Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan
Volume 1: Background Report The Context for Decision Making TOWN OF FORT ERIE COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES—JANUARY 2007
Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan Volume 1: Background Report The Context for Decision Making
Table of Contents - Volume 1: Background Report
Executive Summary Pg. 1
Introduction Pg. 5
Major Issues Affecting Bridgeburg Pg. 7
Section 1.0 Demographics Pg. 9
Section 2.0 Housing Trends Pg. 15
Section 3.0 Land Use Planning Pg. 19
Section 4.0 Parks/Open Space and Schools Pg. 29
Section 5.0 Cultural and Natural Heritage Pg. 33
Section 6.0 Transportation Pg. 39
Section 7.0 Next Steps Pg. 43
Bibliography
Appendices
Bridgeburg Strategic Planning Sessions
Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan Volume 1: Background Report - The Context for Decision Making
List of Figures, Maps and Tables
Figures
1.1 – Population Distribution Pg. 9 1.2A – Age Distribution for Bridgeburg Pg. 10 1.2B – Age Distribution for All of Fort Erie Pg. 10 1.3 – Marital Status Pg. 11 1.4 – Immigration Pg. 11 1.5 – Highest Level Of Education Completed Pg. 12 1.6 – Unemployment Rate Pg. 12 1.7A – Average Household Income Pg. 13 1.7B – Incidence of Low Income Pg. 13 2.1 – Dwelling Type Pg. 16 2.2 – Tenure of Dwellings Pg. 16 2.3 – Age of Housing Stock Pg. 17 2.4A – Average Value of Dwelling Pg. 17 2.4B – Average Gross Rent Pg. 18 3.1A – Registered Lots Pg. 19 3.1B – Partial Map of Victoria Pg. 20 3.2 – Distribution of Land Use Pg. 21 4.2 – List of Public Schools Pg. 31
Maps
Map 1: Fort Erie Neighbourhoods Map 2: Existing Land Use Map 3: Official Plan Designations Map 4: Zoning By-law 129-90 Map 5: Natural Features Map 6: Cultural Heritage Map 7: Archeological Resources Map 8: Transportation Plan
Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan - Volume 1: Background Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan Background Report presents a summary of existing conditions and trends in the community, in support of the Neighbourhood Plan being produced by the Town of Fort Erie. The format of this Background Report is similar to those previously produced for other neighbourhoods, in order to provide for easy comparison between Neighbourhood Plans as they are developed.
The intent of the Background Report is to help Council, municipal staff, the Community Focus Group and the general public understand the dynamics of Bridgeburg as a community: its past, present and its future. It provides a compilation of available information relevant to the Neighbourhood Plan, especially demographics and land use, in order to assist in preparing informed recommendations on future development direction. Several areas of interest are reviewed in this report, and a brief summary of each is outlined below.
All demographic information is obtained from the 2001 Census of Canada, the most recent year for detailed analysis available. Where possible, further extrapolation to 2006 was conducted based on other available information.
Major Issues Identified through Public Consultation
• Open House Information Sessions were held in October and November 2005, in order to introduce the Neighbourhood Plan concept to the community, and to receive input with respect to the broad issues and concerns. As well, two Strategic Planning Exercises were conducted in December 2005 and January 2006 with municipal staff and the Bridgeburg Community Focus Group. A number of issues were identified through these processes as being in need of study and improvement in the Bridgeburg area, including urban design and character, residential/commercial rehabilitation assistance, and the development of a Master Capital Plan for neighbourhood improvements. These issues are described in further detail in this report.
Demographics
• The population of Bridgeburg is about 3700, and has remained relatively stable over the last 25 years • The age structure of Bridgeburg typically reflects “baby boomers” and their children • There is a slightly lower proportion of Bridgeburg residents who are Canadian citizens, compared to Fort Erie as a whole • At 30%, the percentage of residents with higher education is almost identical to that of Fort Erie as a whole, but lower than that of the metropolitan area and the Province • The unemployment rate, at 10.5%, is markedly higher than that of Fort Erie, the province and the country. It is almost twice as high as that of the Niagara Metropolitan area. • Total Household income in Bridgeburg is identical to that of Fort Erie as a whole, at $50,000. This however is lower than the average household income of the Niagara area, the Province and Canada.
Housing Trends
• The housing stock in Bridgeburg is only slightly more varied than other parts of Fort Erie, with 79% of housing in the form of low-density single-detached or semi-detached dwellings • 66% of Bridgeburg dwellings are owned, and 34% are rented • Over half of the housing stock was constructed before 1946, less than 2% was constructed after 1991
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• The average dwelling price in Bridgeburg is $118,000, 40% lower than the Provincial average, and 8% lower than the average dwelling price in Fort Erie.
Land Use Planning
• The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood contains a diverse array of land uses ranging from Residential to Commercial, Institutional and Open Space, encompassing nearly 1500 acres. • 26% of the neighbourhood is comprised of vacant lands, both inside and outside the current Urban Area Boundary. The New Official Plan designates all Bridgeburg Neighbourhood lands as being within the Urban Area Boundary, however as of the writing of this report the Official Plan had not yet been approved by the Regional Municipality of Niagara • 19% of land in Bridgeburg is used for residential purposes • 17% of the neighbourhood land is devoted to industrial use, including the CN Rail Yard • 15% of the Neighbourhood land is devoted to institutional and government uses, including road allowances and traveled roadways • 11% of the neighbourhood land is designated in the New Official Plan as “Environmental Protection” including Provincially Significant Wetlands, mainly in the western end of the neighbourhood in the vicinity of Frenchman’s Creek • 8% of Bridgeburg land is utilized for commercial uses • 4% of the neighbourhood is devoted to public parkland, including the Niagara Parks Commission riverfront greenspace
Parks and Open Space
• There are 3 municipal parks in the Bridgeburg neighbourhood, plus the Niagara Parks Commission riverfront greenspace, altogether comprising a total of 63 acres of programmed and non-programmed public open space. • Although there is an excess of parkland designated as “community level” and “municipal-wide level”, there is a 5.5 acre deficiency of “neighbourhood level” parkland, which the Neighbourhood Plan intends to address • The Niagara Parks Commission owns and maintains over 30 acres of linear greenspace (2.6 miles long) along the Niagara River waterfront in the neighbourhood. All space is non- programmed, and the majority of the linear space includes a well-utilized recreational trail which forms part of the Greater Niagara Circle Route and the Trans-Canada Trail system • Bridgeburg is home to Sugarbowl Park and Oakes Park, which together form a municipal- wide recreational facility including ball diamonds, tennis courts, a public library, a swimming pool, playground equipment, a railroad museum, and a central water feature surrounded by 16 acres of greenspace
Schools
• The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood contains two public elementary schools and one public high school. The high school serves all of eastern Fort Erie • There are no Catholic elementary or high schools within Bridgeburg, however elementary students would attend school in the Fort Erie Neighbourhood, a short distance south. High School students would travel to Port Colborne for the closest Catholic High School • Post secondary students attend college/university locally in Welland and St. Catharines, or well as outside the Niagara Region.
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Cultural and Natural Heritage
• The Greater Fort Erie area has a rich cultural heritage dating back over 11,000 years • Modern day settlement of the Bridgeburg area began in the early 1870s with the opening of the International Bridge • The unincorporated village was originally named Victoria, but was also known variably as Bridgeburg and International Bridge • In 1895 the village separated from Bertie Township and was incorporated as the Village of Bridgeburg, population 895 • In 1915 Bridgeburg became a Town, and in 1931 Bridgeburg annexed Fort Erie and Amigari to become the expanded “Town of Fort Erie” • The Frenchman’s Creek Wetland Complex , a Provincially Significant Natural Area, is located in the western end of the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood, and is considered an important natural resource for the community. The Neighbourhood Plan will recognize this area, as it is currently protected through policies in the New Municipal Official Plan and the Provincial Policy Statements
Transportation
• There are four (4) Regional Highways in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood (Thompson Road, Central Avenue, Gilmore Road and Phipps Street), serving as the main arterial routes for the Neighbourhood • The Niagara River Parkway (Niagara Boulevard) is a Provincial tourist route designed to carry leisure traffic along the Niagara River from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Parkway travels for nearly 3 miles along Bridgeburg’s eastern shore, and provides convenient access to Central Avenue, Jarvis Street and the core commercial area • Fort Erie Transit serves the Bridgeburg community with 5 runs per day in each direction, connecting with the other urban areas of Greater Fort Erie and the shopping districts along Garrison Road • There is no inter-city bus service from Bridgeburg, however Greyhound and Trentway-Wagar operate motorcoach service from the Peace Bridge/South End Area of Fort Erie. • No intercity passenger rail service is provided to Bridgeburg, although this location had historically been the passenger terminal for Fort Erie prior to elimination of local service in 1981. Currently, the nearest passenger rail terminals are located in Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls, ON. • The CN Fort Erie Rail Yard is located in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood, and is a defining historical feature on the local landscape, although it provides little neighbourhood benefit strictly from a local transportation perspective. The yard acts as a marshalling centre for freight transportation over the International Railway Bridge to Buffalo, New York • Ambassador Niagara Bridge Group has expressed interest in utilizing a portion of the CN Rail corridor through Bridgeburg for the establishment of a new international vehicular bridge to Buffalo, New York, and a freeway connection to the Queen Elizabeth Way. As of the writing of this report, formal approvals had not been received from regulatory agencies • The Regional Niagara Bikeways Master Plan identifies four on-road bicycle routes in Bridgeburg, including the Niagara Parks Recreational Trail. These will be recognized in the Neighbourhood Plan, and additional connections throughout the neighbourhood and to the Friendship Trail system will be explored through the Neighbourhood Plan process.
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Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan - Volume 1: Background Report
INTRODUCTION
The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood is located within the municipality of the Town of Fort Erie, and is situated within one of four major urban areas of the Town. The neighbourhood is bounded by Gilmore Road (Regional Highway #17) on the south, Thompson Road (Regional Highway #122) on the west, and the Niagara River on the north and east, which is also the boundary of the Town of Fort Erie and the international boundary between Canada and the United States of America. (see Map 1). The study area encompasses the former Town of Bridgeburg, prior to amalgamation with Fort Erie in 1931.
The settlement of this area began in the early 1870s with the establishment of the International Bridge, connecting Canada with the USA at Black Rock (now Buffalo), New York. After the opening of the bridge, stores, taverns, a school and a church rapidly appeared in the immediate vicinity along what are now Jarvis Street, Courtwright Street, Niagara Boulevard and Central Avenue. The original name of the village was Victoria, although at the time it was also unofficially known as “Bridgeburg” and “International Bridge”. In 1877 a post office was established, at which time the name Victoria was dropped in favor of International Bridge. When officially incorporated as a village in 1895, the name was again changed to Bridgeburg.
Construction of the International Bridge to Buffalo, NY in 1873 was the impetus for the development of the Bridgeburg area
In 1895, the Village of Bridgeburg attained a population of 895, and was considered a thriving commercial and employment centre related to the railroad companies utilizing the IRR corridor. In 1915 Bridgeburg became a Town, and the population was about 2200. From its incorporation through to 1930, Bridgeburg continued to thrive as a distinct municipality with strong ties to the railroad industry. By 1931, 590 families called Bridgeburg “home”, and the population had increased to approximately 3000 persons.
In 1930, Bridgeburg initiated annexation proceedings in order to acquire the Village of Fort Erie to the south, and the community of Amagari and other portions of Bertie Township to the west. Annexation did occur in 1931, and the newly formed municipality was named “The Town of Fort Erie”. In that year, the expanded Town had a population of approximately 5000 persons.
