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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-06-105 - General Park & Community Trail Development ) ~ Community Services ~ Report To: Date of Meeting: Submitted By: Prepared By: Ward(s) Involved: Date of Report: Report No.: Subject: Community Services Committee October 23,2006 Ken Currier, Director of Operations (ext. 2657) Dan Ritz, Supervisor of Design & Development (ext. 2348) All October 19, 2006 CSD-06-1 05 GENERAL PARK & COMMUNITY TRAIL DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION: For information purposes only. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The purpose of this report is to update Community Services Committee on the status of general park and community trail development in newer residential areas and the impact that the current budget allocations have on the timing of the completion of proposed parks and trails. Park & Trail Develooment Historically, the General Park and Trail capital budget has received nominal inflationary increases to address the growing demand in new development areas for park, trail and open space development. The current 2006 funding level for General Park is $132,000 and for Community Trails is $115,000. The result of this has created several city-wide shortfalls: A backlog of 17 undeveloped parks (27.37 ha) in newer residential areas within recently approved subdivisions currently exists. At the current general park budget allocation of $132,000, the undeveloped parks would take approximately 15-18 years to complete at an average cost of $75,000-$90,000 per hectare of park land. ii) A backlog of 482.13 ha of undeveloped open space lands in new and existing residential areas currently exists. At the current community trail budget allocation of $115,000, the undeveloped open space trails would take approximately 30-50 years to complete at an average cost of $8,000-12,000 per hectare of open space land. iii) A lack of retrofit or rehabilitation of existing parks in established neighbourhoods to address aging park amenities and changing neighbour needs currently exists. The affect of this has been present in both newer and established neighbourhoods. As the backlog of new park & trail development increases in newer residential areas, the opportunity to go into established neighbourhoods and retrofit or rehabilitate existing parks and trails is also cut short. Park & Trail Maintenance Over the same time period the operating budgets for parks and trails have also seen nominal increases to support the growing inventory of parks and trails throughout the city. Operating budget increases to service growth have been provided to the Operations Division since the 2005 budget year and are applied internally to various activities. A portion of this growth funding increase will be allocated to the operating budgets for parks and trail maintenance. BACKGROUND: On September 11,2006 the following motion was unanimously passed by Council: "Whereas the City of Kitchener is recognized as a municipality that offers a first rate quality of life to all its residents and trail and park development is a very large part of healthy, active and quality living; and, Whereas it is evident that the newer residential areas of the City do not incorporate the same level of park and trail development as with older established neighbourhoods; and, Whereas there are insufficient funds in the current budgets to construct and maintain trail and park development in the newer residential areas of the community, to the same level as older existing subdivisions in Kitchener; Now Therefore be it resolved that staff be directed to report back to the Community Services Committee on October 23, 2006 on a plan with appropriate estimated funds, to be included in the 2007 budget discussions, to address the shortfall of park and trail development in newer Kitchener neighbourhoods." REPORT: Public Indicators Recent public indicators show that there is a strong desire for the City of Kitchener to re-focus on its precious parks and trail systems. · Park/playgrounds and walking trails/bike trails were identified as a "high satisfaction, high support for future spending" in the June 19/06 "Who are you Kitchener" presentation to Council. · 92% of residents think the city should spend the same or more on "parks, playgrounds & natural areas", while 86% think the city should spend the same or more on "walking/bike trails". (Environics Survey, April 2005) · Estimated capital costs for annual Community Trail Development should range from $300,000 to 500,000. (Leisure Facilities Masterplan, Implementation Framework, February 2005) · Construct trails through natural areas to encourage use and mitigate recreational use. (City of Kitchener Strategic Plan for the Environment, 1991) · "That a commitment be made to develop unfinished linkages in the Community Trail system in the downtown and developed areas, as well as the continuing extension of the Community Trail system into newly developing areas". (Leisure Facilities Masterplan, Recommendation 27, February 2005) Current Condition The following General Park development conditions currently exist: · There are currently 17 new undeveloped park blocks (27.37ha) in inventory and registered to the City as of 2006 (see Appendix A). Presently, 2-3 parks are planned and developed per year. The average cost of a neighbourhood park ranges between $75,000-$90,000 per hectare of park land at an average park size of 1.5 hectares. The present 2006 General Park capital budget ($132,200) with the assistance from other budget sources such as the Community Trail ($114,700), Playground Features ($94,300) and Tree Planting-Parks & Streets ($48,600) accounts are used to maintain the current general park development level. · The rehabilitation of existing parks within older established areas of the city has been set aside in order to focus on the new park development shortage. · The level or standard of park development has decreased in order to keep in line with current funding levels while construction costs continue to rise. i.e.) less provided in each new park. The following Trail & Open Space development conditions currently exist: · There are currently 482.13 ha of undeveloped new & existing greenway areas that require trail management plans and community trail development (see Appendix B). The present 2006 Community Trail budget ($114,700) is currently used to develop trails in neighbourhood parks and is insufficient to address larger open space areas. An estimated cost for the outstanding trail development within the open space areas ranges between $8,000-12,000 per hectare of open space land. The following Park & Trail maintenance conditions currently exist: · There are currently 125 km of constructed community trails city-wide. The current 2006 trail operating maintenance budget is $132,000. Prooosed Solutions Staff recommend that a short term (5 year) plan address the current backlog of park and trail development and a long term (10 year) plan address the ongoing park & trail development and the retrofit or rehabilitation of existing parks. Short Term (5 Year) Plan · Increase of $700,000 (per year) to the 2007-2011 General Park and Community Trail capital budgets (subject to final approval) to address the immediate backlog of new park development and open space trail development in newer or existing residential areas as follows: - planning & development of up to 17 outstanding neighbourhood parks (27.3 ha) to be developed over 5 years in order to create liveable, attractive communities. - planning & development of approximately 200ha of the 482.13 ha of outstanding open space trail over 5 years through responsible environmental stewardship. Remaining areas to be considered in long term (10 year) plan. · Inclusion of a Park & Open Space Masterplan to the 2007 capital budget (subject to final approval) to assist in setting the future direction of the City of Kitchener's park, trail and open space systems. Long Term (10 Year) Plan · Through the proposed Park and Open Space Masterplan process a projected budget amount will be prepared for consideration to future General Park and Community Trail capital budgets to address the following: - development of outstanding open space trails beyond the 5 year plan as it is anticipated that a backlog will still remain. - retrofit or rehabilitation of existing parks in established neighbourhoods to address aging park amenities and changing neighbourhood needs. - ongoing development of new parks within proposed subdivisions as determined in the annual Staging of Development Plans. - review of the current situation where other budget accounts are used to supplement General Park works. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Integration with the 10 year capital budget forecast as follows: · Increase of $700,000 annually to the Operations Capital Budget, 2007-2011, for General Park & Community Trail development. · One time funding to the Operations 2007 Capital Budget for a Park & Open Space Masterplan. · Future consideration to the annual Operations Capital Budget for General Park & Community Trail development as determined through the Park & Open Space Masterplan process. COMMUNICATIONS: N/A CONCLUSION: Community park, trails and open space areas are a valuable asset to the residents of the City of Kitchener and every effort must be made to ensure that adequate resources are allocated to support, develop and maintain our precious greenlands. Ken Currier Director of Operations AP APPENDIX 'A' GENERAL PARK DEVELOPMENT - REMAINING EXISTING: PARK NAME PLANNING REGISTERED SIZE (ha) COMMUNITY TO CITY 0.56 Hi hland West 1999 1.98 Laurentian West 2001 7.02 Doon South 2001 1.66 Laurentian West 2002 1.13 Grand River South 2004 0.35 Huron Park 2005 0.34 Huron Park 2005 0.60 Laurentian West 2005 2.30 Grand River South 2005 1.42 Grand River South 2006 1.20 Hi hland West 2006 3.70 Hi hland West 2006 1.60 Countr Hills East 2006 Park 0.60 Doon South 2006 0.96 Pioneer Tower West 2006 1.67 Pioneer Tower West 2006 0.28 Brid e ort East 2006 27.37 17 SUBTOTALS PROPOSED: APPENDIX '8' NATURAL AREA DEVELOPMENT - REMAINING EXISTING: NATURAL AREA NAME SIZE (ha) PLANNING COMMUNITY REGISTERED TO CITY Doon Mills 30.50 Doon South 1997/2004 Minor Natural Areas (Steckle) 30.00 Trillium Industrial Park 1986 Minor Natural Areas (Breithaupt) 29.40 Fairfield/Bridqeport West 1953 Strasburq Creek 33.02 Briqadoon 2005 Tilt's Bush 39.02 Pioneer Park 2001 Natchez Hill 9.60 Grand River South 2005 Lackner Woods 4.90 Grand River South 2005 Borden 15.79 Laurentian West 2004 Laurentian 16.26 Laurentian West 1997 Minor Natural Areas (Summerside) 2.38 Highland West 1997 Homer Watson 58.60 Trillium Indust Pk/Pioneer Pk 1986 Idlewood Creek 25.41 Idlewood/Grand River South 2006 Minor Natural Areas (Westheiqhts) 6.32 Forest Heiqhts 1987 Minor Natural Areas (Trailview) 3.22 Forest Heights 1974 Monarch Woods 14.17 Hiqhland West 1979 Minor Natural Areas (Waldau) 4.74 Forest Heiqhts 1990 Minor Natural Areas (Sprinqwood) 7.95 Northward 1986 Stanley Park Conservation Area 44.15 Rosemount & Stanley Park 1975 Pioneer Tower 16.70 Pioneer Tower West 1949 Huron South 50.00 Doon South Hidden Valley 40.00 Hidden Valley SUBTOTALS 482.13 21