Contact(s)
| 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. At its meeting October 26, 2020, Council passed the following resolution: "THAT as recommended in Report CSD-20-07 dated October 14, 2020 AND THAT staff be directed to incorporate the proposed phasing plan into the 10-year capital plan; AND THAT staff be directed to initiate the presentation of priority projects during Budget deliberations for review and consideration." This project is now complete; a link to the Design Study is below: |
| Terry Fox Circle Design and Construction Documentation
2021 Capital Project |
| In November of 2020 Council approved a Capital Project to complete the necessary design work and construction documentation for the Terry Fox Circle needed to repair and improve the condition and safety of this area of Couchiching Beach Park. The Project Goals are to:
The waterfront parklands in Orillia continue to increase in popularity. Each year more residents and more visitors use the park as a means to be outside and enjoy the waterfront. As the population of Orillia increases and the lands surrounding the park develop, a significant increase in the numbers of persons using the park is anticipated. The recently completed Waterfront Parkland Design Study identified safety issues due to circulation conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists and recommended removing the vehicular traffic from the circle. To provide an analysis of this recommendation and to develop design alternatives for the Terry Fox Circle the City retained the services of FRP Landscape Architects. Design options were developed for the Terry Fox Circle and analyzed by key City staff. These options were also presented to the City’s Recreational Advisory Committee and the Art in Public Places Committee. The consulting landscape architect and City staff narrowed four design options down to two and ultimately identified a preferred design option that was presented to Council on June 21, 2021. Please review Report No. DSE-21-19 (page 55) for more information and to review the design options that have been developed to date. |