The growth of Bridgeburg from the 1930s through to the 1970s was very closely tied to the growth of the Canadian National Railway Yard. At it’s peak in the late 1950s, the Fort Erie yard was the third largest rail yard in Canada, and more than 1200 train cars traveled through Bridgeburg each day. At its peak, CN employed up to 400 people at the yard, making it a major Town and regional employer.
The slow decline of the railroad industry in Fort Erie began in 1977, when all eastbound and westbound marshalling was moved to Buffalo, New York, making the Fort Erie Yard redundant. This had a remarkable effect on the economy and social fabric of Bridgeburg and Fort Erie as a
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whole. In 1981 passenger rail service to Fort Erie was eliminated, and on September 25, 1989 the last train run into Fort Erie Yard was recorded. Most of the tracks and storage/maintenance facilities on site have been closed and or dismantled, and CN has sold off some of the yard to private industrial interests. Since 1990 the rail corridor has provided through freight traffic between the USA and the Toronto and Hamilton areas. In late 2001, traffic in this corridor increased with the rerouting of all Canadian Pacific Railway trains over the Niagara River through Fort Erie rather than Niagara Falls. The yard is currently considered by CN to be a “minor switching yard” for service of local customers, staging of trains, and setoff and lifting of bridge traffic to the USA.
In 1957 when this picture was taken, Fort Erie was the third largest rail yard in Canada, serving over 1200 train cars a day and employing up to 400 people
Today Bridgeburg is a quieter neighbourhood, with a commercial core that serves the surrounding residents, a less substantial role than in the past when it was the main shopping district for the entire Fort Erie area. The current population figure of 3700 people has remained relatively unchanged over the past 25 years. Little additional residential growth has occurred (partially due to the lack of serviced available residential land) and there has been very little activity in the way of redevelopment or intensification of existing older areas. Bridgeburg Neighbourhood however does contain qualities and infrastructure that lend themselves well to rejuvenation efforts. The Neighbourhood Plan will concentrate on identifying opportunities for additional population growth through intensification and brownfield development in order to capitalize on existing social, recreational and physical infrastructure. In turn, additional population growth would assist in the revitalization of the commercial core area, due to the increased need for a variety of services to meet the new residents’ needs.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANS
The Town of Fort Erie has embarked upon a Neighbourhood Plan program that will encompass all 15 urban neighbourhoods within the municipality. Neighbourhood Plans will be prepared for all areas, for adoption as land-use policy by the Town Council. Neighbourhood Plans do not form part of the Town Official Plan, but are approved policy documents that may be amended from time to time without the requirement of an Official Plan Amendment (so long as the amendment does not contravene Official Plan policy). In this way, Neighbourhood Plans remain fluid and easily improved upon, based on new ideas, information and issues identified through experience, research and further consultation with the community.
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In 2003, the first Neighbourhood Plan in Fort Erie was approved in Spears/High Pointe. In 2005, the Crystal Beach Neighbourhood Plan became the second Council-approved Plan. The Crystal Beach Neighbourhood Plan was the recipient of the Overall Excellence Award at the Niagara Community Design Awards competition in December 2005. As that Plan has been recognized within and outside of the Fort Erie community as a model for good planning practice, it’s format will be used as the template for all future Neighbourhood Plans in Fort Erie, including Bridgeburg.
MAJOR ISSUES AFFECTING BRIDGEBURG
In October and November 2005, the Town of Fort Erie held two Open Houses for Bridgeburg residents and business operators to introduce them to the Neighbourhood Plan concept, and to solicit their views on the community's strengths and weaknesses, and potential for development. 46 persons attended the Open Houses, and provided Staff with valuable comments and suggestions for the improvement in the neighbourhood. Key issues were further addressed and refined through the Community Focus Group meetings held in December 2005 and January 2006, and additional issues were identified. The following represents the areas of concern and suggestions for improvement identified by the community through the public consultation process, and from various comments received by municipal staff since that time.
• There is a need for additional quality housing stock, more residents to support business • Coal Docks/Pier One property is key to revitalization of the area • Need to capitalize on the neighbourhood’s riverfront location • There is a lack of property standards enforcement • Reduction in bingo funds means the BIA is not able to maintain the previous level of service • Improved parking access and aesthetics is required • External access into the neighbourhood needs to be improved • Views down Jarvis/Courtwright/Dufferin Streets to the river need to be maintained • Redevelopment of existing older buildings needs to be encouraged • More police presence is required • Need a plan to bring retailers into the area • Ambassador Bridge proposal may be a detriment to the neighbourhood (isolation from rest of Town) • Empty industrial buildings are a blight, promote “brownfield” development • Industrial development needs to be considered in order to provide employment areas • Need for mid-to-high density residential development in the core area • Bury overhead wires to beautify the area • Reconstruct Central Avenue to an urban standard with streetscape beautification • Extend Jarvis Street to Thompson Road to provide better access • A grocery store is required in the core area • A skatepark is required for youth • Bridgeburg Strategic Plan should be incorporated into the Neighbourhood Plan and CIP • Develop a unique theme for Bridgeburg • Do not let this process be bogged down by a “Peace Bridge vs. Ambassador Bridge” debate • Need a new north-south connector into Bridgeburg over the CN Rail lands • Urban design guidelines are required for the core area and community nodes • Return passenger rail service to Buffalo and Toronto – even as seasonal/tourist train
In November 2005 and January 2006, two Strategic Planning Exercises were undertaken with Staff and the Bridgeburg Community Focus Group, facilitated by RMM and Associates (reports attached as Appendix 1 and 2). The purpose of these exercises was to perform a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) in order to arrive at a prioritized work plan for the Neighbourhood Plan process. The results of the two sessions identified many suggestions for improvement of the Neighbourhood, which were then analyzed in detail and prioritized. The following items emerged as the top priorities for Bridgeburg requiring attention in the Neighbourhood Plan:
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1. Identify opportunities for residential intensification in the Neighbourhood
2. Develop urban design guidelines reflective of the vision for the Neighbourhood, including streetscaping standards and BIA recommended plantings for Jarvis Street
3. Support development through incentive programs i.e. brownfields, tax incentives, façade improvement, RRAP, BIA development charge waiver, and a possible development charge intensification waiver
4. Social services/cultural/recreational plan to be prepared to determine level of service and community needs (including youth needs). Conduct a survey of property owners
5. Upon approval of the Neighbourhood Plan, develop a long-term capital improvement plan
In addition to the above many other important issues were identified that will be investigated through the Neighbourhood Plan process. Some of these include:
• BIA and Town/EDTC to work more closely to achieve community benefits • Review the zoning by-law • Review property standards enforcement • Complete the Niagara Parks Recreational Trail through the neighbourhood (currently disjointed) • Develop an inventory of vacant and underutilized lands to determine potential uses • Set up a “Clean and Safe” task force for Bridgeburg • Implement the Fort Erie Wayfinding Plan • Revisit the Bridgeburg Strategic Plan, prepared in 2000 • Prepare a Community Improvement Plan • Create the opportunity for grass roots community buy-in • Establish joint meetings between the BIA and the Town • Tie in the downtown commercial area with the waterfront, involve the Niagara Parks Commission • Town Engineers to pursue a new/improved north-south connector into Bridgeburg over rail yard • Plan for necessary community support facilities such as parkland and schools
The above mentioned comments and suggestions will be considered and incorporated into the final document of the Neighbourhood Plan, reflective of the community’s aspirations for the future of Bridgeburg.
The “Coal Docks” property at the foot of Jarvis Street provides an excellent opportunity for waterfront development that could act as a catalyst for neighbourhood revitalization
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Section 1 Demographics______
Bridgeburg Neigbhourhood Plan - Volume 1: Background Report
1.0- DEMOGRAPHICS
In order to properly analyze the existing conditions of the Bridgeburg neighbourhood, it is important to understand the demographics and trends. This section will provide an overview of the demographic characteristics of the residents and households in Bridgeburg. This information is derived from the Census of Canada and due to the nature of Statistics Canada Dissemination Areas (formerly known as Enumeration Areas), Bridgeburg data includes some minor areas outside of the neighbourhood boundary as established by Council.
1.1 Population The 2001 Census population of the study area is 3700. The population of Bridgeburg represents 13% of the total population of the Town of Fort Erie (28 143). Although it is difficult to determine exact population growth in the area due to the changes in the reporting area boundaries for Statistics Canada, information available suggests that the population of Bridgeburg has remained relatively stable over the last 25 years. The population in 1931 was nearly 3000, indicating that there has been little additional population growth in the neighbourhood since that time. The urban serviced area of the neighbourhood has been almost completely "built-out" for over 25 years and there has been little opportunity for large-scale “greenfield” development. Future population growth will come from lands in North Bridgeburg located within the newly expanded Urban Area Boundary (if approved by the Region of Niagara), and from core intensification and brownfield development.
Fig 1.1 - Population Distribution
Crescent Park Bridgeburg 9% 13%
Rural Bertie 11%
Douglastown 6% Stevensville 2% Fort Erie 34% Crystal Beach 12%
Ridgeway/Thunder Bay 13%
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1.2 Age Distribution Figure 1.2A shows the age distribution of Bridgeburg residents in 2001. The distribution shows that the highest cohort groups are the 5-9 age range and the 40-44 age range (baby boomers). Figure 1.2B shows the age distribution of all Fort Erie residents. Values are generally similar to that of Bridgeburg across all cohorts.
27% of Bridgeburg residents are under the age of 20, compared to 25% for Fort Erie as a whole. 18% of Bridgeburg residents are over the age of 65, which is only slightly higher than the Town average and the Metro Niagara average of 17% each.
Fig 1.2A - Age Distribut ion f or Bridgeburg
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0 0-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85+
Population
Fig. 1.2B - Age Distribut ion f or All of Fort Erie
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0 0-4 5-9 10- 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- 50- 55- 60- 65- 70- 75- 80- 85+ 14 19 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84
Population
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1.3 Marital Status As seen in Figure 1.3, the majority of Bridgeburg adults are categorized as “Legally Married” (48% of the population). However, a lower proportion of Bridgeburg residents fall within this category compared to Fort Erie or Niagara. Conversely, the proportion of those listed as "Never Legally Married (Single)", “Separated”, “Divorced” and “Widowed” is slightly higher in Bridgeburg than in Fort Erie or Niagara. 10% of Bridgeburg residents are listed as “Divorced”.
Fig 1.3 - Marital Status
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0% Never legally married Legally married (and not Separated, but still Divorced Widowed (single) separated) legally married
Niagara Fort Erie Bridgeburg
1.4 Immigration There are 640 persons in Bridgeburg listed as being born outside of Canada, representing 18% of the population. 82% of Bridgeburg residents were born in Canada. The immigrant population is similar to that of Fort Erie and Niagara, however it is lower than that of Ontario and Canada, as illustrated in Fig. 1.4.
Fig. 1.4 - Immigration
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0% Canada Ontario Niagara Ft Erie Bridgeburg
Non-immigrant population Immigrant population
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1.5 Level of Education Figure 1.5 illustrates the highest level of education completed by adult Bridgeburg residents. This figure shows that 15% of Bridgeburg residents have High School listed as their highest level of education (graduated). This is slightly lower than Fort Erie and Niagara, however the percentage is higher than that of Ontario and Canada. As well, 12% of Bridgeburg adults have completed a university degree, compared to 10% of Fort Erie residents and 19% of Ontario residents. The number of residents with a university degree is identical to that of Niagara.
