west side of the building to
allow customer patio entrance through a new opening to be constructed in the current
concession stand window.
That tenant specific upgrades, such as the relocation of the kitchen, should be financed
by the operator subject to the negotiation of a satisfactory long-term lease.
That Council direct staff to initiate planning for a public washroom in the north end of
Victoria Park and identify that item in the 10 year capital forecast.
BACKGROUND:
The Victoria Park Boathouse was constructed in 1929. For many years its primary function was
to serve as a rental facility for the boats provided on Victoria Lake during the summer and as a
skating change room during the winter. In the 1990’s there were attempts by tenants to operate
a food/concession or music venue, including the previous tenant venture called the “Tearoom.”
That particular use struggled financially and the rental agreement was assigned to Mr. Kevin
Doyle. The building has operated successfully since that time as an independent music venue
and licensed restaurant facility.
Victoria Park is considered the City’s “Crown Jewel”; and it provides very important social,
cultural and recreational functions for the local community and the entire City. In 2003, the
Victoria Park Foundations Plan and Strategic Plan were developed to guide the future and long
term improvements for Victoria Park. This plan identified restoration of the landscape around
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the Boathouse as a significant priority. It did not address the interior requirements of the
Boathouse or the operating framework of the facility.
Building Maintenance History
Over the past 40 years, the City of Kitchener has engaged in basic building maintenance and
minor interior renovations. The kitchen configuration was originally designed to support an
exterior concession window rather than the current interior restaurant and entertainment venue.
It has significant design deficiencies which detract from its effectiveness and the quality of the
venue. The exterior patio became unsafe due to the compromised shore line, and will now have
been replaced during the reconstruction of the Victoria Lake which includes removal of
sediment, undertaking shoreline modifications. This investment is allocated through the Storm
Water Management fund.
In December 2011, work commenced on Victoria Lake. 2011 tendered drawings for the Victoria
Park Lake Improvements included the reestablishment of the lake edge behind the Boathouse
along with the restoration and reinstatement of landscaping along the sides of the Boathouse
which is currently being used as a construction access point into the lake. The landscaping on
the tendered drawings took into account the public input from the Victoria Park Lake
Improvements public consultation process, the 2003 Victoria Park Strategic plan and the
existing landscape improvements which have occurred within the park over the past several
years. The design was approved by Heritage Kitchener and Council. The overall tendered
prices that came in for the Victoria Park Lake Improvements were significantly higher than
budgeted. In an attempt to meet the funding that was available, the Boathouse dock and patio
improvements as well as the upper lake pedestrian bridge items were removed from the
tendered list.
In October 2011, Council supported the continued use of the Boathouse as a cultural venue for
independent music and directed an analysis of required upgrades to the building to support this
use. On November 14, 2011, an overview of options was put forward in report CAO-11-022
with a request to provide detailed options and budget considerations at the January 16, 2012
Council Meeting. In order to allow time for on public consultation, a final Council decision would
be referred to February 6, 2012
REPORT:
On January 16, 2012, a report was submitted to council to outline required work and potential
costs of various options for the exterior landscape improvements connected to the Victoria Lake
project. Interior upgrades were also addressed to achieve suitable standards, timed to take
advantage of the building closure during the park and lake renovation project. At that meeting,
staff was directed by Council to seek further public consultation on the three options presented.
Exterior Design Concept Options 4 and 5
Through the consultation process, it was determined that there was very little support for any of
the 3 design options presented. A number of individuals came forward with an “Option 4a and
4b” which promoted the extension of the patio from the Boathouse to the lake edge and a
second which kept the path but extended the patio around the west side of the building. As a
result, two new options have been developed within the cost envelope of “Option 2” scenario
defined in the January 16 report. Options 4 and 5 are presented here for Council consideration.
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The 2011 Victoria Park Lake Improvements tendered drawings, included the landscaping at the
rear of the Boathouse up to the lake edge and the restoration of the west and east side of the
Boathouse. The landscaping incorporated a public boardwalk, private patio with an armour
stone planter separating the two uses, concrete unit paver surfacing for the patio and walkways
adjacent to the Boathouse, raised planting beds along the sides of the Boathouse, along with
new asphalt pathways connecting the new landscape with the existing pathways and front
landscape of the Boathouse.
