Downtown Development Master Plan

THE TOWN OF WASAGADOWNTOWN BEACH DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN FINAL REPORT MARCH 2017 COUNTY OF SIMCOE EDO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE FUNDING PARTNERS Government of Ontario Simcoe County Regional Tourism Organization 7 Hamount Investments Ltd. Town of Wasaga Beach THE CONSULTING TEAM FORREC Limited Steven Rhys | Thomas Gould | Court Sin | Jonathan Hong N. Barry Lyon Consultants Limited Mark Conway | Josh MacLeod CBRE Tourism and Leisure Group Fran Hohol J.C. Williams Group John Williams ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TOWN OF WASAGA BEACH The Wasaga Beach Downtown Development Master Plan (DDMP) is the product of an ongoing and open community engagement process that was designed to bring together Members of Wasaga Beach Town Council, residents, business owners and relevant stakeholders to create a plan that will guide public and private investment in Downtown Wasaga Beach. Over the course of a four month workshop series, from August to December 2016, members of Wasaga Beach Town Council, residents, business owners and relevant stakeholders collaborated to share their ideas, expertise and energy to build this plan. Throughout the community engagement process, overwhelming support and commitment was demonstrated by the residents, business owners and relevant stakeholders that helped shape the plan. The DDMP offers an exciting vision for the future and with the combined efforts of all those that helped shape the plan we can all look forward to its successful implementation. This plan has been made possible by the contributions and involvement of many, including the following key individuals: THE CLIENT TEAM Wasaga Beach Town Council: Brian Smith, Mayor | Nina Bifolchi, Deputy Mayor | Joe Belanger, Councillor Sylvia Bray, Councillor | Ron Ego, Councillor | Bonnie Smith, Councillor Bill Stockwell, Councillor Steering Committee: Brian Smith, Mayor | Ron Ego, Councillor | Peter Gribbon | Edward Stanyk George Potopnyk | Katelyn Colella | Rene Bindi | Susan Gammon Town of Wasaga Beach Staff: George Vadeboncoeur, CAO Andrew McNeill, Director, Economic Development & Tourism Johanna Griggs, Economic Development Officer Kevin Lalonde, Director, Public Works Doug Herron, Planning Manager Gerry Reinders, Manager of Parks and Facilities Barrie Vickers, CBO Nathan Wukash, Planner APPROACH MARKET-BASED STRATEGY 1.1 Executive Summary 3.1 S.W.O.T. Analysis 1.2 The Team 3.2 Strategic Positioning and End-User Target Market 1.3 Why is the Downtown Important for Wasaga Beach 3.3 Market-Based Strategies 01 1.4 Why is a Master Plan Important 03 1.5 Methodology 1.5.1 Stage One - Discovery Phase 1.5.2 Stage Two - Design Phase 1.5.3 Stage Three - Document Phase BEST PRACTICE AND DESIGN 4.1 Goals 4.2 Master Plan Principles 4.3 Master Plan Building Blocks 04 4.4 Strategy UNDERSTANDING THE DOWNTOWN 2.1 Site Context 2.2 Downtown Boundary 02 2.3 Town-Owned Land 2.4 Site Analysis 2.5 Street Network and the Role of Smaller Blocks 2.6 Downtown Street Network - Existing and Proposed 2.7 Transit 2.8 Parks, Open Space and Trail Network 2.9 Protected Bicycle Lanes 2.10 Existing Land Use 2.11 Proposed Land Use Strategy 2.12 Residential Market Context 2.13 Retail Market Context 2.14 Hospitality Market Context DISTRICTS APPENDIX 5.1 Lower Main A Site Analysis 5.1.1 Lower Main Priority Projects A.1 Vehicular Connectivity 5.1.2 Streetscape Improvements A.2 Pedestrian and Trail Connectivity 05 5.1.3 Built Form A.3 Parking Analysis 5.1.4 Town Square B Consultant Reports 5.1.5 Anchor Developments B.1 Hospitality Report (CBRE) 5.1.6 Community Hub B.2 Residential Report (NBLC) 5.2 The Beach B.3 Retail Report (J.C. Williams) 5.3 Beach District “The Lungs” C Development Program 5.3.1 The Beach Priority Projects C.1 Development Parcels 5.3.2 Beachfront Boardwalk and Street Improvements C.2 Parcel Calculation Assumptions Chart 5.3.3 Festival Square C.3 Town Ownership Overview 5.3.4 Anchor Developments 5.3.5 Entertainment Zone 5.3.6 Resort / Residential Zone 5.4 Upper Main District 5.5 Building Frontages 5.6 Downtown Gateway Site 5.7 Economic Impact Analysis Highlights IMPLEMENTATION 06 6.1 Implementation Process APPROACH01 1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report was prepared by FORREC Limited, in association with N. Barry Lyon Consultants Limited, CBRE Tourism and Leisure Group and J.C. Williams Group, and is the culmination of a four month long community engagement process founded on best professional practices. The DDMP was commissioned by the Town of Wasaga Beach with the goal of creating a pragmatic and sustainable plan for the future of Downtown Wasaga Beach. More than just a plan, the DDMP represents an ongoing opportunity in which virtually the entire Wasaga Beach community can become involved. The DDMP is designed to promote the evolution of a livable, compact, accessible, sustainable downtown for the entire community. This will enhance the economic PLACE TEXT HERE competitiveness of Wasaga Beach to not only