Fig 1.5 - Highest Level of Education
20%
18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0% Less than gr ade 9 Hi gh School Gr aduate Communi ty Col l ege Gr aduate Uni ver si ty Gr aduate
Canada Ont ar i o Ni agar a For t Er i e Br i dgebur g
1.6 Employment Levels In 2001 the unemployment rate in Bridgeburg (for persons 15 and older) was 10.5%, a rate higher than that of Fort Erie and of the Niagara area, the Province of Ontario and Canada as a whole. The unemployment rate for Bridgeburg is in fact nearly twice as high as that of the Niagara area. The highest level of unemployment in Bridgeburg was concentrated in the area west of Robinson Street and north of Phipps Street.
Fig. 1.6 - Unemployment Rate
12 10.5
10
8 7.4
6.3 6.1 5.8 6
4
2
0 Canada Ontario Niagara Fort Erie Bridgeburg
Unemployment rate
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1.7 Income Figure 1.7A shows that the average household income in Bridgeburg is about equal to that of Fort Erie as a whole, at $49,730. The average income is lower than that of the Niagara area, the province and the country. The average household income in Ontario is $66,836.
Figure 1.7B shows that the incidence of "low income" was much higher in Bridgeburg than in Fort Erie as a whole. 18% of the population was described as "low income", compared to 11.9% of Fort Erie persons. The rate of low income in Niagara is 12.7%.
Fig. 1.7A - Average Household Income
Bridgeburg
Fort Erie
Niagara
Ontario
Canada
0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000
Average Household Income
Fig. 1.7B - Incidence of Low Income
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0 Canada Ontario Niagara Fort Erie Bridgeburg
Incidence of Low Income
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Section 2 Housing Trends______
Bridgeburg Neigbhourhood Plan - Volume 1: Background Report
2.0-HOUSING TRENDS
The following section summarizes housing trends within the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood. Comparisons are made between Bridgeburg and the Town of Fort Erie as a whole. Data for this section was obtained from the 2001 Census of Canada and the Town of Fort Erie Building Division.
2.1 Housing Stock Figure 2.1 is a summary of the housing stock in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood as compared to Fort Erie, Niagara and Ontario. As the graph illustrates, Bridgeburg has a lower proportion of single-detached homes (71%) compared to Fort Erie (81%), but the figure is in line with the Niagara rate of 70%. There is a higher proportion of apartment dwellings (19%) compared to Fort Erie (13%), but again this figure is in line with Niagara as a whole. Semi-detached dwellings comprise 8% of the housing stock, much higher than the Fort Erie rate of only 3%. Townhousing units comprise 2% of the housing stock, and the number of mobile homes is negligible.
Almost ¾ of the dwellings in Bridgeburg are in the form of single-detached dwellings. The majority of these dwellings were constructed prior to 1946
The above figures are representative of the year 2001, the last year that census information was available. However, a number of townhousing projects have been completed in Fort Erie over the last six years which is beginning to diversify the housing stock. None of these new townhousing units were constructed in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood. Since 2001, a total of 5 new residential units have been constructed in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood, all being single-detached dwellings.
The housing mix in Bridgeburg is generally in line with the requirements of the Town’s New Official Plan (80% low density, 10% medium density and 10% high density). Additional medium density housing (i.e. townhousing) is required. As of the writing of this report, the New Official Plan was still being reviewed by the approval authority (Niagara Region) and no decision had been made regarding the ultimate required housing mix.
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Fig. 2.1 - Dwelling Type
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0 Ontario Niagara Fort Erie Bridgeburg
Single-detached Semi-detached house Townhousing Apartments Movable dwelling
2.2 Tenure of Households Figure 2.2 shows the tenure of households in 2001 for Bridgeburg compared to Fort Erie, Niagara, Ontario and Canada. The graph illustrates that in 2001 Bridgeburg had a smaller proportion of homeowners (67%) as compared to Fort Erie as a whole (77%) and the metropolitan area (74%). The home ownership statistics are generally in line with those of Ontario and Canada.
Fig. 2.2 - Tenure of Households
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0% Canada Ontario Niagara Fort Erie Bridgeburg
Owned 66% 68% 74% 77% 67% Rented 34% 32% 26% 23% 33%
Owned Rented
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2.3 Age of Housing Stock Figure 2.3 shows the age of the housing stock in Bridgeburg compared to all of Fort Erie. The majority of homes in Bridgeburg were constructed prior to 1946, which is reflective of the era of prosperity for the neighbourhood. 75% of all homes in Bridgeburg were constructed prior to 1961, compared to 51% for Fort Erie as a whole. Only 2% of the homes in Bridgeburg were built between 1991 and the present, indicative of the general state of the economy in the neighbourhood in recent times and the lack of additional serviced residential land. According to Town of Fort Erie Building Department statistics, from 2001 to 2006 there were only 5 new dwellings constructed in Bridgeburg.
Fig. 2.3 - Age of Housing Stock
60%
50%
40%
For t Er i e 30% Br i dgebur g
20%
10%
0% bef or e 1946 1946-1960 1961-1970 1971-1980 1981-1990 1991-1995 1996-2001
For t Er i e 27% 24% 13% 11% 12% 8% 6% Br idgebur g 50% 25% 13% 6% 5% 1% 1%
2.4 Housing Cost Figure 2.4A shows the average value of dwellings for the Bridgeburg neighbourhood as compared to Fort Erie, the metropolitan area, Ontario and Canada. As can be seen, home values in Bridgeburg average $117,835, which is lower than the Fort Erie average by approximately $10,000, and lower than the provincial average by over $80,000.
Fig. 2.4A - Average value of dwelling
200000
180000
160000
140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0 Canada Ontario Niagara Fort Erie Bridgeburg
Average value of dwelling $ 162709 199884 148523 127519 117835
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Fig. 2.4B shows the average gross dwelling rental rate for Bridgeburg as compared to Fort Erie, the metropolitan area, the province and Canada. The average rental rate in Bridgeburg is $621/month, which is slightly higher than the Fort Erie average of $603/mo. The rental rate figure is close to the Niagara average of $632/mo., but still lower than the provincial average by over $100/mo.
Fig. 2.4B - Average Gross Rent
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0 Canada Ontario Niagara Fort Erie Bridgeburg
Average gross rent $ 648 753 632 603 621
2.5 Rental Accommodation Vacancy Rate According to recent figures released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the vacancy rate for rental accommodation in Fort Erie is 5.9% (2005). This is a marked increase over the vacancy rate for 2004, which was 3.4%. CMHC explains that the number of rental units in the Fort Erie area is so low that it allows for wide fluctuations in reporting figures from year to year. The vacancy rate increase may therefore not be as dramatic as it appears at first glance. The vacancy rate for the Niagara Census Metropolitan Area is currently 2.7%, which is 3.2% lower than Fort Erie.
In Fort Erie, one-bedroom apartments appear to be in demand, as the vacancy rate is 2.2%. This contrasts with the vacancy rate for two-bedroom apartments, which is 5.0%.
CMHC reports that rental demand will strengthen slightly in Niagara in the coming year, due to migration into the area. Immigrants tend to rent for up to five years before they move into home ownership. As well, “empty-nester/retirees” are moving into Niagara at a growing rate. Many of these households will move away from the stress of home ownership and move into rental accommodation, increasing the demand for this tenure choice. Fort Erie appears to be a location choice for those entering retirement, and some of this growing population may be accommodated in Bridgeburg.
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Section 3 Land Use Planning______
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3.0-LAND USE PLANNING
3.1 History of Major Land Use Initiatives The settlement of the Bridgeburg area began in the early 1870s with the establishment of the International Bridge, connecting Canada with the USA at Buffalo, New York. After the opening of the bridge, stores, taverns, a school and a church rapidly appeared in the immediate vicinity along what are now Jarvis Street, Courtwright Street, Niagara Boulevard and Central Avenue. When officially incorporated in 1895, the village was named Bridgeburg.
In 1895, the Village of Bridgeburg attained a population of 895, and was considered a thriving commercial and employment centre related to the railroad companies utilizing the IRR corridor. By 1931, 590 families called Bridgeburg “home”, and the population had increased to approximately 3000 persons. In that year, Bridgeburg annexed the Village of Fort Erie to the south, and the community of Amagari and other portions of Bertie Township to the west. The newly formed municipality was named “The Town of Fort Erie”. The expanded Town had a population of approximately 5000 persons.
The following is a synopsis of the plans registered in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood between 1872 and 1931, before the consolidation of Bridgeburg and Fort Erie. In that 59 year period of initial growth, over 1100 lots were registered in the village as shown in Fig. 3.1A below.
Fig. 3.1A – Registered Lots Plan Name/Number Number of Lots Year of Registered Registration Henry A. Betts Plan #887 22 1872 Original Town of Victoria Plan (Jarvis) #910 247 1872 Plan #2194 68 1874 Plan #2653 20 1876 Rano & Newbiggin Plan #6564 85 1890 #6781 Poplar Point Plan 52 1891 Plan #7197 43 1892 Pattison & Baxter Plan #26 31 1905 Johnston Plan #27 5 1908 Emrick Plan #28 66 1912 Warren-Lewis Plan #29 124 1916 Plan #30 100 1927 Plan #31 268 1927 TOTAL 1131
Although there were 1100 lots registered before 1931, at that moment in time only a little over 550 dwelling units had been constructed. Another 200 homes were constructed from 1930 to the beginning of World War II. Post-war construction boomed in Bridgeburg, as it did in most urban centres in the country after 1945. From 1946 to 1990 the number of residential dwellings more than doubled, to over 1200.
It took approximately 100 years for the urban serviced area of Bridgeburg to be almost completely “built-out”. Many of the original registered lots were utilized for alternative purposes such as industrial, commercial, and parkland. The decline of the railroad industry in Fort Erie after 1990 brought new construction in Bridgeburg virtually to a halt. After 1990, only 25 new residential dwellings had been constructed (to 2006).
As discussed further on in this report, the New Town of Fort Erie Official Plan (approved by Council and awaiting Regional Niagara approval) designates an additional 440 acres as being within the Bridgeburg Urban Area. Much of this land, however, is currently designated as Provincially Significant Wetlands (and associated buffer area) and therefore new development potential may be limited. Additional studies will be required to further refine the extent of the wetland and natural protection areas. 19 Fort Erie Neighbourhood Plan Program "Envisioning Great Communities"
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There has been very little activity in the way of redevelopment or intensification of existing residential/commercial areas in Bridgeburg. The neighbourhood does however contain qualities and infrastructure that lend themselves well to rejuvenation efforts. The Neighbourhood Plan will concentrate on identifying opportunities for additional population growth through intensification and brownfield development in order to capitalize on existing social, recreational and physical infrastructure. In turn, additional population growth will assist in the revitalization of the commercial core area, due to the increased need for a variety of services to meet the new residents’ needs.
Fig. 3.1B – Partial Map of Victoria
Steven Jarvis laid out the original village plan for “Victoria” in 1872 during the construction of the International Bridge. That first plan provided for nearly 300 lots for residential and commercial use
3.2 Land Use Features The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood contains a broad mix of land uses, characteristic of an historic urban and employment centre. The largest category of land use is “Vacant”, reflective of the large tracts of undeveloped and underutilized lands in the expanded urban area and the industrial area. The next highest percentage is the “Residential” category, which occupies 20% of neighbourhood lands. This is in stark contrast to the Crystal Beach Neighbourhood, where 67% of neighbourhood land was devoted to some sort of residential use. The next highest level of land use in Bridgeburg is “Industrial”, which includes 83 acres of rail yard. 17% of the neighbourhood land falls within the “Industrial” category.
As can be seen in Fig. 3.2 and Map 2, land uses of Bridgeburg are broadly varied, with large amounts of vacant underutilized land, indicating high potential for redevelopment and infill development.