As part of this report the entire landscaping around the Boathouse has been incorporated,
including the rear of the Boathouse up the lake edge, both sides of the Boathouse and the front
of the Boathouse up to Jubilee Drive.
Option 4 (Attachment #1): This option includes concrete unit paving stones around the
Boathouse, a private patio at the rear and west side of the Boathouse. A railing will be installed
along the walkway to provide a safe barrier from the lake. The pedestrian walkway along the
perimeter of the lake is relocated to the front of the building facing Jubilee Drive. The front of the
Boathouse incorporates planting beds to soften the exterior of the building, provides a vehicular
lay-by and a safe pedestrian crossing on Jubilee Drive. In future, it is possible to install a
Estimated Cost: $375,000
boardwalk along the waterway using a helical pier system.
Option 5 (Attachment #2): This option includes a 3m wide asphalt walkway along the lake edge,
concrete unit paving around the boathouse, a private patio at the rear of the boathouse,
extended to wrap around the northwest side of the building. Iron fencing will be designed to
separate the patio use from the walkway, and the walkway from the lake edge. The front of the
boathouse incorporates planting beds to soften the exterior of the building, provides a vehicular
lay-by and a safe pedestrian crossing on Jubilee Drive. A railing will be installed along the
Estimated Cost: $375,000
walkway to provide a safe barrier from the lake.
These designs are conceptual in nature and are likely to change significantly as detailed
decisions are made about the future location of the concession window, the patio space for
concession window customers and the configuration of loading facilities.
Evaluation Criteria
Four criterion have been formulated to evaluate the options against specific objectives.
A. Objective to facilitate independent music cluster: Council has supported the use of the
Victoria Park Boathouse as an independent music venue, consistent with City strategies to
support innovation, talent and community culture. The Boathouse under the current tenant has
acted as a catalyst for a number of years by hosting over 300 nights of live music performance
and 700 performances per year. This activity has spawned a significant community of musicians
and a very engaged audience. Organic growth of cultural activity is shown to be a catalyst to
innovative economies by bringing creative people together with patrons in the business and
technology sector. It also plays a significant factor in talent attraction, community networking
and in launching the careers of young artists.
Both options support continued use as a live music venue and restaurant, however Option 4
accommodates more people on the outdoor patio to create expanded seating areas, facilitating
the growth of a pre-existing cultural incubator. With greater restaurant seating capacity greater
cultural experiences such as an outdoor acoustic-only performance can be added in the future.
Victoria Park residents acknowledge the safety brought to the park by evening activities with the
increased pedestrian traffic. Both options would continue with the music venue use, but Option
4 provides a higher likelihood of successful future growth of the cultural cluster with more
economic impact on the community.
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B. Objective to ensure commercial viability of the building: To generate revenue that
covers building operation costs over time has been a long-standing interest of the City of
Kitchener. Typically the revenue potential of a restaurant is proportionate to the number of
seats available inside or outside the facility. To generate revenue, an expanded patio has a
very high likelihood of increasing sales regardless of the tenant now or in the future. Given both
the scarcity of outdoor patios and the popularity of this dining experience, a larger patio with a
view to the water will provide a unique opportunity for successful operation of the venue by any
future manager. Conversely with Option 5, any future operator would have to take into account
the need for policing the perimeter of the patio against a public walkway. Unlike a sidewalk
café, where loiterers would be more conspicuous to the wider public overseen by multiple
adjacent buildings, the pathway could be seen as a reasonable resting place for those who
could not enter during times of full patio capacity and security staff costs would necessarily be
increased. Approximately 70% of comments support an option that includes a patio enlarged
and adjacent to the waters edge. Option 4 is more suited to a higher likelihood of commercial
success for any future operator of the facility.
