A Cultural Map of Pickering Background Information Draft ● March 2014 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 Contents 1 Community Profile 4 1.1 Geography and Environment 5 1.1.1 Petticoat Creek Watershed 7 1.1.2 Frenchman’s Bay Watershed 7 1.1.3 Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek Watershed 9 1.1.4 Lynde Creek Watershed 9 1.1.5 Community Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives 9 1.2 Pickering’s Settlement Areas 11 1.2.1 Downtown and Urban Pickering 11 1.2.2 Rural Pickering 12 1.3 Pickering’s History 15 1.4 Demographic Profile 18 1.5 Economy and Education 21 1.6 Natural, Recreational, Cultural, and Tourism Assets in Pickering 22 1.7 Pickering’s Cultural Organizations 25 2 Summary of Research Findings and Public Input 26 2.1 Community Telephone Survey 27 2.1.1 Household Survey Analysis 28 2.1.2 Household Participation in Heritage, Arts, and Culture Activities 29 2.1.3 Participation Location 30 2.1.4 Household Attendance at Heritage, Arts, and Culture Activities 31 2.1.5 Attendance Location 32 2.1.6 Desired Programs and Activities 33 2.1.7 Awareness 33 2.1.8 Barriers to Participation 33 2.1.9 Household Spending on Heritage, Arts, and Culture 34 2.1.10 Satisfaction with and Importance of Current Heritage, Arts, and Culture Opportunities 35 2.1.11 Additional Spending of Public Funds 37 2.1.12 Awareness and Roles of the City, Community, and Private Businesses 38 1 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 2.2 Stakeholder Group Survey 41 This document incorporates the findings of the cultural mapping and community consultation 2.2.1 Baseline Information 44 exercises launched in support of the Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan. 2.2.2 Assets 48 Pickering staff first gathered information from statistics, historical documents, and other sources to help define Pickering’s cultural make-up, as well as its cultural and heritage assets. 2.2.3 Human and Financial Resources 50 2.2.4 Organizational Matters 51 The public consultation component of the study included: 2.2.5 Personal Reflections 56 • Online surveys for community cultural organizations, businesses, and individuals 2.3 Interviews 57 2.3.1 Pickering Council 57 • A telephone survey to collect ideas from a random sample of Pickering residents 2.3.2 City of Pickering Senior Managers 59 • Interviews to gain insight from all members of Council, the Chief Administrative Officer, and all 2.4 Committee of Council Questionnaires 61 department heads 2.5 Focus Group Sessions 63 2.5.1 Youth 63 • Focus group sessions with youth and seniors in Pickering 2.5.2 Seniors 64 • Regular meetings of a Community Stakeholders Committee representing the heritage, arts, Appendix A: Personal Reflections from Survey Participants 66 ethno-cultural, business, education, and environment sectors in Pickering This document contains only a fraction of the wealth of information available on City assets and initiatives. Further information on the environment, governance, cultural institutions, and Journey to Sustainability can be found on the City’s website (pickering.ca). 2 3 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 1 Community Profile 1.1 Geography and Environment The City of Pickering is situated east of the City of Toronto and the City of Markham. Pickering is one of the eight local municipalities within the Regional Municipality of Durham (Durham Region). Pickering is approximately a 30-minute drive from Downtown Toronto. Pickering is bordered by Lake Ontario to the south; the City of Toronto, the City of Markham, and the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville to the west; the Township of Uxbridge to the north; and the Town of Ajax, the Town of Whitby, and the Township of Scugog to the east. The City of Pickering has a land area of 231.59 square kilometres, which makes it the fifth largest municipality in Durham Region. 4 5 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 Figure 1: Map of Pickering 1.1.1 Petticoat Creek Watershed The Petticoat Creek watershed drains 27 square kilometres in the City of Pickering, the Town of Markham, and the City of Toronto. Petticoat Creek flows southwards for 13 km through farmland, newly developed and expanding residential developments, residential and commercial areas, and finally to the shores of Lake Ontario. The headwaters are in agricultural land and are protected under the provincial Greenbelt designation. The southern portion is primarily urban, with the exception of Altona Forest, a 53-hectare environmentally significant mature woodlot, and the Petticoat Creek Conservation Area along the waterfront.2 The Altona Forest is one of Pickering’s special features. The Forest was initially slated for development, but the community fought to preserve it. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) now owns Altona Forest; a significant additional piece called the Ecological Reserve was later donated to TRCA by the late Dr. Murray Speirs. The Altona Forest Stewardship Committee (AFSC) draws its membership from TRCA, the City of Pickering, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Pickering Naturalists, and residents. Since 1998, this committed group has worked to maintain the natural environment, rehabilitate degraded areas, and make the Forest accessible for public use, enjoyment, and education. A key component of the AFSC’s work has been to involve children in restoration efforts. Families, schoolchildren, Boy Scouts, and Girl Guides have all contributed. The Forest is also used as a living classroom. Each year hundreds of children have the opportunity to Pickering’s landscape was created approximately 12,500 years ago by two separate ice sheets, one explore, study, and learn about our natural environment within this unique place. covering Lake Ontario, and the other what is now the Oak Ridges Moraine, which includes the Rouge, Petticoat, Frenchman’s Bay, Duffins, Carruther’s, and Lynde watersheds. Over time, as the southern ice sheet retreated, Lake Iroquois formed in the Lake Ontario Basin. The edge of the lake crossed 1.1.2 Frenchman’s Bay Watershed through Central Pickering. Once the ice jam in the St. Lawrence River was cleared, Lake Iroquois The Frenchman’s Bay watershed covers approximately 22.6 square kilometres. The majority of 1 began to retreat into what is now known as Lake Ontario. the watershed is urbanized, housing 63% of Pickering’s population. This area comprises several natural features including creeks, an open-water bay, a barrier beach, open meadows, remnant Pickering’s environmental heritage includes the waterfront on Lake Ontario, the nationally renowned woodlots, and several wetland areas. The bay is a shallow lagoon on the north shore of Lake Ontario, Rouge Park, and the provincially significant Oak Ridges Moraine. Within its boundaries are 79 parks separated from the lake by a dramatic natural sand and gravel barrier beach, with a maintained and four conservation areas. These areas support recreational opportunities such as paddling along navigational channel connecting to the lake. Four main tributaries (Amberlea, Dunbarton, Pine, and the shores of Frenchman’s Bay, walking the West Duffins Trail and Seaton Trail systems, cycling Krosno Creeks) feed the bay. Two areas in the watershed (Frenchman’s Bay and Hydro Marsh) have the Waterfront Trail, hiking through Altona Forest, and swimming in Ontario’s largest outdoor pool at been deemed provincially significant wetlands. Petticoat Creek Conservation Area. These wetland areas are critical, since more than two-thirds of coastal wetlands in southern Ontario Pickering’s land and waterways are situated within five watersheds: Petticoat Creek, Frenchman’s have been lost to development, dredging for harbours and marinas, or isolation from creeks and Bay, Duffins Creek, Carruthers Creek, and Lynde Creek. Watershed plans have been or are in the valley lands.3 Coastal wetlands provide important natural linkages, breeding habitat and food for process of being completed for each of these areas. migrating birds, fish, and other wildlife. These wetlands also provide communities like Pickering with a wealth of natural and recreational resources that contribute to the overall health of the community. 2 Toronto and Region Conservation. Petticoat Creek Stewardship Program, 2008. 6 1 City of Pickering, Official Plan – Edition 5, Page 3 3 Environment Canada. on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/factsheets 7 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 City of Pickering Cultural Strategic Plan (draft) 2014 The Frenchman’s Bay area is one of the most attractive and well-used areas of the waterfront in the 1.1.3 Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek eastern part of the GTA. This area is heavily urbanized, with 75% of the area occupied by residential and non-residential development and by utility and transportation uses. This multi-use area has local Watershed parks, beach areas, playgrounds, marinas, restaurants, spas and the Waterfront Trail, and therefore The Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek watersheds are among the healthiest in the GTA. The is very popular for all ages. However, urbanization has also negatively impacted the area. The natural headwaters of Duffins Creek are on Oak Ridges Moraine. This area is very rich in species diversity ecosystem of Frenchman’s Bay and its contributing watershed have been in decline over many years. and includes large tracts of natural forests and wetland habitats. The middle section of the watershed 4 The wetlands have been reduced in area and quality, as has the diversity of fauna and flora. is predominately rural yet this is rapidly changing to country residential and suburban land uses with pockets of commercial development. From Taunton Road in Pickering to the Duffins Creek Marshland Since 1972, channelization or culverts have modified more than 50% of the creeks within the to Lake Ontario, the southern reaches of the watershed are urbanized, consisting of mixed uses and Frenchman’s Bay watershed.