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Fig. 3.2 - Distribution of Land Use
Govt including roads 11%
Instit ut ional Vacant 2% 27%
Commercial 8%
Parks 4%
Wetlands Industrial Including Rail Yard 11% 17 %
Resident ial 20%
3.3 Land-Use Planning
3.3.1 Town of Fort Erie Official Plan The Town of Fort Erie approved a New Official Plan on September 11, 2006. The Plan is now awaiting approval from the Regional Municipality of Niagara and is expected to be given final approval sometime in early 2007. Schedule A of the New Official Plan (Land Use Plan) specifies designations by use for each portion of the municipality. These reflect the Town’s intentions for future land use, and in many cases reflect the existing land use. The text of the Plan contains policies to guide development for each category of use. Map 3 illustrates the designations applying to the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood.
Urban Residential: • Schedule A identifies lands throughout the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood as “Urban Residential”, mainly related to existing build-up residential areas.
• Polices in Section 4.7.4 of the Official Plan note that permitted uses in this designation include a variety of housing forms ranging from single detached dwellings to apartment units, and including rooming houses, boarding houses, group homes and homes for the elderly. Other uses permitted in this designation include schools, churches, parks, and neighbourhood commercial uses intended to serve the immediate community.
• Lands within the newly expanded urban area north of Arcadia Street are designated as “Urban Residential” subject to the provisions of Special Policy Area No. 6. This Special Policy Area is an expansion to the Bridgeburg Urban Area northward from Arcadia Street/Lindbergh Drive toward the Niagara River. Although approved by the Town, this expansion had not yet been approved by the Region of Niagara as of the writing of this report. However, the Special Policy Area recognizes that urban development may occur 21 Fort Erie Neighbourhood Plan Program "Envisioning Great Communities"
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on these lands upon approval by the Region and amendment to the Regional Policy Plan. An EPS (Environmental Planning Study) will be required for any proposed development on these lands, considering the significant natural heritage features in the area.
Commercial: • Areas in the vicinity of the Central Business District (Jarvis, Courtwright, Dufferin, Central, Niagara) along with the shopping centre at the southwest corner of Central Avenue and Wintemute Street are designated as “Commercial” in the Official Plan. Section 4.9 indicates that the predominant use of land in this category is for a variety of commercial uses to be refined through the Neighbourhood Plan process. Lands may be further categorized in a variety of commercial sub-designations in the Official Plan, however commercial lands in Bridgeburg fall mainly within the “General Commercial” and “Shopping Centre Commercial” category.
• Residential uses are permitted above the ground floor of a commercial use.
• The Bridgeburg Core Area is recognized as one of six main business retail shopping areas within the Town. As such, specific policies apply that are intended to provide for strong, diverse commercial core that serves the long term needs of residents and visitors through such means as improved parking facilities, the development of Neighbourhood and Community Improvement Plans to provide focus and identity to the core area, provide for residential intensification, set out a strategy to facilitate development and redevelopment.
• A “Mixed-Use Core Area” designation is provided for in the new Official Plan. This category allows for a broader range of uses than the standard commercial activity including residential and institutional uses. The Neighbourhood Plan exercise for Bridgeburg will evaluate the appropriateness of applying this category to the Central Business District or parts thereof, in order to stimulate new development of a varied nature.
Industrial – Business Park: • The Official Plan designates a large amount of land in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood as “Industrial – Business Park”, mainly identifying existing industrially zoned and/or utilized property (including all of the CN Rail Yard lands). Lands designated in this category will be predominantly used for an integrated mix of industrial/manufacturing operations and business activities, i.e. processing, fabrication, warehousing/storage, lumber yards, dairies, printing operations, and automotive uses, etc. Ancillary uses that serve the employment base may also be permitted in these areas. The Neighbourhood Plan process will evaluate the appropriateness of the location and amount of land currently designated for Industrial uses in Bridgeburg, especially situations where an alternative use which stimulates development growth may be more desirable (i.e. brownfield development).
• The Fort Erie Industrial Park (Industrial Drive) is designated as Special Policy Area No. 3 in the Official Plan, in recognition of the special site circumstances in the area related to the floodplain of Frenchman’s Creek. The historical use of this area for industrial uses, as well as the recognition of the area as an important employment centre for the municipality, warrant special consideration to permit additional development within the designated floodplain, subject to consultation with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. New development is permitted within the floodplain only if buildings are protected up to the 1-in-100 year flood level as mapped by the NPCA.
Institutional: • The Official Plan designates a small amount of land in Bridgeburg for Institutional uses, mainly recognizing existing institutional properties. The predominat use of land in these areas are for public uses carried on by a variety of government and other regulatory 22 Fort Erie Neighbourhood Plan Program "Envisioning Great Communities"
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agencies such as the Niagara Parks Commission. Institutional uses can include schools, religious facilities, social clubs, cultural facilities, hospitals, as well anursing and retirement homes.
• In Bridgeburg, properties included in this designation include all schools and churches, the Regional Water Treatment Plant on Niagara River Parkway, and the Gilmore Lodge Nursing Home
Open Space: • Schedule A designates lands along the Niagara River shoreline, as well as existing parks such as Bowen, Sugarbowl and Oakes Park, as “Open Space”. Policies in Section 4.13 provide for permitted uses such as conservation, open space and recreational uses. Secondary uses which may be permitted include golf courses, arenas, recreation buildings, campgrounds, and cemeteries. Open Space policies encourage the development of scenic drives, trails and bicycle paths, separation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and the improvement of public access and the usability of public parkland along the Niagara River shoreline.
• Evaluation of the location and adequacy of the existing parkland system in Bridgeburg will be done through the Parks and Open Space Master Plan, currently in production. The Neighbourhood Plan will reflect the findings of the Parks and Open Space Master Plan and may suggest refinement based on further investigation and public consultation.
• Significant treed areas will be incorporated into the open space network where possible. These areas are generally depicted as “Environmental Conservation” areas on the Official Plan
Environmental Protection: • Areas designated as Environmental Protection on Schedule “A” include Provincially Significant Wetland Areas, Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest, the Habitat of Vulnerable, Threatened, and Endangered Species and Natural Hazard areas as identified on Schedules “C” and “C1”. It is the intent that lands designated as Environmental Protection will be protected from incompatible development by not permitting development or site alterations to occur within such designated areas.
• Uses that will be permitted within Environmental Protection Areas include: conservation activities, flood and erosion control, forestry, fish and wildlife management, as well as passive recreational pursuits deemed to be appropriate by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
• 164 acres of land in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood have been identified as “Environmental Protection” lands.
Environmental Conservation: • Areas designated as Environmental Conservation include Locally Significant Natural Areas, Locally Significant Wetlands, Woodlands, Meadows, and Rehabilitation Areas, which include corridor and linkages. The Environmental Conservation designations are intended to conserve natural habitat as well as to complement land use designations set out on Schedule A of the Official Plan.
• The underlying designations beneath the Environmental Conservation Overlay shown on Schedule A identify the primary permitted land use, however development will only be permitted in these areas in compliance with the more detailed Environmental Conservation Area policies of the Official Plan. An Environmental Impact Study may be required to evaluate the significance of the natural features. 23 Fort Erie Neighbourhood Plan Program "Envisioning Great Communities"
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• Over 460 acres of land in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood have been designated for Environmental Conservation, based on the natural features exhibited on such lands.
In addition to specific land use designation policies, Sections 5 and 6 of the Official Plan set out policies for Urban Form and Housing, as well as Community Improvement. The Plan provides for the development of Neighbourhood Plans for specific urban areas of the Town, including Bridgeburg. It also provides policy for Community Improvement Plan Areas, in order to establish comprehensive programs to promote redevelopment and rehabilitation that addresses identified needs in the areas of economic development, land development and social development. Development and Community Policies, including the delineation of Community Plan areas. A Community Improvement Plan for the Jarvis Street/Bridgeburg Area has been developed in order to facilitate the Façade Improvement program currently in place.
3.3.3 Regional Policy Plan The Regional Municipality of Niagara Policy Plan was adopted by Regional Council and approved by the Province in 1978 (with some sections being referred to the Ontario Municipal Board). Since that time several amendments have been made to this policy document, which provides land use planning guidance and policy for the entire Niagara Region, including the Town of Fort Erie. The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood is identified as an "Urban Area" in the Regional Policy Plan, with the exception of the lands north of Arcadia Street/Lindbergh Drive. This urban expansion has been approved by the Town but not the Region, as of the writing of this report. As well, a portion of the lands shown within the urban area in the Town Official Plan, located south of Arcadia Street and west of Crooks Street, are shown as a “Deferred Urban Area” in the Regional Policy Plan.
The Niagara River shoreline is subject to the shoreline polices (environmental protection) as set out in Section 7.C. The Region is currently undertaking a Natural Areas Inventory review that will culminate in a Policy Plan Amendment identifying areas subject to environmental protection and conservation.
The Regional Planning Department also performs Provincial review functions and can address matters of Provincial interest when reviewing the Neighbourhood Plan.
3.3.4 Provincial Policy The Province of Ontario is in the process of developing a Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) in order to create more livable, sustainable, and efficient communities in conjunction with significant anticipated population and economic growth. An additional 3.7 million people are expected to live in the GGH by 2031 creating an additional 1.8 million new jobs. The projected growth for the Niagara Region is for an additional 83,000 people and 32,000 new jobs over the same period. The Province is also proposing numerous other planning reforms under Bill 51 to assist municipalities in planning for efficient development, improving the transparency of the planning process and improving the effectiveness of the Ontario Municipal Board.
The Proposed Growth Plan states that all upper and single-tier municipalities will plan for a phased increase in the yearly percentage of intensification so that by 2015, a minimum of 40% of all residential development occurring annually will be within the defined built-up area and that development in “Greenfield Areas” be at a density of 50 people and jobs per hectare for each upper and single tier municipality to achieve compact development. The Proposed Growth Plan recognizes the intensification target may be more difficult to achieve in municipalities in the outer edge of the GGH. Therefore, in limited cases, the Minister of Infrastructure Renewal may permit an alternative target to be applied once a full assessment of land needs and intensification capacity has been undertaken. Such policies will assist in creating an environment in which older communities such as Bridgeburg may experience additional residential growth.
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Bridgeburg also lies within what the Provincial Growth Plan describes as the “Gateway Economic Zone”. There is still very little information available regarding this development zone, which is situated between Fort Erie and Niagara Falls, and the QEW and Niagara River. Development is to be primarily focused on cross-border trade, movement of goods and tourism- related opportunities and intended to take place in the urban areas. The Draft Plan indicates that sub-area assessment will further define areas like the Gateway Economic Zone and that priority will be given to infrastructure and investments made by the Province that support the policies and schedules of the Plan. This will hopefully assist in achieving revitalization goals for Bridgeburg.
The Ontario Greenbelt Plan was established by the Provincial Government in 2005. The plan protects 1.8 million acres of greenbelt in the Greater Golden Horseshoe from development. Although the Greenbelt does not directly affect Fort Erie, it does affect lands in North Niagara (tender fruit lands etc.), and this will indirectly have an effect on Regional strategy for growth. It is anticipated that lands south of the greenbelt (i.e. Fort Erie and other southern tier municipalities) will be the recipients of much of the future growth in Niagara, based on the restrictions imposed by the Greenbelt legislation.
3.3.5 Neighbourhood Plans The urban areas of the Town of Fort Erie have been subdivided into fifteen (15) smaller planning units or neighbourhoods for the purpose of providing detailed land-use planning and design (see Map 1). Neighbourhood Plans identify desired future land use types and densities, and guide future development and redevelopment initiatives. The plans may address specific needs such as traffic calming, parkland improvements, urban design, parking requirements, and core area revitalization. This is the first Neighbourhood Plan undertaken for the Bridgeburg area, although a Community Improvement Plan was prepared in 1985 to satisfy funding requirements under the Commercial Area Improvement Program.