C. Objectives to support the design principles related to Victoria Park: The Victoria Park
Master Plan, and the Heritage District Plan. Design principles include a continuous lake edge
access with a path around the shoreline. Recommendations include a complementary
landscape and pedestrian amenity. Romantic views and themes are supported by a continuous
path that is accessible to the shore at varying distances. In Option 4 the path curves around the
front, or Jubilee Drive side of the building. It is redirected away from the shore, interrupting the
continuous walkway for a short time. Option 5 is more consistent with the interpretation of
continuous walkway around the lake.
D. Objectives to maintain public washrooms and future lake use:As a result of
consultation, local residents expressed a desire to maintain public washrooms, while they
supported an expanded patio and washroom renovation for restaurant use only. Most would be
satisfied with a separate building structure to accommodate the use. Additionally, with the
deepening of the lake, the use of the lake for boats and skating has emerged as a community
interest. The Victoria Park Working Group has proposed a specific list of items that would be
taken into account on implementation of any of the exterior renovation options. They itemize
concerns around littering, the use of posters, aesthetics of the patio design, umbrellas and
smoking by-law enforcement, to name a few. Both options would allow for consideration of
these elements in the renovation program, and future consultation with residents would provide
monitoring of maintenance and usage of the facility. Both options would not prevent the addition
of public washrooms in a nearby structure. Both options would allow for a future boardwalk or
future boat launch at or near the building, or on another part of the lake shore in the park.
Interior Renovations
Interior renovations are required to ensure the building is able to meet the separate obligations
and needs of the landlord and those of the tenant. The landlord is generally required to provide
a secure and efficient building shell, including accessible entrance and basic services such as
washrooms and electrical, mechanical and plumbing services stubbed off for tenant lease hold
improvements. The tenant is generally obliged to finish the interior space to meet their specific
operating requirements. These upgrades generally include operationally specific mechanical
and electrical, trade fixturing, millwork, interior partitions and production facilities such as
kitchens. In most cases of a single purpose building, the tenant is responsible for the cost of
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utilities and maintenance and the landlord is responsible to ensure the maintenance of the
exterior building shell and entrance facilities.
Facilities management met with the Boathouse tenant Mr. Doyle and identified a list of potential
work to address building deficiencies and improve operating efficiency. An external architect
was then contracted to develop a cost estimate of the potential works. The work fell into three
basic categories: washroom and accessibility upgrades, kitchen relocation, and electrical and
mechanical. It should be noted that of the categories, all but the kitchen relocation would
normally be associated with the provision of a serviceable commercial building shell suitable for
tenant occupancy and upgrading. The City of Kitchener will need to address these issues
whether the current use continues or the building is used for some other purpose in the future.
Boathouse Rental Property – Landlord Requirements and Tenant Inducements
In the case of the Boathouse, short-term landlord responsibilities fall into three areas: meeting
current accessibility standards, providing an energy efficient building envelope, and the
provision of secure, functional washroom facilities and mechanical rough-ins. Estimates of the
costs to establish these features are listed below. As standard landlord responsibilities, these
upgrades are independent of the potential use or tenant and are required to deliver a building
that can meet the conditions of the current commercial rental market. In the case of
accessibility, current standards are a legislated requirement and the City has no choice but to
address current deficiencies. In the case of the interior insulation, the un-insulated building shell
would not meet current City of Kitchener standards for environmental stewardship. Kitchener is
currently responsible for the utility costs for the building. Providing an insulated shell would
provide a potential payback through reduced utility costs. Isolating the washrooms and ensuring
their effective operation is a standard landlord responsibility and would be required by any
tenant or City of Kitchener run operation.
Building Exterior Budget including contingencies and HST
Accessibility $ 36,000
Building Shell Budget including contingencies and HST
Interior insulation and mechanical rough-ins $110,000.
Building Interior Budget including contingencies and HST
Washrooms requirements $ 89,000
Total Landlord upgrades $235,000
Specialty Tenant Interior Requirements
As noted above, the existing kitchen was constructed to serve a seasonal concession stand.
