DECEMBER 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 5 CURRENT STATUS AND BREAKING NEWS ........................................................................ 6 1.0 CITY OF HAMILTON RECREATIONAL TRAILS MASTER PLAN SYSTEM ................ 7 1.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 7 1.2 HAMILTON’S MISSION STATEMENT ............................................................................ 7 1.3 TRAILS MASTER PLAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES ............................................................... 9 1.4 TRAILS MASTER PLANNING GOALS .......................................................................... 10 1.5 MASTER PLANNING PROCESS ................................................................................. 13 1.6 TRAIL PROJECT APPROVALS AND IMPLEMENTATION ................................................. 15 1.6.1 Planning Act .............................................................................................. 15 1.6.2 Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act ............................... 15 1.6.3 Greenbelt and Growth Plan Legislation .................................................... 16 1.6.4 Environmental Bill of Rights ...................................................................... 16 1.7 PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS ........................................................................... 16 1.8 THE MASTER PLAN STUDY TEAM AND PROCESS...................................................... 17 1.9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................ 18 2.0 THE PLANNING CONTEXT ......................................................................................... 19 2.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 19 2.2 PROVINCIAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS ....................................................................... 20 2.2.1 Provincial Planning Documents ................................................................ 20 2.2.2 The Proposed Growth Plan ...................................................................... 21 2.2.3 The Greenbelt Plan ................................................................................... 24 2.2.4 The Niagara Escarpment Plan .................................................................. 29 2.2.5 The Provincial Policy Statement ............................................................... 33 2.2.6 The Parkway Belt West Plan .................................................................... 33 2.2.7 Ontario Trails Strategy .............................................................................. 36 2.3 OTHER PROVINCIAL/MUNICIPAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS .................................. 37 2.3.1 The Niagara Escarpment UNESCO Biosphere ........................................ 37 2.3.2 The Hamilton Waterfront Trust.................................................................. 37 2.3.3 Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan .................................................. 38 2.3.4 Hamilton Port Authority Land Use Plan .................................................... 38 2.3.5 Utility Corridors ......................................................................................... 39 2.4 MUNICIPAL PLANNING ............................................................................................. 39 2.4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 39 2.4.2 Vision 2020 ............................................................................................... 39 2.4.3 Triple Bottom Line ..................................................................................... 40 2.4.4 Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Preparation Process ................................ 41 2.4.5 Transportation Master Plan....................................................................... 41 2.4.6 Parks, Culture and Recreation Master Plan .............................................. 42 2.4.7 Waterfalls and Cascades of Hamilton ....................................................... 43 2.4.8 Natural Heritage System ........................................................................... 46 2.5 OTHER PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS ....................................................................... 48 2.5.1 Shifting Gears ........................................................................................... 48 2.5.2 Air Quality ................................................................................................. 50 HAMILTON RECREATIONAL TRAILS MASTER PLAN 1 2.5.3 Urban Form, Activity Patterns and Public Health ...................................... 51 2.5.4 Hamilton Street Railway ........................................................................... 53 2.5.5 Chedoke Mountain Bike Park ................................................................... 54 2.5.6 Beckett Drive Gondola .............................................................................. 56 2.5.7 Environmental Assessment Studies ......................................................... 56 3.0 MASTER PLAN ORGANIZATION ................................................................................ 58 3.1 THE MASTER PLAN ................................................................................................. 58 3.2 HAMILTON REGIONAL SETTING, WARDS 1-15 AND INTERPRETIVE THEMES ............... 60 3.3 DESIGN ISSUES ...................................................................................................... 64 3.4 THE MASTER PLAN CONCEPT ................................................................................. 68 3.5 HAMILTON’S TRAIL PARTNERS ................................................................................ 69 4.0 TRAIL DEVELOPMENT & MAINTENANCE STANDARDS ......................................... 72 4.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 72 4.2 TRAIL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................. 72 4.3 TRAIL STYLE .......................................................................................................... 73 4.3.1 On-Street Bike Route ................................................................................ 73 4.3.2 Off-Street Recreational Trails ................................................................... 74 4.4 TRAIL CLASSIFICATIONS ......................................................................................... 75 4.5 TRAIL SURFACES .................................................................................................... 78 4.6 TRAIL SIGNAGE/PICTOGRAMS ................................................................................. 78 4.7 TRAIL SAFETY ........................................................................................................ 81 4.8 TRAIL MAINTENANCE .............................................................................................. 81 4.8.1 Protecting the Public From Hazards ......................................................... 82 4.8.2 Risk Management ..................................................................................... 82 4.8.3 Timing and Frequency .............................................................................. 82 4.8.4 Procedure ................................................................................................. 82 4.8.5 Recording Data ......................................................................................... 83 4.8.6 Trail Infrastructure Items ........................................................................... 83 5.0 MASTER PLAN ............................................................................................................ 85 5.1 FIELDWORK METHODOLOGY ................................................................................... 85 5.2 ANALYSIS OF FIELDWORK ....................................................................................... 86 5.3 INDIVIDUAL WARD PROJECTS .................................................................................. 87 5.3.1 Ward 1 – Chedoke-Cootes ....................................................................... 87 5.3.2 Ward 2 – Downtown ................................................................................. 91 5.3.3 Ward 3 – Hamilton Centre ........................................................................ 94 5.3.4 Ward 4 – East Hamilton ............................................................................ 97 5.3.5 Ward 5 – Red Hill .................................................................................... 100 5.3.6 Ward 6 – East Mountain ......................................................................... 103 5.3.7 Ward 7 – Central Mountain ..................................................................... 106 5.3.8 Ward 8 – West Mountain ........................................................................ 109 5.3.9 Ward 9 – Heritage Stoney Creek ............................................................ 112 5.3.10 Ward 10 – Stoney Creek......................................................................... 115 5.3.11 Ward 11 – Glanbrook, Stoney Creek, Winona ........................................ 117 5.3.12 Ward 12