Neighbourhood Plans are adopted by Town Council as “guideline” documents, and are not incorporated as amendments to the Municipal Official Plan. Once a Neighbourhood Plan is approved as Council policy, related zoning changes and Official Plan amendments for appropriate and specific areas of the Plan will then be undertaken.
The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan will include a Future Land Use Plan, several objectives, and related policies and goals to guide future actions by Council and Staff. As well, a concept plan for the development of the Pier One property (foot of Jarvis Street) and the Horton Property will form part of the Neighbourhood Plan, and other key development sites will be identified and discussed, with suggested development patterns and urban design guidelines brought forward.
3.3.6 Zoning By-law 129-90 There are 15 zoning by-law districts (zones) represented in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood (as shown on Map 4), indicative of the diverse land use patterns exhibited throughout the area. These districts are identified as:
• Residential 1 (R1) • Residential 2 (R2) • Residential 3 (R3) • Multiple Residential 1 (RM1) • Multiple Residential 2 (RM2) • Estate Residential (ER) • Open Space (OS) • Hazard (H) • Public (P) • General Commercial (C2) • Central Business District Commercial (C2A) 25 Fort Erie Neighbourhood Plan Program "Envisioning Great Communities"
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• Automobile Service Station (C4) • Recreational Commercial (C5) • Institutional (I) • Industrial (IN)
3.3.7 Zoning By-law Amendments Within the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood, zoning has remained much as it was when By-law 129-90 (the Comprehensive Zoning By-law) was originally adopted in May 1990. The last major zoning amendment was initiated by the Town in 2003, in order to recognize the Jarvis Street area and surrounding lands as a ‘Central Business District Commercial” area (C2A Zone). Outside of this, the most recent privately initiated zoning amendments were in 1999, in order to allow an amusement machine establishment at 54 Jarvis Street, in 1998 to allow expansion of Rose Seaton School, and in 1997 to rezone a portion of the CN Rail Yard for industrial use (off Dunlop Street) to facilitate sale of the subject lands to a private party.
3.3.8 Site Plan Control The entire Town of Fort Erie is designated as a Site Plan Control area in accordance with By-law 133-86. Single detached and two-unit dwellings are exempt from Site Plan Control, as are additions to buildings which measure less than 500 square feet. The purpose of Site Plan Control is to ensure the implementation of Town servicing and aesthetic requirements for a development project, and to assist in improving the quality and appearance of a development project. Some minor developments require only submission of drawings for approval, while other larger-scale developments require the execution of a formal agreement with the Town.
In the past 15 years, three Site Plan Agreements have been registered in the Bridgeburg area:
• Rio Vista Golf Course (2006) • Stelhing Metals, Industrial Drive (2004) • Peninsula Plastics, Industrial Drive (2003)
3.3.9 Subdivision Development The Town of Fort Erie is the approval authority for land subdivision within its boundaries. Generally, land is subdivisded through a Registered Plan of Subdivision when there are more than three new lots involved, and/or the plan requires the construction of new roads and servicing extensions to service the lots. All other land division applications proceed through the Committee of Adjustment as a “consent application”.
Within the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood, there has been one subdivision application submitted for approval since 1970, being the MacKenzie’s Crossing Plan at the southeast corner of Niagara River Parkway and Thompson Road. This plan provides for 27 estate residential lots, however it has not yet proceeded past the “draft approval” stage. It is possible that the developer/owner will rethink the “large lot estate residential” format, in light of the area being included within the urban area boundary in the New Official Plan.
As with many maturing neighbourhoods with little land available in the serviced area, most land division in Bridgeburg has been small scale and has proceeded through the Consent (severance) application process. Since 1970, a total of 35 new lots have been created for residential, commercial or industrial purposes in Bridgeburg.
3.4 Previous Studies A number of previous studies have been completed for the Bridgeburg area to facilitate and stimulate growth in the core area and elsewhere. The studies were carried on by private parties, or by the Bridgeburg Station Downtown Business Improvement Area and the Town of Fort Erie. 26 Fort Erie Neighbourhood Plan Program "Envisioning Great Communities"
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3.4.1 Jarvis Street BIA Community Improvement Plan (1985) The Community Improvement Plan was developed on behalf of the Town of Fort Erie in advance of funding requests for neighbourhood improvements under the Provincial CAIP program. The purpose of the CAIP program was to provide Provincial financial assistance for the revitalization of older commercial districts. The program was dissolved in the 1990s.
Jarvis Street BIA was the recipient of $175,000 of provincial funding under this program, which was matched by a $175,000 municipal contribution resulting in $350,000 worth of streetscape improvements as follows:
• Watermain replacement • Sidewalk reconstruction • Parking lot improvements • Streetscaping features such as benches/trees/planters/hanging baskets
A lasting benefit of this document was the development of the initial Streetscape/Façade Guidelines Study to assist individual merchants who wished to upgrade the features of their buildings, and to provide a detailed streetscape design for the BIA. There have been a number of success stories related to the Façade Improvement Program in Bridgeburg since the municipality began funding matching contributions in recent years. The program is ongoing.
Bridgeburg Station Commercial Area
3.4.2 Commercial Market Analysis for Bridgeburg Station (2000) This three-part document was developed by Urban Marketing Collaboratives on behalf of the BIA in 2000, and includes a Consumer Survey Report, a Background Report, and a Retail Revitalization Action Plan. Some of the major initiatives recommended by this report include:
• Developing a niche market for neighbourhood shopping as well as a specialty regional function focused on eating and drinking establishments • Need identified for a drug store, convenience stores, specialty food shops, bakery • Develop a “home decorating” niche market with the addition of stores such as fabric stores, upholsterers, sewing and drapery, carpet and tile, furniture, architect and interior designer offices • Ensuring that there is an enabling organization in place to carry out the commercial and physical requirements to revitalize the business district • Concentrate revitalization geographically, i.e. start small and build out from your successes • Eliminate the perceived weaknesses of the business district including poorly kept and derelict buildings, slow or no population growth in the neighbourhood, lack of attractors
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for pass-through and tourist traffic, upkeep of streetscape, lack of by-law enforcement for property standards
3.4.3 Bridgeburg Station Downtown BIA - Strategic Plan (2000) The strategic plan developed by the Business Improvement Area in 2000 outlined a number of specific initiatives designed to improve the retail climate of the commercial core area. Some of these include:
• Development of a welcoming centre at the foot of Jarvis Street (Pier One) • Development of a general store on Courtwright Street • Transformation of the former IGA building into a community centre or health centre • A mini-tram vehicle to transport tourists during the summer season • Improve the streetscape and develop key nodes (i.e. post office square) • Improve parking conditions, conduct a parking study • Development of a retail recruitment plan • Development of a façade improvement program and an “excellence in property” awards • Development of a multi-retail park on Jarvis Street • Develop the downtown core as a unique tourism centre in the Niagara Region
3.4.4 Dale Hirons – “A Better Quality of Life Strategic Plan” (2005), “Changing Neighbourhoods, Changing Lives” (2005) and “Bridgeburg Senior’s Complex” (2006) These documents identify and discuss various social issues affecting the Bridgeburg area, including the decline of retail business, crime and vandalism, resident and business owner apathy, and the need for additional housing to accommodate the growing senior population. It includes a number of desirable goals and objectives aimed at improving the social condition of Bridgeburg including bringing empty stores back to life, improving the look and use of existing stores, encouraging local residents to shop in Bridgeburg, improve the general amenities in the neighbourhood, provide a youth play area, and providing quality housing for seniors. Many of these objectives are mirrored in the Neighbourhood Plan process, and will form part of the ultimate recommendations stemming from the process.
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Section 4 Parks/Open Space and Schools______
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4.0-PARKS/OPEN SPACE AND SCHOOLS
4.1 Parks The Town of Fort Erie has an inventory of 37 parks, containing a total area of approximately 195 hectares (485 acres). This parkland and open space includes sports fields, passive parks, natural parks, heritage parks, civic parks, and open space linkages and trails. In addition to Town owned parks and open space, public parkland is managed through the Niagara Parks Commission and Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.
In addition to beautifying our community and providing areas for outdoor recreation, the public benefits of Fort Erie's parks & open spaces include:
• Economic Development: Attracting tourism, business and retirees, enhancing real estate values;
• Social Benefits: Providing youth facilities/amenities; encouraging a healthy lifestyle; contributing to the community identity; and reducing environmental stress;
• Environmental Stewardship: Contributing to the preservation of cultural and historical heritage, as well as natural areas, features and ecosystems, while educating the community.
4.1.1 Park Hierarchy In 2005 the Town began the process of developing a Parks and Open Space Master Plan. When comleted, this plan will proved the policy framework for the enhancement and management of all existing Town open space facilities, and make recommendations for future parkland development. As of the writing of this report, the Master Plan had been completed in draft form and was awaiting further public consultation and final approval from Town Council. However, all background information has been completed, which provides a snapshot of the current level of parkland in the Town, and provides general guidelines for the amount of new parkland required to serve the population.
The Parks and Open Space Master Plan categorized parks & open space into the following hierarchy:
• Neighbourhood Parks: serves one neighbourhood, includes passive and active recreation for non-programmed use, may include play equipment, should be 0.5 to 2 ha in size.
• Community Parks: serves two or more neighbourhoods, primarily an active recreational facility for organized and non-programmed use, should be a minimum of 4 ha in size.
• Town-wide Parks: a unique or specialized park servicing entire community and visitors, may include recreational buildings, trails, public gardens, beaches, size varies depending on use.
4.1.2 Parkland Within Bridgeburg There are 3 municipal parks in Bridgeburg, totaling approximately 13.2 ha (See Map 5). These include:
• Bowen Road Park: Located at the intersection of Central Avenue and Bowen Road (with frontage on the Niagara River Parkway), this park is 1.5 ha in size and is classified as a “Neighbourhood Park”. Facilities include playground equipment, a pavilion, and a ball diamond (unlit).
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• Oakes Park: located at the northwest corner of Central Avenue and Gilmore Road, this park is 5.8 ha in size and is classified as a Community Park. Facilities include a pavilion, public washrooms, a snack bar, ball diamonds (lit and unlit). As well, the Fort Erie Tennis Club is located on this site.
• Sugarbowl Park: located at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Gilmore Road, this park is 5.9 ha in size and is classified as a Community Park. Facilities include public washrooms, playground equipment, a swimming pool and trails. As well, the main branch of the Fort Erie Public Library is located on this site. This park is identified in the Master Plan as requiring upgrades to the playground equipment, and the addition of basketball courts and a splash pad.
In addition to the above, Bridgeburg is also home to over 12 ha of riverfront open space owned and maintained by the Niagara Parks Commission. This open space system includes some trail development for bicycles and pedestrians, however the trail system requires expansion further south to connect with the Riverwalk area in the Fort Erie Neighbourhood.
As noted above, Bridgeburg has approximately 1.5 ha of Neighbourhood Parks, and 11.7 ha of Community Parks. There are no Town-wide Parks located within the Neighbourhood. The following criteria is suggested in the Open Space Master Plan for the provision of parkland based on population:
• Neighbourhood Parks: 1.0 ha/1000 residents (3.0 ha required, 1.5 ha provided) • Community Parks: 1.0 ha/1000 residents (3.0 ha required, 11.7 ha provided) • Town-wide Parks: 3.0 ha/1000 residents (9.0 ha, none provided)
Sugarbowl Park, Bridgeburg’s main recreational facility includes a public library, outdoor pool, playground, walking trails, and railroad museum all surrounding a 1.5 acre central water feature.