The current and proposed use requires a fully operational commercial kitchen. In addition, the
relocation of the kitchen to the east side of the building, currently used for storage, would
increase patron seating, improve the presentation of the interior space to Boathouse clients and
significantly improve operational efficiency. This move would allow for the construction of
efficient walk-in refrigeration capacity, and dramatically improve the efficiency of the building as
a whole. It is anticipated that these efficiencies would result in the ability of the operation to
finance the improvements over a reasonable period. These works are normally the responsibility
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of a tenant in a standard commercial lease, subject to landlord approval, and will be dealt with
accordingly in this case.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Kitchener City Council recently affirmed the role of the Boathouse as a strategic cultural asset in
the support of the City’s independent music industry. It further reaffirmed this role in the
Kitchener Economic Development Strategy 2011. A full cluster strategy for the independent
music industry in Kitchener has been initiated and a stakeholder consultation is expected to
begin in the late winter or early spring, 2012.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The 2012 City of Kitchener Budget has an approved capital allocation of $500,000 to complete
exterior and interior renovations of the Boathouse.
Total Cost Summary
Option 4: Exterior Renovations Option 4. $375,000
Interior Renovations $235,000
Estimate: $610,000
Option 5: Exterior Renovations Option 5. $375,000
Interior Renovations $235,000
Estimate: $610,000
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
During the Victoria Park Lake Improvements process, various public information centre
meetings were held, during which the public provided input regarding the Boathouse dock and
public access to the lake edge. The tender drawings reflected the information gathered from the
public information centres, but the reference to a continuous trail adjacent to the Boathouse
patio was a staff interpretation of the design standards rather than a response to public request.
In September 2011, Kitchener received input from over 200 members of the public regarding the
use of the Boathouse as a venue for independent music. The proposed renovation program
presented to Council on January 16, 2012 responds in part to the input received during that
process. Additional feedback was now required to inform Council’s decision on the options for
both interior and exterior renovations to the Boathouse and its immediate surroundings. As a
result, between January 17 and January 27, the proposed interior and exterior renovation
options were submitted to public consultation through the City of Kitchener website, an
advertized public meeting at City Hall, as well as separate meetings with the Victoria Park
Working Group and Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association as well as the Boathouse tenant.
In addition, information gathered from recent public consultations regarding the Downtown
Strategic Plan has been evaluated as they relate to this issue.
As a result of the Council request at the January 16, 2012, public consultation was implemented
through a public meeting, printed comment forms, an online survey and email correspondence.
Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association and Victoria Park Working Group were consulted
through their regularly scheduled meeting on January 25, 2012. More than 200 comments were
obtained through all these methods of consultation over the course of 11 days.
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The primary conclusion of the public consultation was that a majority of the 200 individuals did
not prefer any of the three presented options, as all of the options included a walkway along the
water’s edge adjacent to the existing patio. During the consultation process, community
members presented what emerged as “Option 4.” This option maintains a waterside patio which
is enlarged by the shoreline improvement under the Victoria Lake project. The patio in this
configuration would wrap around the west side to a new side entrance. All speakers at the
public meeting and the majority of online comments directed Council to this. A significant
majority of respondents overall are in favour of directing the walkway to the front of the
Boathouse rather than between the patio and the waterside citing concerns over safety, patio
management and the need for expanded patio capacity for the public. Of the remaining 30%,
comments focused on materials, aesthetics or budget.
Themes from Community Consultation
Cultural Venue:
I believe that the City should do what it can to enhance the visibility of the Boathouse as a cultural venue and an
attraction in the core of our city. For this reason I agree with the majority view expressed at the recent meeting that
the patio at the Boathouse should extend to the water and that there does not need to be a boardwalk or public
pathway between the Boathouse and the lake.
–Email from Victoria Park resident
Business Viability:
Extending the existing patio by even half of the area covered by the proposed lake shore walkway would increase
the viability of the Boathouse as a venue two ways - first by allowing additional capacity, and second, by giving it
prestige by having its own exclusive waterfront view.
–Online respondent
Park Safety:
The neighborhood would agree that they feel the boathouse's operation makes the neighborhood a safer place
due to the increase of occupancy in the park at night.
–Victoria Park Neighborhood Association Representative
Aesthetic / Heritage:
I feel very strongly that the aesthetic benefit of the wood dock far outweighs the benefit of the concrete pavers
surrounding the boathouse building. The dock provides an entirely walking experience (sound and texture) as one
passes by the Boathouse and alludes to a time where there were actually boats on Victoria Lake.