improve the Town’s tourism economy (currently the only industry) but will also plant the seeds for economic diversification. Rebranding Wasaga Beach to shake the “party-town” image and replacing the brand with a more sophisticated, diversified and inclusive approach is important to the future economic success of the town. The creation of a town-centre (heart for the community) will help attract new residents, businesses and jobs and will assist in making Wasaga Beach more resilient to future economic fluctuations. WASAGA BEACH DDMP — SECTION1: APPROACH 1.2 THE TEAM REAL ESTATE/ RETAIL MASTER HOSPITALITY URBAN PLANNER CONSULTANT PLANNER CONSULTANT DDMP Led by Forrec Ltd., the consultant team worked closely with staff from the Town of Wasaga Beach to ensure that meaningful community engagement occurred during the evolution of the DDMP. The team was guided by a steering committee as well as the feedback that was received throughout the process. 11 1.3 WHY IS THE DOWNTOWN IMPORTANT FOR WASAGA? WASAGA BEACH AND THE DECLINE OF THE MAIN END Downtowns are concentrated urban areas that allow events. Consistent programming is key, and ongoing For the past two decades, Wasaga Beach has experienced Beach is well positioned to take advantage of this new for the efficient use of land and municipal resources events drive positive awareness of the area and the significant growth as a community of choice for many planning focus. Wasaga Beach is at a turning point in its for the social and economic benefit of the community. wider town for both residents and tourists. Downtowns residents. Low density single family housing subdivisions, evolution. As the town continues to grow it is important A vibrant mix of residential, commercial and public with a range of retail, commercial, and programming automobile-oriented strip plazas and large format retail for the town to chart a new, more sustainable path for uses creates an energetic mass that can become a options that span all seasons and appeal to the widest power centres have come to dominate the landscape. the future. Having a downtown in Wasaga Beach, with source of community pride and identity. Large or small, mix of people, including families and children, ensures This is not a unique situation to Wasaga Beach; most a traditional main street, will help the town attract new well-defined and healthy downtowns create a sense that the area remains animated and thrives throughout municipalities in North America experimented, to varying residents, attract businesses, grow jobs and reignite of place that yields benefits in terms of improving the the year. degrees, with suburban planning and development the tourism industry in town and consequently was the quality of life for residents, creating a strong investment practices. What has separated Wasaga Beach from impetus for the creation of this plan. environment, and supporting growth. The Town of Wasaga Beach has a long and rich history other communities is Council’s focus on active living and shares a familiar storyline with many seasonal by embracing trails, bike lanes and sidewalks linking A concentration of development also yields benefits in downtowns across North America. For almost eighty the beach and other natural features to the community. terms of offering more sustainable forms of development. (80) years, much of that exciting history was focused Since the late 1990’s, the era of strip plazas, power When community services and amenities become around Main Street at Beach Area One. Commonly centres and business parks has been falling out of favour. walkable, higher density housing options can become known as the “Main End”, Wasaga Beach had a seasonal Increasingly, municipalities are pursuing the development more feasible. Apartments and townhomes, which downtown that was the social, cultural and economic of compact, mixed-use places that are highly walkable, are less costly and require less maintenance than a heart of Wasaga Beach. The seasonal downtown was a healthier, distinct, authentic and that deliver much single-detached home, become more viable. This in popular holiday spot for soldiers from Base Borden and higher economic returns than suburban places. Wasaga turn helps populate and animate streets, taking growth tourists from across Ontario and the northern United pressure off suburban areas, reducing traffic, and States. Families enjoyed the carnival-like atmosphere at improving safety. Higher density housing forms also the “Main End” that included activities such as midway expand the choice of accommodations, increasing the rides, a movie theatre, outdoor and indoor bowling and attractiveness of the community to a broader range of dancing. In 1972, Main Street was closed to vehicular prospective residents. traffic and turned into a pedestrian mall. As the Town transitioned to more of a year-round community, Main Downtowns offer a logical opportunity as a place for Street’s relevance to day-to-day life declined. A lack community events.

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