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Based upon the above development standards, Bridgeburg has a deficit of Neighbourhood parkland (deficit of 1.5 ha) and an excess of Community parkland. Although there are no Town- wide Parks located in Bridgeburg, the neighbourhood is serviced by the recreational facilities of Rose Seaton School and Fort Erie High School, as well as the linear Niagara Parks riverfront lands. The identification of opportunities to introduce additional Neighbourhood Park amenities will be addressed through the Parks & Open Space Master Plan and the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan.
From left to right: Oakes Park and Bowen Road Park
4.2 Schools The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood is serviced by both public elementary and public high schools within its boundaries. Catholic schools are located outside of the neighbourhood, with an elementary and junior high school located in Fort Erie Neighbourhood, just south of the boundary with Bridgeburg. College and University students attend school in Welland at Niagara College or in St. Catharines at Brock University and Niagara College. These students may also study outside of the region in Southern Ontario, Western New York or beyond.
The following table illustrates the public schools servicing the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood, and their current and projected enrollment (as provided to the Town by the School Board).
Fig. 4.2 – List of Public Schools
SCHOOL TYPE LOCATION CURRENT PROJECTED ENROLLMENT ENROLLMENT 2005 2010 Rose Seaton School Public Elementary Emerick Avenue 225 223 Fort Erie Public School Public Elementary Wintemute Street 203 178 Fort Erie High School Public High Wintemute Street 652 499
The Niagara Catholic District School Board advises that the enrollment figures for students at the area schools servicing Bridgeburg are stable, and they do not foresee a substantial amount of future growth. They therefore have no capital plans for expansion at this time, based on their projections.
There are additional schools of business located throughout the Niagara Peninsula, and one alternative school in Fort Erie (Niagara Christian Collegiate), which provides both a junior high school (Grades 7-8) and a senior high school (Grades 9-12).
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Section 5 Cultural and Natural Heritage______
Bridgeburg Neigbhourhood Plan - Volume 1: Background Report
5.0-CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
5.1 Cultural Heritage The Town of Fort Erie has a cultural history that dates back over 11,000 years to the Paleo-Indian period and nomadic hunting bands. The earliest European settlement of the area was related to Old Fort Erie, one of a series of British bastions along the Great Lakes designed to control access to the Niagara River. The Americans destroyed the fort in 1814 and it remained an overgrown ruin for more than a century until it was restored in the late 1930's.
Bridgeburg was mainly farmland and forest until 1872 when S.M. Jarvis laid out a townsite surrounding the soon to be completed International Bridge. This original townsite was named “Victoria”, and consisted of 12 blocks divided into 278 lots for commercial, industrial and residential use. In 1895 the townsite was incorporated as The Village of Bridgeburg, and had attained a population of 895 persons. Bridgeburg was considered a thriving commercial and employment centre related to the railroad companies utilizing the IRR corridor. By 1915 when Bridgeburg became a Town, the population had more than doubled to about 2200 persons. By 1931, prior to annexation of Fort Erie and Amigari, the population had increased to approximately 3000.
Bridgeburg Heritage lost, from left to right: Customs House, Oddfellows Hall, Fire Hall
In 1931, Bridgeburg annexed the Village of Fort Erie to the south, and the community of Amagari and other portions of Bertie Township to the west. The newly formed municipality was named “The Town of Fort Erie”. In that year, the expanded Town had a population of approximately 5000 persons.
The growth of Bridgeburg from the 1930s through to the 1980s was very closely tied to the growth of the Canadian National Railway Yard. At it’s peak in the late 1950s, the Fort Erie yard was the third largest rail yard in Canada, and more than 1200 trains traveled through Bridgeburg each day. At its peak, CN employed up to 400 people at the yard, making it a major Town and regional employer. The slow decline of the railroad industry in Fort Erie began in 1977, when all eastbound and westbound marshalling was moved to Buffalo, New York, making the Fort Erie Yard redundant. In 1981 passenger rail service to Fort Erie was eliminated, and in 1989 the last train run into Fort Erie Yard was recorded. Most of the tracks and storage/maintenance facilities on site have been closed and or dismantled, and CN has sold off some of the yard lands to private industrial interests. Since 1990 the rail corridor has provided through freight traffic, and in 2001 traffic in this corridor increased substantially with the rerouting of all Canadian Pacific Railway trains over the Niagara River through Fort Erie rather than Niagara Falls.
This glimpse of the history of Bridgeburg demonstrates the importance of cultural heritage. As human beings we do not exist in isolation from our environment. On the contrary, there has always been a complex interrelationship between people and their environment, and each has shaped the other. Cultural heritage draws residents together in a shared sense of home and belonging with a strong connection to familiar territory, traditions and social relationship.
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There are five categories of cultural heritage:
• Cultural heritage landscapes • Built heritage • Archaeological sites • Moveable heritage (artifacts and archives) • Intangible heritage
The material form of Cultural Heritage consists of the physical remains (buildings, structures and artifacts). Intangible heritage consists of traditional skills, beliefs, folklore, songs and dances. Physical and intangible heritage often overlap. Historic buildings for example are physical resources that may owe their significance to the materials or construction methods in use at the time or the architectural style. Yet that same building may be more significant because for its intangible heritage by the residents who lived there or some important event in history of which the building played a pivotal role.
5.1.1 Related Official Plan Policies Cultural Heritage conservation is an important planning objective in the Town of Fort Erie. The New Official Plan contains detailed policies to establish the framework for Cultural Heritage conservation based on Provincial Policy statements as outlined below.
• In recognition of the non-renewable nature of cultural heritage resources, as well as the contribution they make to the character, civic pride, tourism potential, economic benefits and historical appreciation of the community, the Town will actively promote cultural heritage and conservation in all applicable municipal activities. The protection of heritage features will be a consideration in all development proposals and public works.
• The Town shall appoint a Municipal Museum and Cultural Heritage Committee whose primary responsibility shall be to manage and operate museum facilities in accordance with applicable by-laws relating to museum services in the Town of Fort Erie and to advise Council on cultural heritage matters relating to the collection, conservation, research and interpretation of cultural heritage, as well as provide Council and the Town with an historical context on emerging issues.
• Once formed this Committee will be responsible for: identifying Cultural Heritage Districts, Cultural Landscapes and archaeological sites; the current roles of the Local Architectural Advisory Committee (LACAC) with respect to built heritage; and the Town the Fort Erie Museum Board with respect to moveable heritage, being artifacts and archives, and intrinsic culture. The Town’s Community Health and Wellness Committee shall continue to be responsible for Arts and Culture.
A number of definitions that have specific meanings for use in a policy context accompany the Provinicial Policy Statements which form the basis for the New Official Plan policies. These definitions are as follows:
• Areas of archaeological potential: means areas with medium or high potential for the discovery of archaeological resources. This potential is based on the presence of a wide range of geographic and historical features which influenced past settlement. Archaeological potential is confirmed through archaeological assessment.
• Built Heritage Resources: means one or more buildings, structures, monuments, installations, or remains associated with architectural, cultural, social, political, economic, or military history, and identified as being important to a community.
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• Cultural heritage landscape: means a defined geographical area of heritage significance which has been modified by human activities. Such an area is valued by a community, and is of significance to the understanding of the history of a people or place.
• Significant archaeological resources: means the remains of any building, structure, activity, place or cultural feature, which because of the passage of time is on or below the surface of the land or water, and which has been identified and evaluated and determined to be significant to the understanding of the history of a people or place. The identification and evaluation of this resource is based upon an archaeological assessment.
5.1.2 Local Architectural Conservation Advisoroy Committee (LACAC) The Fort Erie Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee was formed in 1996 to advise Council on local heritage matters and to assist Council in carrying out its heritage conservation programs. The Committee's statutory role also involves advising and assisting Council on all matters relating to Part IV (Conservation of Buildings of Historic or Architectural Value, Designation of Properties by Municipalities) and Part V (Heritage Conservation Districts) of the Ontario Heritage Act. This role includes providing research into and recommendations regarding the designation of individual properties and/or buildings for conservation under the Heritage Act. To date, approximately 100 properties have been identified by LACAC for potential designation, with 15 of these properties already receiving designation at the local or provincial levels. Map 6 identifies possible heritage sites in the Bridgeburg area, which may be considered by LACAC for further research.
One of the most significant heritage properties in Bridgeburg is Bertie Hall, located on the Niagara Boulevard at Phipps Street. It is Fort Erie’s best example of Greek Revival architecture, and was built by William Forsyth in 1833. Constructed of brick from the Hamilton area, the house features 12-foot ceilings, a 22-foot curved staircase, three marble fireplaces, and exquisite carved woodwork. The home is now owned by the Niagara Parks Commission, and houses the Mildred Mahoney Museum, an extensive collection of dollhouses.
Bridgeburg Heritage saved, from left to right: Bertie Hall, Pumphouse, Jello Factory
The following is a complete list of all designated heritage properties, and those currently proposed for designation in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood.
• 202 Dufferin Street (Jackson House) -DESIGNATED • 44 Phipps Street (Hogg House) • 48 Phipps Street (Hanes House) • 451 Niagara Boulevard (Hershey House) • 487 Niagara Boulevard (Wintemute House) • 2 Lewis Street (Jell-O Factory) • 527 Niagara Boulevard (Warren House)
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• 600 Niagara Boulevard (International Bridge) • 657 Niagara Boulevard (Bertie Hall) -DESIGNATED • 8 Highland Avenue (Wilson House) • 206 Emerick Avenue (St. Andrew’s Knox-Presbetyrian Church) • 400 Central Avenue (Bridgeburg B-1 Railway Station) • 400 Central Avenue (Ridgeway Railway Station) • 1 Burns Place (The Grange)
The Neighbourhood Plan will contain policies aimed at preservation of these heritage properties, and will investigate further opportunities for identification of additional heritage sites.
5.2 Natural Heritage The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood contains a number of areas of natural interest including woodlots, deer and waterfowl wintering areas, fish spawning areas, public open space areas, and Provincially Significant Wetland complexes. Such areas have been identified in the New Official Plan as "Environmental Protection" and “Environmental Conservation”. As well, the Regional Policy Plan contains shoreline protection policies for lands along the Niagara River.
Map 5 identifies the various natural features of the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood. A significant natural feature in Bridgeburg is the Frenchman’s Creek Wetland Complex (a Provinicially Significant Wetland). This area covers 66 hectares, containing unusual and high quality biological communities. A Natural Areas Inventory (NAI) was prepared for the Town by the consulting firm of Dougan and Associates in 2003. The NAI provides more specific information on the attributes of the natural features mentioned.
Frenchman’s Creek and associated wetlands are a striking natural feature of the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood. The complex has been identified as being “Provincially Significant” by the Ontario Government
5.3 Special Places The Bridgeburg Neighbourhood contains both built form (structures) and natural form that speak to the unique and historical character of the community. Some of these structures have already been identified by LACAC as having potential for inclusion on the Heritage Sites list. Map 6 identifies other structures which may warrant consideration by LACAC, as well as non-structure "special places" such as landscapes, vistas, and important historic locations/districts, which should be preserved as an intrinsic part of the "story of Bridgeburg". The Neighbourhood Plan will identify these places, and will contain policies to encourage their preservation and interpretation. The Fort Erie LACAC will also be requested to investigate means of recognizing and preserving those special places that are not "built form". Public consultation will assist in gauging the community's interest in preservation of those sites already identified, and in expanding that list to include other sites not yet identified.