–Email from
Heritage Group member
Placing anything between the water and the patio would just make it like any other downtown patio. And the ones
of us that remember getting right into a canoe from the edge can sit on the patio's edge and relive those childhood
memories.
–Online respondent
Security:
It [the walkway] provides on inconspicuous place after hours for possible vandalism and loitering. I feel there could
be much safer options to integrate into the improvement of the boathouse.
–Feedback form public input meeting
Having a walkway places additional responsibility onto the shoulders of staff and management during business
hours, and to the police at other times. –Online respondent
Maintenance:
The barrier between the patio and planters isn’t a good idea from a perspective of trimming and upkeep. The
planter will become a cheap seat for people. It will be a significant management problem for the Boathouse
operator
–Speaker at public input meeting
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PREFERRED OPTION
Public Consultation
1234*unstated TOTAL
(incomplete tabulation)
speakers @ public meeting Jan 2323
23, 2012
paper forms @ public meeting 12 18 21
Jan 23, 2012
online forms @ 4016810416 184
www.kitchener.ca Jan 18-27
emails 2 45 9
TOTAL 4118814921 237
* Option "4" represents a concept which emerged through public consultation, not the options recommended
or designed or provided by staff in advance of consultation. It represents community interest in a lake
perimeter walkway that wraps around the front of the Boathouse instead of the waterside.
CONCLUSION:
The Boathouse is a City of Kitchener facility which has been repurposed several times over the
past 44 years. The City as landlord is responsible for basic maintenance of the building shell
and surrounding landscape. The effective utilization of the building as a cultural and
entertainment venue requires structural and systems improvements to continue its function and
meet increasingly demanding operating standards. A number of the systems currently in place,
such as building accessibility or washroom access, require upgrading. The kitchen was
originally designed as a concession stand facility, but has been serving a restaurant with a
capacity of 85 persons. The exterior decking was unsafe and has now been removed.
The City of Kitchener has a significant interest in the viability of the Boathouse as a cultural
venue and a viable commercial enterprise. Live music performance is both an attraction as well
as a significant cost item for the business. As a result, these two objectives can be seen to be in
tension with each other. The Boathouse under the current operator has become one of, if not
the most productive incubator for independent music in the Waterloo Region. It is possible that
the Boathouse supports more live performances per year than all the other private sector
venues in the downtown combined. In this way it is completely unique among Kitchener’s arts
and entertainment venues. The future lease will require its continued operation as a live music
venue to support that objective.
If the City of Kitchener is not able to successfully negotiate a commercial lease with the current
tenant or the business fails for whatever reason, an expanded patio as represented by Option 4
would be a significant attraction to a subsequent operator.
The City also requires the Boathouse to support the design guidelines of the Victoria Park
Heritage District Plan and augment the vitality and safety of the Park. The two exterior design
options presented as Option 4 and Option 5 have been developed in response to the input
obtained during the public consultations. Each supports the City’s objectives, but Option 5 more
strongly supports the Victoria Park Heritage District Plan Guidelines, whereas Option 4 more
strongly supports the City’s public policy objectives of safety and vitality by increasing the
availability of seating for members of the public who wish to use the facility.
The majority of respondents to the public consultation rejected the three design options
presented because they did not support the patio between the Boathouse and the lake edge.
While the new Option 4 does not permit the continuous lake edge walking experience, that
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experience is available for over 99% of the remainder of the trail system around the lake. A
boardwalk and even dock facilities for boating can be established elsewhere along the 2
kilometre lake edge at any time in the future.
As a result of all of these considerations, it has been concluded that the patio should occupy the
entire space between the boathouse and the lake and wrap around the west end of the building
to allow a relocation of the patron access to the patio to that side.
In addition, the community has indicated a desire for public washrooms on the north side of
Victoria Park. It is not possible to have both exterior and interior entrances to the existing
Boathouse washroom facilities. As a result, the City of Kitchener should consider establishing a
stand alone public washroom elsewhere in the north end of Victoria Park and establish a budget
for that item in the 10 year capital forecast.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Carla Ladd
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