Nose Hill Trail and Pathway Plan DRAFT
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CPS2005-29 Attachment 8 Nose Hill Trail and Pathway Plan DRAFT Prepared by: O2 Planning + Design Inc. Prepared for: The City of Calgary Parks April 20, 2005 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Nose Hill Trail and Pathway Plan (NHTPP) has been developed to address a variety of major longstanding park routing, environmental and visitor use issues. This plan has been developed through a comprehensive and extensive public and stakeholder engagement process. Once implemented, the NHTPP will effectively balance the protection of the natural environment while providing compatible, quality leisure opportunities. Fifteen recommendations have been provided in the NHTPP. A summary of the park use and routing, park amenity and parking lot upgrade, and implementation and management recommendations are listed below. Park Use and Routing Recommendations: Modify the configuration of the multi-use and escarpment zones. Establish an upper plateau route that clearly defines the modified multi-use and escarpment zone boundary. Require all users to stay on designated pathways and trails while outside of the multi-use zone. Remove the current Council approved perimeter pathway identified for Nose Hill Park and establish two cross-park pathways to provide connections to existing pathways in adjacent communities. Adopt the proposed designated routing plan that provides for primary, secondary, upper plateau, cross-park, and maintained track routes, as well as the pre-existing barrier free interpretive pathway. Apply specific route surfacing materials (stabilized tread, granular and asphalt with special stone aggregate) and widths to each designated route type to accommodate the variety of park visitor experiences. Close and rehabilitate all informal routes not included in the designated routing system. Close the Charleswood Drive entrance to the park upon completion of the Brisebois Drive pedestrian overpass. th Request City of Calgary Transportation to examine the safety of the 19 Street entrance. Examine the possibility of creating an on-street bikeway along MacEwan Glen Drive and an additional north/south pathway along the east side of 14th Street. Park Amenity and Parking Lot Upgrade Recommendations: Develop major and secondary entry features, trail markers, interpretive and orientation signs to provide interpretive, orientation, bylaw, safety and/or educational information for users. Provide site specific upgrades at five parking facilities; including Edgemont Drive, Berkley Gate, Brisebois Drive, 64th Street and 14th Streets, which include, but are not limited, to the addition of washrooms, trees, fencing, garbage cans, trail-head re-alignment, entrance gates, and parking lot resurfacing and/or line resurfacing. Nose Hill Park Trail & Pathway Plan i April 20, 2005 Install park benches in select locations throughout the park. Calgary Parks to continue discussions with the Calgary Winter Club regarding the development of an agreement to designate parking for Nose Hill Park users, and discuss opportunities for expanding the parking at this location. Implementation and Management Recommendation: Calgary Parks to commence recommended implementation and phasing strategy. The Nose Hill Trail and Pathway Plan has been prepared for Calgary Parks by O2 Planning + Design Inc. The plan is presented in two parts. Part 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the planning process used to develop the plan and describes, detail, the 15 plan recommendations. Part 2 summarizes the supporting technical information that was compiled throughout the planning process to support the development of the NHTPP. Nose Hill Park Trail & Pathway Plan ii April 20, 2005 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Nose Hill Trail and Pathway Plan (NHTPP) was prepared by O2 Planning + Design Inc. under contract to Calgary Parks. Many people contributed to the completion of the NHTPP. We wish to acknowledge the assistance, support and contributions provided by the Planning Team comprised of: City of Calgary staff, including Jennifer Symcox, Dave Elphinstone, Harold Pinel, Bashir Jamal, Rob Biegen, Doug Marter, Christine Wood, Melanie Haugen, Candy Lannan, Stephanie Won, Sheldon David; O2 Planning + Design Inc. staff, including Douglas Olson, Graham Gerylo, Serene Ho, Bobbie Olson and Peter Miles; and Duncan Daniels of Kardun Associates. Additionally, the planning team would like to thank the individual members of the stakeholder input group for their valuable input provided throughout the duration of the planning process. The following groups were involved: Advisory Committee on Accessibility Beddington Community Association Brentwood Community Association Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Calgary Field Naturalists’ Society Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance Calgary Pathways and Bikeways Advisory Calgary Parks and Wilderness Society Council Calgary Road Runners Calgary Winter Club Cambrian Heights Community Association Dalhousie Community Association Edgemont Community Association Elbow Valley Cycling Club Federation of Calgary Communities Foothills Wanderers Friends of Nose Hill Huntington Hills Community Association North Haven Community Association / Ward 4 MacEwan / Sandstone Community Association Liaison Off-Leash Calgary Seniors Outdoor Recreation Group Triwood Community Association / Ward 7 Ward 2 Liaison Liaison Nose Hill Park Trail & Pathway Plan iii April 20, 2005 Nose Hill Park Trail & Pathway Plan iv April 20, 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements...................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents.......................................................................................................... v List of Figures ............................................................................................................... x List of Tables ................................................................................................................ xi List of Maps ................................................................................................................. xii Part 1 – Plan Overview and Recommendations ......................................................... 1 1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Overview of the Nose Hill Trail and Pathway Plan (NHTPP)............................. 3 1.2 NHTPP Report Organization............................................................................. 3 1.3 Park at a Glance ............................................................................................... 4 2.0 Need for the NHTPP ........................................................................................... 7 2.1 Park Routing Issues.......................................................................................... 7 2.2 Environmental Issues...................................................................................... 10 2.3 Visitor Use Issues ........................................................................................... 11 3.0 The Planning Process ...................................................................................... 15 3.1 Background Research and Analysis ............................................................... 15 3.1.1 Environmental, Historical Resources and Policy Review ....................................16 3.1.2 Public Use Patterns.............................................................................................18 3.1.3 Assessment of Park and Trail Conditions............................................................18 3.1.4 Identification of Park Issues ................................................................................19 3.2 Development of Route Planning & Design Evaluation Criteria........................ 19 3.3 Perimeter Pathway Feasibility Study............................................................... 20 3.4 Development and Refinement of Routing and Facilities Concepts and NHTPP Recommendations..................................................................................................... 20 3.4.1 Preliminary Routing and Facilities Concepts.......................................................21 3.4.2 Alternative Routing and Facilities Components...................................................21 3.4.3 Preferred Concepts and NHTPP Recommendations ..........................................22 3.5 Public Participation ......................................................................................... 23 3.5.1 Stakeholder Input Group .....................................................................................25 3.5.2 Public Meetings ...................................................................................................26 4.0 Nose Hill Trail and Pathway Plan (NHTPP) Recommendations.................... 29 Nose Hill Park Trail & Pathway Plan v April 20, 2005 4.1 Park Use and Routing Recommendations ...................................................... 29 4.2 Park Amenity and Parking Lot Upgrade Recommendations ........................... 50 4.3 Implementation and Management Recommendations.................................... 62 PART 2 - Technical Background Information ........................................................... 69 5.0 Environmental Resources ............................................................................... 71 5.1