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Bertie Hall (1833) is one of Bridgeburg’s “Special Places” to be preserved for future generations. It is Fort Erie’s finest example of Greek Revival architecture, and is designated by LACAC as a historical structure.
5.4 Archeology An Archaeological Master Plan (AMP) was presented to Council in April 2003. The AMP provides a valuable account of the abundant archaeological resources and rich heritage of the Fort Erie area. The update also provides the basis for the Archaeological component of the New Official Plan. Map 7 illustrates areas identified in Bridgeburg as having high potential for the discovery of archeological resources. In essence, all of the undeveloped and vacant lands in the Neighbourhood are listed as having potential for archeological resources, and including both Sugarbowl and Oakes Parks.
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Section 6 Transportation______
Bridgeburg Neigbhourhood Plan - Volume 1: Background Report
6.0-TRANSPORTATION
The Town of Fort Erie has jurisdiction over public roads, and pedestrian and bicycle paths which serve a primarily local function. Those road facilities which serve a regional or provincial function are the responsibility of the Regional Municipality of Niagara and the Province of Ontario. Map 8 shows the designation of local, arterial, Regional and other roads within the Neighbourhood.
6.1 Road Network
6.1.1 Arterial Roads and Regional Highways Arterial roads and Regional highways are those roads that are designed and designated to carry moderate volumes of medium distance inter-regional traffic as well as traffic enroute to or from a provincial highway. Direct access from abutting properties is limited particularly near major intersections. Intersections are at grade. The following roads in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood are classified as arterial roads and regional highways:
• Thompson Road (Reg. Rd 124) – south of Phipps Street only • Gilmore Road (Reg. Rd. 19) • Central Avenue (Reg. Rd. 124) • Phipps Street (Reg. Rd. 21)
As well, the Niagara River Parkway runs through the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood. It is a Provincial tourist route designed to carry leisure traffic along the Niagara River from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Parkway travels for 4.6 kms along Bridgeburg’s eastern shore, and provides convenient access to Central Avenue, Jarvis Street and the core commercial area.
The Niagara River Parkway is a Provincial Tourist Route travelling along the Niagara River for 4.6 kms through Bridgeburg Neighbourhood
6.1.2 Collector Roads Collector roads are those roads which are designed to carry moderate volumes of inter- neighbourhood and inter-district traffic and to function as links between arterial roads/provinicial highways and local roads. Intersections are at grade and direct access from abutting properties is normally permitted unless deemed undesirable. There are currently no roads designated as collector roads in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood. All “collector” traffic is handled by the regional road system and the Niagara River Parkway. The Neigbhourhood Plan process will review the current designations through consultation with the appropriate transportation authorities.
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6.1.3 Local Roads Local roads are designed to carry relatively low volumes of traffic travelling at low speeds from abutting properties to collector roads, arterial roads and provincial highways. Such roadways should not provide for "through traffic". Intersections are at-grade and direct access from abutting properties is permitted except near major intersections. All other roads in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood not listed above currently fall into the classification of "local roads".
Central Avenue (Regional Road #124) is the main north/south artery into the Bridgeburg Area
6.2 Public Transit Fort Erie Transit operates a local bus service to and from Bridgeburg, connecting with other urban centres in Fort Erie, the shopping districts along Garrison Road, and the Ridgeway/Crystal Beach area. Five buses per day operate in each direction, approximately once ever two hours between 7:45 am and 5:45 pm. In 2007, an additional bus will be added to the Transit service, and the number of runs per day will be doubled. Wait times will be reduced to one hour.
Map 8 shows the transit route, which connects the commercial core area with other points in Fort Erie along Central Avenue, Dufferin Street, Phipps Street, Niagara River Parkway and Jarvis Street.
6.3 Inter-City Bus and Rail Service No inter-city transit services are offered from Bridgeburg, however Greyhound and Trentway- Wagar offer regular motorcoach service from Fort Erie to Niagara Falls, Buffalo, and Toronto where other connections can be made.
No inter-city passenger rail service is offered from Fort Erie. The nearest rail terminals are at Exchange Street in Buffalo, NY (Amtrak) and Bridge Street in Niagara Falls, ON (VIA Rail).
6.4 Major Transportation Corridors The CN Fort Erie Rail Yard is located in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood, and is a defining and historic feature of the local landscape, although in its current form it provides little local benefit from a transportation perspective. The yard is currently considered by CN to be a “minor switching yard” for service of local customers, staging of trains, and setoff and lifting Bridge traffic to the US.
The Ambassador Niagara Bridge Group has expressed interest in utilizing a portion of the CN Rail corridor through Bridgeburg for the establishment of a new international vehicular bridge to Buffalo, New York, and a freeway connection to the Queen Elizabeth Way. As of the writing of this report, formal approvals had not been received from regulatory agencies.
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The Canadian National Rail Yard is an historic and defining feature of the local landscape. Its use and importance has diminished in recent years.
6.5 Bicycle and Pedestrian Routes There are currently no designated bicycle paths, routes or on-road lanes within the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood other than the sections of the Niagara River Recreational Trial which have been completed through the area. The Regional Niagara Bikeways Master Plan Study has, however, identified Thompson Road, Phipps Street, Central Avenue and Niagara River Parkway as candidates for on-road bicycle routes as part of a regional network (see Map 8). The Neighbourhood Plan will identify these routes in the overall traffic plan, and will propose additional routes to serve local needs.
It will be important for the Neighbourhood Plan to not only identify connections between key destinations within the neighbourhood (i.e. Pier One, Central Business District, the Fort Erie Industrial Park employment area, Sugarbowl/Oakes Parks), but to also identify connections between this neighbourhood and the regional bikeways system as well as the Friendship Trail/Greater Niagara Circle Route.
6.5 Water Transportation Bridgeburg’s location on the Niagara River has afforded an opportunity in the past for water- based transportation. In the days before the construction of the railway network, the International Bridge and extensive paved roads, the steamboat was one of the only means of accessing this part of Fort Erie. There are accounts of ferryboat operations across the Niagara River since before 1800. To accommodate the traffic, several ferry landings were constructed along the Niagara River shore, two of which were located in the area that would become Bridgeburg:
• Forsyth Landing: located at the foot of Dufferin Street and operated in the mid-to-late 1800s, this landing was constructed by Nelson Forsyth near his home, and was surrounded at the time by a grain elevator, a blacksmith shop, a shoe shop, two hotels, a dance hall, a customs office and a shingle mill
• Ferry Road Landing: located at the foot of Bowen Road, this landing was used by Fenian soldiers in their journey on to the Battle of Ridgeway. From this dock, the first submarine telegraph cable on the Niagara River was laid by Western Union. In 1900, the dock was destroyed by an ice storm and was never rebuilt. The road was renamed to Bowen Road in order to avoid confusion with the ferry landing at the foot of Bertie Street in Waterloo (Fort Erie).
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The area surrounding historic Forsyth Landing is still utilized by local residents as a popular fishing spot and picturesque rest area.
With the construction of the International Bridge in 1873 and the Peace Bridge in 1927, along with the increased public reliance on automobiles, ferry service across the Niagara has disappeared from the local landscape. The last ferry run from the Canadian shore was in 1956.
Currently there is no regular water-based transportation provided to/from Bridgeburg, and with the current lack of a major attractor the need for such is not likely warranted at this time. However, proximity to the riverfront and to a major US population centre provides the potential for future consideration of this option for tourist/excursion purposes. The Pier One site may be a suitable location for this initiative, and for private marina services as well. This will be discussed further throughout the Neighbourhood Plan process.
The International Bridge (c. 1873), an important rail transportation link from Canada to the USA through Bridgeburg Neighbourhood.
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Section 7 Next Steps______
Bridgeburg Neigbhourhood Plan - Volume 1: Background Report
7.0-NEXT STEPS
This volume presents a snapshot of the current conditions of the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood. The next step will be the formulation of a community-based blueprint for the direction of future development and redevelopment in the community. The information gathered in this report will serve as a guide when considering options for managed growth within the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood.
7.1 Community Focus Group The formation of a Community Focus Group was one of the initial steps in the neighbourhood plan process for Bridgeburg. This group consists of Town staff, community leaders from the Bridgeburg Station Downtown Business Improvement Area and other groups, as well as neighbourhood residents and the Mayor and Ward Councillor. In January 2006 this group held its initial meeting and spent time discussing the issues that are important to the people of Bridgeburg. This valuable input will assist Staff in the development of a comprehensive future land-use plan that will serve as a guideline document for the municipality, developers and all neighbourhood residents.
It is anticipated that the Community Focus Group will be instrumental in the public participation process for the neighbourhood plan, and will continue to meet regularly to advance the planning process, and bring the community's views to the attention of municipal planning staff and the Town Council.
The Community Focus Group assists Staff in the Preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan, and acts as the voice of the residents and business owners of the neighbourhood
7.2 Public Participation Process Beginning in October 2005, a series of Open Houses were held in order to gather public input into the Neighbourhood Plan process. Open Houses are informal venues where planning staff and members of the Community Focus Group are in attendance to provide interested citizens with information on the overall Neighbourhood Plan policies, and to describe the various elements of the Future Land Use Plan and site-specific property Concept Plans. It is envisioned that the Future Land Use Plan and policies will continue to change over the course of the public information process in response to comments received. Additional Open Houses are proposed, followed by the formulation of a final Draft Neighbourhood Plan to be presented to Town Council at a more formal Public Meeting.
7.3 Presentation of a Final Neighbourhood Plan to Town Council At the conclusion of the series of Open Houses, Staff will finalize a Draft Neighbourhood Plan and policy document, for endorsement by the Community Focus Group. At this point, the plan will be ready for presentation to Town Council at a more formal Public Meeting. After this, Town Council may adopt the Plan as the official guideline for development in the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood, or may recommend additional changes based on community input.
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Likely, a number of recommendations for further planning studies will result from this document (i.e. servicing study, retail marketing study, tourism study) and so the finalization of the Neighbourhood Plan document should not be seen as the end of the process, but really the beginning. The Neighbourhood Plan provides a comprehensive framework for all studies and development work that will follow thereafter in the Bridgeburg community.
Former Horton Steel Works – a brownfield site ideal for alternative use and situated in a prime neighbourhood location.
Bridgeburg lies on the western shore of the Niagara River, a prime spot for a variety of leisure activities – an unsurpassed locational advantage.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Statistics Canada. (2002). 2001 Census of Canada, Ottawa, ON.
