DISPOSITIVOS NO ACEPTABLES Y RECOMENDACIONES

Georgina residents indicated that Lake Simcoe is one of the Town’s greatest assets. Currently, the lake contributes to the life that they enjoy. One of the key issues with respect to the lake as well as the Town’s other waterfront amenities (e.g., Pefferlaw, Black, and Maskinonge Rivers) is the lack of access, however, specific solutions to this problem will require further investigation by the Town.

The Keswick Secondary Plan stipulates that any new development on the lakeshore shall provide opportunity for public access to the lake. Furthermore, where possible, the Town should acquire lands or easements to provide increased public access to the lake. Based on the public input, there is a desire for the Town to continue to pursue a program of securing additional lakefront lands in order to increase the opportunities for public access to Lake Simcoe and the Pefferlaw, Black, and Maskinonge Rivers. In accordance with the Official Plan, the Town could seek to acquire waterfront land using various approaches including purchase of lands, negotiated land acquisition as a condition of development approval or height/density bonusing, tax exemptions, easements, and/or land exchanges.

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Town Staff have advised that a 99-year lease has been secured from the developer for Maple Leaf Park (located at the Varney and Lake Drive area). When the property is developed, ownership of the park will be transferred to the Town. The Maple Leaf Park arrangement can potentially serve as a model for future negotiations. The Leisure Services Department needs to work closely with the Town’s Planning staff to ensure that all potential waterfront opportunities associated with new development are identified and, where possible, that access is secured.

Sibbald’s Point Park (Provincial Park) offers approximately 400 metres of sandy beach. Over the course of the public consultation process, this waterfront opportunity was not mentioned once. Park officials advised that a season long pass can be purchased for $70 and allows day use of the park as well as all other provincial parks. There may be a need to generate greater awareness of Sibbald Point Park.

Overall, Georgina's waterfront is a significant resource that requires a specific "plan" to guide future decision-making. The public consultation program for the Master Plan, although extensive, did not provide sufficient detail to provide the high level direction this specific topic deserves. Although enhanced access to the Town’s waterfront amenities appeared to be one of the top priorities for Georgina residents, the desired role of the waterfront (i.e., for local residents versus tourists) needs to be further investigated. While residents expressed a desire for more special events to build a sense of community and generate more "family" leisure opportunities, how this fits within the overall context/role of the waterfront also needs to be further researched.

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Recommendations:

˜ The Town should undertake a "Waterfront Study" to determine the role of the waterfront, desired activities, and priorities related to local needs versus those associated with tourist/economic development.

˜ Seek to acquire waterfront land using various approaches including land purchase, negotiated land acquisition as a condition of development approval or bonusing, tax exemptions, easements, and/or land exchanges.

˜ Require that any new development on the lakeshore provide opportunity for public access to the lake. Where possible, acquire lands or easements to provide increased public access to the lake.

˜ Give consideration to accepting public access points as parkland dedication. ˜ Promote beach facilities available at Sibbald Point Park.

7.6.2 Beaches

The Town has 5 beach areas: Claredon, Willow, De La Salle, Maple Leaf, and Holmes Point Beach. Claredon Beach is not a preferred swimming area due to a weed problem. The beach at Maple Leaf Park has a very rocky shoreline; staff suggested that a concrete pad that facilitates access into the water be provided at this location. The Town should assess both of these beach areas and, where possible and feasible, address the concerns that have been identified.

More parking is needed at the beaches. The Town should also assess whether there are opportunities for expanding the parking areas at its beaches.

Recommendations:

˜ Consider ways to enhance waterfront beach opportunities at Claredon Beach and Maple Leaf Beach.

˜ Assess the opportunities for increasing the parking supply at local beaches recognizing beach loading capacities.

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7.6.3 Road Ends

The Keswick Secondary Plan recommends that the Town create connections and access to the waterfront at street ends. Street or road ends represent another opportunity for enhancing Georgina residents access to the water. The ‘broader’ Georgina public is currently not encouraged to use the existing road ends due to the lack of parking. Road ends do, however, provide access for local residents at little public expense. It is recommended that the Town assess the road ends to determine if any of them are suitable for recreational purposes.

Recommendation:

˜ Assess road ends and identify opportunities for additional public access and recreational opportunities.