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 local residents to the waterfront, as well as into the downtown and beyond.
The City of Orillia has 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 area will be undergoing significant improvements over the coming yeras, 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.
The development of a long term vision for the Downtown Waterfront Parklands is updating plans to illustrate all recently completed and proposed improvement projects. The design study will determine the future of existing elements such as the boat launch, public parking, the skate park, the parks greenhouse, and the Terry Fox Circle; and will consider the introduction of new features such as a refrigerated skate trail.
With the proposed realignment of Centennial Drive and the future development of lands directly across from the City’s waterfront parklands it is necessary to understand the future of this important area and to consider the future of the Parklands.
Design Plans
Two alternative design options for the parkland along Lake Couchiching have been put forward. There are significant differences between the two concepts and several project component pieces have been identified, including options for the public boat launch, the Terry Fox Circle, parking and new park features. Results of an online survey about the two designs have been forwarded to the consultants who will analize the responses before reporting back to Council in March. An overview of the two options are presented below.