Regional Municipality of Niagara. (2004). Regional Niagara Policy Plan-Office Consolidation January 2004. Thorold, ON: Planning and Development Department
Town of Fort Erie. (2004). Official Plan for the Fort Erie Planning Area-Office Consolidation. Fort Erie, ON: Community and Development Services Department
Town of Fort Erie. (2006). New Official Plan -Office Consolidation. Fort Erie, ON: Community and Development Services Department
City of Hamilton. (2002). Ainsle Wood/Westdale Neighbourhood Background Report 2002. Hamilton, ON: Long Range Planning and Design Division-Planning and Development Department
Town of Fort Erie. (2003). Town of Fort Erie Municipal Housing Statement. Fort Erie, ON: C.N. Watson and Associates Ltd. for the Community and Development Services Department
Town of Fort Erie. (2005). Town of Fort Erie 2004 Housing Monitoring Report. Fort Erie, ON: Community and Development Services Department
Town of Fort Erie. (2004). Town of Fort Erie Development Charges Background Study. Fort Erie, ON: C.N. Watson and Associates Ltd. for the Community and Development Services Department
Town of Fort Erie. (2005). Comprehensive Zoning By-law 129-90-Office Consolidation. Fort Erie, ON: Community and Development Services Department
Town of Fort Erie. (1980). Community Improvement Plan – Jarvis Street BIA. Fort Erie, ON: Community Renewal Office
Fort Erie Historical Museum. (2004). Many Voices II-A Collective Hisotry of Greater Fort Erie. Fort Erie, ON
Gore, Nasmith and Storrie Consulting Engineers. (1927). Niagara Frontier Development Report Made To The Niagara Frontier Chamber of Commerce. Fort Erie, ON
Dale Hirons. (2005-2006). “A Better Quality of Life” , “Bridgeburg Senior’s Complex” and “Changing Neighbourhoods – Changing Lives”. Fort Erie, ON
Bridgeburg Station Downtown BIA. (2000). Commercial Market Analysis for Bridgeburg Station: Background Report and Consumer Survey Report Fort Erie, ON: Urban Marketing Collaborative for the Bridgeburg Station Downtown BIA
Bridgeburg Station Downtown BIA. (2000). Strategic Plan 2000 Fort Erie, ON
Canada Mortgage and Housing Authority. (2006). Rental Market Report for St. Catharines- Niagara Census Metropolitan Area. Toronto, ON
Appendices______
TOWN OF FORT ERIE
BRIDGEBURG
STAFF STRATEGIC PLANNING EXERCISE
FOR
BRIDGEBURG NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
November 7, 2005
RMM and Associates Hamilton, Ont.
Town of Fort Erie Staff Strategic Planning Exercise For Bridgeburg Neighbourhood Plan
Executive Summary
RMM and Associates was retained by the Fort Erie Community Planning & Development
Services Department to facilitate a strategic planning exercise designed to identify key and important actions needed to be taken in the preparation of the neighbourhood plan for the
Bridgeburg community. This exercise was conducted in a one-day session on Monday,
November 7, 2005 with key members of the Town staff.
Utilizing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, various elements were identified by the participants and documented by the facilitator. Identified strengths of the community included the traditional downtown close to the amenity of the waterfront, while perceived weaknesses included external pressures causing development uncertainty. The participants saw the neighbourhood planning exercise as a good opportunity while they identified businesses leaving the area as one of the threats to the community
The group then developed a vision statement for Bridgeburg neighbourhood and articulated a series of actions that would assist in bringing about improvements to the neighbourhood and put it on the path toward achieving the vision. The group then prioritized the various undertakings.
A full listing of the identified actions is included in this report together with the ranking of the top priorities by the participants.
Once again, RMM and Associates wishes to thank Rino Mostacci, MCIP, RPP, Director of
Community Planning and Development Services for this challenging assignment that will assist
1 the town in its efforts to prepare a strategic and meaningful long term plan for the Bridgeburg community. We make this comment in confidence after having seen the quality and leading edge work done by the Fort Erie Planning Staff in the development of the Crystal Beach
Neighbourhood Plan in which our firm participated earlier this year. We also wish to thank Mr.
Tom Villella, CPT, MCIP, RPP, for his invaluable guidance and assistance in making the exercise a successful undertaking. And finally, we thank all of the staff who gave so generously of their time to be part of this important initiative of the council for its citizens.
Ronald M. Marini, MCIP, RPP
RMM and Associates
November 11, 2005
2 Overview:
The Town of Fort Erie Community Planning and Development Services staff reported in
December 2004 to the Town of Fort Erie Council-in-Committee concerning the neighbourhood plan program of the Town. On October 3, of this year, the Council of the Town of Fort Erie authorized the preparation of the neighbourhood plan for Bridgeburg noting that this is an historic and important community in the Town. The neighbourhood plan is an effort to develop a distinct neighbourhood that will guide development, design and help stimulate urban regeneration in the community.
As an initial step, RMM and Associates, a planning and communication firm with experience in both the private and public sectors in planning and communications issues, was retained to undertake a strategic planning exercise with key town staff, most of whom will be involved with the Bridgeburg neighbourhood plan’s preparation. This exercise was an appropriate vehicle to elicit comments and issues that would need to be addressed as the neighbourhood plan preparation moved forward.
The Exercise:
Town staff together with the facilitator from RMM and Associates, participated in a SWOT analysis. This exercise identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within the
Bridgeburg neighbourhood. This assessment is critical because it will focus the town planning staff in specific areas as they proceed with the neighbourhood plan preparation. Upon completion of the SWOT analysis, participants were asked to formulate a vision statement for Bridgeburg.
Subsequently, participants suggested actions that would allow the neighbourhood’s strengths to parry the threats and to use the opportunities to overcome the weaknesses. Finally, staff was asked to rank the suggested actions in order to identify priority actions relative to the neighbourhood plan preparation. The following reports on the results of the exercise.
3 It is important to note that prior to the undertaking of the exercise, certain ground rules for the meeting were discussed and agreed upon by all participants. One of the rules was that of consensus and that meant that ideas advanced and which are in this report were supported on a consensus basis. Succinctly stated, the participants agreed with putting the issue forward, and they could support it, even if it wasn’t their preferred idea.
SWOT Analysis:
The following is the result of the staff input into the exercise.
Strengths:
The following are the identified strengths of the Bridgeburg community:
1. Waterfront/Downtown
2. B.I.A. has a strategic master plan
3. Traffic flow on the Niagara Parkway
4. Updated infrastructure (no notable deficiencies)
5. Vacant/underdeveloped lands
6. Extensive Brownfield opportunity
7. Rich crossing history
8. Significant Public Open Space
9. Private commercial improvements generate success in business
10. Façade improvement program for the B.I.A.
11. Streetscape improvement plans
12. Affordable housing-good for starter homes or for seniors
13. Pleasant urban character, nice place to live
14. Good feeling from both history and place
15. Railway bridge as a local landmark (on the U.S. Registry of Historical Monuments)
4 16. Significant attractions: Doll House Museum, Sugar Bowl Park, Trans Canada Trail
Pavilion
17. Majority of the waterfront is in public ownership
18. Niagara Parks Commission
19. Provincially Significant Wetlands
20. True community where one could live, work and play
21. Proximity of significant consumer population from Buffalo
22. Buffalo attractions close to Bridgeburg population
23. Easy access between Fort Erie and Buffalo
24. Mature trees/Gypsy Theatre
Weaknesses:
The following are the identified weaknesses of the Bridgeburg community:
1. Unfocussed commercial core
2. B.I.A. administration and town engagement could be improved
3. External pressures causing development uncertainty
4. Physical barriers in urban fabric in terms of connectivity
5. Commercial traffic constrained by lack of crossings from north to south
6. Commercial traffic looking for alternative access within neighbourhoods
7. Condition of Horton CBI property-eyesore
8. Time it takes to get to important services offered in Bridgeburg
9. Jarvis Street is a dead end street
10. Absentee landlords driving down property maintenance standards
11. Insufficient population and density to support the business area
12. Commercial attractiveness of Jarvis Street is diminished
5 13. Provincially Significant Wetlands
14. Older housing stock
15. Proximity of housing to the sewage treatment plant (Anger Ave)
16. Social conditions of the community in decline in proximity to business districts
17. Lack of social support services to the community
18. Disconnect between long term residents and newcomers
19. Lack of sense of community
Opportunities:
The following are the identified opportunities for the Bridgeburg community:
1. Neighbourhood plan exercise
2. Jarvis Street has potential as a reinvigorated development area e.g. Ridgeway, Niagara-
on-the-Lake
3. Infrastructure capacity to accommodate new development
4. Great place for Town to achieve its housing objectives in alignment with Provincial and
Regional housing policies
5. Leverage Provincial and Regional incentives for Brownfields
6. Continuum of life opportunities
7. Momentum for Brownfield development in Niagara
8. Waterfront as a catalyst for unique housing/investment
9. Opportunity to improve relations between the Town and the Niagara Parks Commission
10. Opportunity to assess long term land uses in the community
Threats:
The following are the identified threats to the Bridgeburg community:
1. Businesses leaving for other areas of Town
2. Perception that the central core is in decline
6 3. Ambassador Bridge proposal causing uncertainty
4. Speculative investment
5. Special population housing not connecting to the community
6. Uncertainty of the future use of the rail lands
Vision Statement:
With the completion of the SWOT analysis, the group was asked to focus on the creation of a vision statement for the Bridgeburg Neighbourhood. The following is the result of that discussion.
“In 20 years, Bridgeburg is a vibrant, liveable, prosperous, inclusive community where people choose to live and make their home and where the neighbourhood amenities serve the surrounding neighbourhoods and visitors.”
Actions Arising From Analysis and Vision Statement:
Following the SWOT analysis and the articulation of the vision statement, the participants were asked to study the various elements identified in the exercise and then to formulate actions that the town could follow in the plan’s preparation. Such actions would be such that the strengths would parry the threats and the opportunities would overcome the weaknesses. The actions would move the neighbourhood toward the achievement of the vision. The results of that work follow.
1. Identify the opportunities for residential intensification
2. Create a public consultation program-move forward with the neighbourhood plan
3. Create the opportunity for grass roots community buy-in
4. Establish joint meetings between the town and the B.I.A.
7 5. Support development through incentive programs-Brownfields, tax incentives, façade
improvement program, RRAP, B.I.A. development charge waiver, and a possible
development charge intensification waiver
6. Plan to tie in the downtown with the waterfront and involve the Niagara Parks
Commission
7. Town Engineers to pursue a new/improved north/south connection in Bridgeburg and
involve the Region of Niagara
8. Plan for the necessary community support facilities, such as parkland and schools
9. Create urban design visions of future built form
Once the list of action items was identified, the participants were then requested to identify their top three priority actions. These actions are:
1. Identify the opportunities for residential intensification
2. Support development through incentive programs-Brownfields, tax
incentives, façade improvement program, RRAP, B.I.A. development charge
waiver, and a possible development charge intensification waiver
3. Create urban design visions of future built form
Conclusions and Next Steps:
While these were identified as the top three priorities, they are not exclusive of the other identified actions. From the exercise, it is clear that a neighbourhood plan is needed to allow the community to focus on the neighbourhood planning issues and to help dispel the current degree of uncertainty. The top three actions identified through the staff exercise demonstrate clearly that Bridgeburg is a valued place and that there are significant opportunities today that if implemented, will achieve the vision for tomorrow. In addition, these top priorities show that the
8 redevelopment and regeneration of Bridgeburg are foremost in the view of town staff and if implemented, will lead to positive change to the neighbourhood. What this exercise has also shown is the importance of the Town’s Neighbourhood Planning Program as a functional vehicle to address the array of issues that confront each neighbourhood.
Town Planning Staff will now need to develop a work program to reflect this direction and to ensure the actions are accounted for as the plan moves forward.
Ronald M. Marini, MCIP, RPP
RMM and Associates
November 11, 2005
9 Appendix A
List of Participants
Council Representative
Wayne Redekop Mayor
Community and Development Services
Rino Mostacci Director of Community Development Services
Jim Douglas Fire Chief
Signe Edgecombe Manager of Parks and Open Space
Dave Heyworth Senior Policy Planner
Joe Mrozek Manager of Development Approvals
Tom Villella Neighbourhood Planner
Russ Wilson Manager of CGDC
Infrastructure Services
Ron Tripp Director of Infrastructure Services
Max Gross Engineering Division Manager
Brian Desrosiers Facilities Manager
Doug Campbell Operations Manager
Corporate Services
Harry Schlange Chief Administrative Officer
Margaret Neubauer Director of Corporate Services
Kelly Davis Manager of Information Services/GIS
10 Health and Wellness
Deanna Bryant Community Health Coordinator
Facilitator
Ron Marini Consulting Planner
11
Maps______