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Downtown Waterfront Parkland Design Study
Orillia’s waterfront is known as the jewel of the Trent-Severn Waterway. The beauty of the Couchiching waterfront is central to the City’s reputation for offering a high quality of life, as well as being a spectacular place to visit. During the summer months it is a focal point for community festivals and special events. These events draw tourists and residents to the waterfront, as well as into the downtown and beyond.
The downtown waterfront area will be undergoing significant improvements over the coming years, including the realignment of Centennial Drive, extension of Coldwater Road to Centennial Drive, and future developments near the park, including the WATERFRONT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT 70 FRONT ST. N. New development in this area will increase demands on the park during both the winter and summer months.
In preparation, the City of Orillia engaged a landscape architectural consulting team to create a long-term vision for the Downtown Waterfront Parklands. The City’s popular waterfront is made up of three separate Parks; Couchiching Park, Centennial Park, and Veteran’s Memorial Park; as well as the Port of Orillia.
The Downtown Waterfront Parkland Design Study was presented to Council Committee on Oct. 19, 2020. The study was undertaken to better understand the impacts and opportunities at the downtown waterfront parks in Orillia as related to improvements surrounding or at the waterfront. The study and final vision were developed through extensive inventory and analysis of the parklands and an in-depth public consultation process. The plan is intended to be a high-level guiding document that will provide strategic direction to staff and Council as changes to the waterfront parklands and the surrounding area are implemented over the next five to 10 years.
The study can be viewed below:
