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4.
ACQUISITION OF FITZROY HARBOUR AND BUCKHAM'S BAY BOAT LAUNCHES acquisition des rampes de mise à l’eau de Fitzroy
Harbour et de Buckham’s Bay |
That Council approve:
1.
That the Deputy
City Manager of City Operations be authorized to negotiate an agreement for the
acquisition of the Fitzroy Harbour and Buckham's Bay Boat Launches subject to:
(a)
Payment of $1 to
the Federal Government;
(b)
Federal investment
of $240,000 to undertake the replacement of the existing facilities with new
boat ramps and wharves;
(c)
The settlement of
any outstanding land claims with respect to the two properties;
(d) Assumption of ongoing maintenance and
lifecycle costs estimated at $13,300 per year; and
(e)
City investment of
$30,000 plus associated annual maintenance costs of $3,500 to improve the
Fitzroy Harbour access road; and
2. That Real Estate Services be authorized to
proceed with the acquisition, and report back to the appropriate Standing
Committee and Council for final approval.
RECOMMENDATIONS DU COMITÉ de l’agriculture et des questions rurales ET DU Comité des services
organisationnels et du développement économique
Que le Conseil approuve:
1. Que le Directeur municipal adjoint,
Opérations municipales, soit autoriser à négocier un accord pour l’achat des
rampes de mise à l’eau de Fitzroy Harbour et de Buckham’s Bay sous
réserve :
(a) du paiement d’un dollar
(1 $) au gouvernement fédéral;
(b) d’un
investissement du gouvernement fédéral de 240 000 $ pour permettre le
remplacement des installations actuelles par de nouvelles rampes de mise à
l’eau et de nouvelles jetées;
(c) de la
résolution de toutes les réclamations foncières en souffrance ayant trait à ces
deux propriétés;
(d) de la présomption de frais d’entretien et de cycle de vie annuels estimés de 13 300 $; et
(e) d’un
investissement de 30 000 $, ainsi que du paiement de frais annuels
d’entretien de 3 500 $, par la Ville pour l’amélioration du chemin
d’accès de Fitzroy Harbour ; et
2. Que
les Services immobiliers soient autorisés à procéder à l’achat, et fassent
ensuite rapport au Comité permanent pertinent et au Conseil pour l’obtention
d’une approbation finale.
DOCUMENTATION
1. Deputy City
Manager of City Operations report dated 9 January (ACS2008-COS-PAR-0001).
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee
Comité de l'agriculture et des questions rurales
and/et
Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
9 January 2009 / le 9 janvier 2009
Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur
municipal adjoint
City Operations / Opérations
municipales
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Aaron Burry, General Manager/directeur général
Recreation
and Community Services/Services communautaires et des loisirs
(613)
580-2424 x 23666, Aaron.Burry@ottawa.ca or
Contact
Person/Personne ressource: Gordon MacNair, Manager, Real Estate Services,
Corporate
Project Office / gestionnaire, Services immobiliers,
Bureau des
projets municipaux
(613)
580-2424 x 21217, Gordon.MacNair@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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ACQUISITION OF FITZROY HARBOUR AND BUCKHAM'S BAY
BOAT LAUNCHES |
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|
|
OBJET :
|
acquisition
des rampes de mise à l’eau de Fitzroy Harbour et de Buckham’s Bay |
That the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend to Council:
1.
That the Deputy
City Manager of City Operations be authorized to negotiate an agreement for the
acquisition of the Fitzroy Harbour and Buckham's Bay Boat Launches subject to:
(a)
Payment of $1 to
the Federal Government;
(b)
Federal investment
of $240,000 to undertake the replacement of the existing facilities with new
boat ramps and wharves;
(c)
The settlement of
any outstanding land claims with respect to the two properties;
(d)
Assumption of
ongoing maintenance and lifecycle costs estimated at $13,300 per year; and
(e)
City investment of
$30,000 plus associated annual maintenance costs of $3,500 to improve the
Fitzroy Harbour access road; and
2. That
Real Estate Services be authorized to proceed with the acquisition, and report
back to the appropriate Standing Committee and Council for final approval.
Que le Comité de l’agriculture et des questions rurales et le Comité des
services organisationnels et du développement économique recommandent
au Conseil :
1. Que
le Directeur municipal adjoint, Opérations municipales, soit autoriser à
négocier un accord pour l’achat des rampes de mise à l’eau de Fitzroy Harbour
et de Buckham’s Bay sous réserve :
(a) du
paiement d’un dollar (1 $) au gouvernement fédéral;
(b) d’un
investissement du gouvernement fédéral de 240 000 $ pour permettre le
remplacement des installations actuelles par de nouvelles rampes de mise à
l’eau et de nouvelles jetées;
(c) de
la résolution de toutes les réclamations foncières en souffrance ayant trait à
ces deux propriétés;
(d) de
la présomption de frais d’entretien et de cycle de vie annuels estimés de
13 300 $; et
(e) d’un
investissement de 30 000 $, ainsi que du paiement de frais annuels
d’entretien de 3 500 $, par la Ville pour l’amélioration du chemin
d’accès de Fitzroy Harbour ; et
2. Que
les Services immobiliers soient autorisés à procéder à l’achat, et fassent
ensuite rapport au Comité permanent pertinent et au Conseil pour l’obtention
d’une approbation finale.
Part of the City’s mandate is to protect the public’s access to Ottawa’s recreational and environmental resources, including access to local waterways. The Federal and Provincial governments are in the process of divesting river access points including recreational boat launches and harbours. In 2005, the City was offered first right-of-refusal to acquire four sites located within the municipality: Fitzroy Harbour boat launch; Buckham’s Bay boat launch, Dunrobin boat launch and harbour (Port of Call Marina), and Dick Bell Park boat launch and harbour. In June 2005, Council approved recommendations in a report to Committee and Council that staff be authorized to enter into negotiations with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Ministry of Natural Resources for the divestiture to the City of the four sites. In addition, it was recommended that staff report back to Committee and Council on the results of the negotiations in order to consider acceptance of the divestiture for all, some or none of the sites. This report is the response to this recommendation.
It was
determined early in the process that the Buckham’s Bay and Fitzroy Harbour boat
launches represented the best short term opportunity for acquisition as both
the federal and provincial governments were willing to relinquish ownership of
the sites at no cost to the City. The primary issue in the negotiations was
that the infrastructure (boat ramp and wharf) at both of these sites is in very
poor condition and that the City was not willing to accept ownership of the
sites unless the facilities were renewed. In 2007, the Federal Department of
Fisheries and Oceans funded two engineering studies which examined the existing
condition of the Buckham’s Bay and Fitzroy Harbour Sites and provided
recommendations and cost estimates for the replacement of the boat ramps and
wharves. In the fall of 2007, based on the recommendations of the studies, the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans sought and ultimately secured $240,000 to
undertake the replacement of the existing facilities with new boat ramps and
wharves. In a letter dated July 22, 2008, the Department of Fisheries and
Oceans asked the City to proceed with public consultations to present and
receive feedback on the options identified in the engineering studies. Parks
and Recreation, in cooperation with the Councillor’s office for West
Carleton-March, undertook two public consultations (in Constance Bay and
Fitzroy Harbour) in September of 2008. There was overwhelming support by those
who participated in the consultations for the option that included the
demolition of the existing ramps and wharves and their replacement with facilities
of a similar design but with some modifications to address operational issues.
The report from these consultations is presented in Document 1.
The Federal
Department of Fisheries and Oceans is prepared to proceed with the proposed
renewal of the two sites once the City has agreed to a scope of work. While the
work is being completed the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will consult
with the Algonquin’s of Golden Lake First Nation, who have expressed an
interest in these properties, prior to finalizing their divestiture. In the
short term this will mean that the infrastructure at both sites will be renewed
for public use by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and maintained by the
City of Ottawa under an ongoing agreement until such time as the native claim
has been settled. In the longer term, if the Federal Government is able
to move forward with the divestiture the City will acquire the two sites and
maintain and operate them as public waterfront access points.
Fitzroy Harbour - Boat Ramp and Wharf
This
community boat launch, which has been well used for over 30 years, is located
in the village of Fitzroy Harbour, on the Ottawa River immediately downstream
of the Chat Falls Generating Station. The site serves boaters as well as twenty
cottages and a boys and girls camp on a nearby island. The .475 ha. property
includes a water lot and ungranted (Provincial) Crown Land and is accessed by a
narrow gravel laneway in poor condition
The assets include a wharf and ramp, however they have deteriorated to
such an extent that the department of Fisheries and Oceans has posted a sign
declaring them "unsafe".
Residents continue to use this access point despite the warning signs,
which demonstrates its importance to the community. Although this site is not currently a City asset, staff and the
Councillor's office receive numerous complaints from residents every year about
the condition of the property.
The proposed
improvements include the removal of the existing ramp and wharf and replacement
with new facilities of a similar design. The launch ramp will be extended by
almost eight metres to improve launching capability over a wider range of water
levels and the wharf will be widened from 1.8 to 2.4 metres for the outermost
7.3 metre long section. The proposed design of the facility is very rugged with
an estimated useful life of 30 years with a projected annual maintenance cost
of $1,300, and annual life cycle
capital renewal costs on the order of $6,000.
The scope of
the proposed improvements is restricted to the wharf and ramp and measures to
reduce shoreline erosion. The access laneway and parking area are in poor
condition and will require upgrades ($30,000) to support continued use of the
site. These improvements will be the responsibility of the City and will only
be contemplated if the divestiture is completed. If the site is divested to the
City it is estimated that the annual maintenance costs associated with the
access lane and parking area to be $3,500.
Buckham’s Bay - Boat Ramp and Wharf
This
community boat launch is located in Buckham’s Bay on the Ottawa River, in the
west end of the community of Constance Bay.
Access to the site is through the City-owned Ritchie Street leading to a
.93 ha. water lot. This heavily used site, although not currently signed as
"unsafe", is at the end of its lifecycle and requires major works to
maintain the functionality of the boat ramp and wharf.
The proposed
improvements at this site include the removal of the existing ramp and wharf
and replacement with new facilities of a similar design. The boat ramp will be
almost doubled in length to nearly 18 metres and the wharf will be extended by
5 metres and will be half a metre higher. The proposed design of the facility
is very rugged with an estimated useful life of 30 years with an estimated
annual maintenance cost of $1,300, and
annual life cycle capital renewal costs in the order of $4,700.
The scope of
the proposed improvements is limited to the wharf and ramp and limited measures
to reduce shoreline erosion (rock riprap). The Ritchie Street road allowance,
which makes up the vast majority of the site, has a paved surface. Improvements
to the road portion are not being considered at this time. The road portion of the property is already owned and
maintained by the City of Ottawa at an annual cost of $1500 . This will not
change if and when the portion of the property with the boating facilities is
divested to the City.
The renewal of the Fitzroy Harbour and Buckham’s Bay boat launches and their potential divestiture to the City provides the opportunity to improve public access to the Ottawa River at a minimal cost and risk to the City. The City would acquire new boat launching facilities that will likely last 30 years with minimal maintenance costs, supporting the recreational needs of the rural residents of western part of the City. By supporting the improvements to the sites the City acknowledges that these launch facilities are valuable recreational assets that are best maintained as public facilities.
The Fitzroy Harbour and Buckham’s Bay Boat launches will have annual operating budget pressures estimated at $ 2,600 ($1,300 per site).
In addition,
a capital budget pressure estimated at $10,700 per year (based on a annual life
cycle capital renewal cost of $6,000,
Fitzroy Harbour and $4,700, Buckham’s Bay) has been identified.
This report
also proposes $30,000 in improvements to the Fitzroy Harbour access lane with
associated annual maintenance costs of $3,500 if the if the acquisition is
completed.
Subject to the successful finalization of an acquisition agreement, future annual operating pressures of $6,100, ongoing annual lifecycle capital pressures of $10,700 and a one-time capital pressure of $30,000 will be required. These pressures will be identified in a future year budget process for approval.
The Buckham’s Bay Community and Fitzroy Harbour Community were consulted on September 8 and September 9 respectively.
Document 1: Public Consultation
Report - Buckham’s Bay and Fitzroy Harbour Small Craft Wharves and
Launch Ramps
Subject to approval of this report, Recreation and Community Services staff will work with Legal Services staff to finalize the acquisition agreement with the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans with a report back to Committee and Council.
Document 1
Buckham’s Bay and Fitzroy Harbour Small Craft Wharves and Launch Ramps
Public
Consultation Report
The Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has a series of four small craft boat ramps and wharves on the Ottawa River within the City of Ottawa. DFO has a long-term plan to divest itself of these assets as they no longer fall under their mandate. In June of 2005 the City of Ottawa Council authorized City staff to enter into negotiations with DFO for the acquisition of all or some of the sites for public recreation purposes. Since that time the City has negotiated an agreement that would see DFO invest in the replacement of the boat ramps and wharves at the Buckham’s Bay and Fitzroy Harbour sites as a prelude to the transfer of the ownership of these sites to the City of Ottawa. In 2007 DFO funded two engineering studies commissioned by the City of Ottawa that assessed and presented options for the replacement of the facilities at the sites. In July of 2008 DFO confirmed the funding for improvements recommended in the studies. In response, as identified in the 2005 Report to Committee and Council and supported by DFO, the City of Ottawa undertook public consultations to present the proposed improvements to the two sites and receive public comment. This report summarizes the public comments received at the public consultations held in Constance Bay and Fitzroy Harbour in September 2008.
The public consultations were organized in an “open house” format in the communities adjacent to the launch sites. Promotion for the events was done through notices in the community newspapers and through the local community associations e-mail networks. Information panels showing both the existing situation and the proposed improvements were available for viewing and staff from the City of Ottawa, Parks and Recreation was present to answer questions about the project. The City Councillor, representing the ward where the improvements are proposed to take place, was present at both consultations. Comment sheets were made available to the participants in the consultation.
For the Buckham’s consultation approximately thirty people participated. Most were keen boaters, local residents and regular users of the existing facility. Twelve comment sheets were received at the consultation and three additional e-mail comments were received afterwards.
There was overriding support for the replacement of the existing facility with an improved ramp and wharf. Most of the comments received focused on suggested improvements to the existing design.
¨ Significant support for the proposed extended ramp (3 m further out into the river) with one comment that crushed stone should be placed on the river bottom at the end of the ramp so that trailers do not drop off the end.
¨ A common suggestion (repeated 10 times) was that the proposed 2.4 metre width of the wharf (reduced from the existing 3.6 metres) is too narrow and that at a minimum a 3.0 metre width is required. The justification given was that on busy days there is often a wait to use the boat ramp and boats need to be moored while waiting for the ramp or vehicles are being parked. The dock is also used for fishing and it would be difficult for this activity to co-exist with launching with a narrower wharf.
¨ Numerous suggestions made to include an extended wharf or a floating dock placed perpendicular to the end of the cement wharf. It should be noted that the consultant’s report does not recommend a floating section because of the challenges of dealing with the wide variation in water levels (up to 2.5 metre annual variation). There was also one dissenting comment suggesting that an additional perpendicular section would impact on the neighbouring properties
¨ Widen the ramp to allow boats to be moored to the wharf at the same time as the ramp is being used for launching (suggestion repeated three times)
¨ Place “solar” lights and reflectors on the end of the dock to guide nighttime users
¨ Late summer, early fall construction period recommended over winter construction (better quality and lower costs)
¨ Mooring devices required (cleats, bollards)
¨ Remove deadheads in the radius of the ramp and wharf end
¨ Place dock in the middle of the road allowance so that both sides of the dock can be used for in and out (dock actually is in the center however, trees and encroachment by adjacent property owners has reduced space)
¨ Concern that proposed rock rip-rap at the base of the wharf will scrape the bottom of boats at low water levels
¨ Dredge out river bottom in front of the wharf
¨ Remove trees along the edge of the road allowance to allow adequate width for two vehicles
¨ Painted signage on wharf “no fishing or swimming
¨ Painted signage on wharf indicating 10 minute launching/drop-off zone, no long term mooring
While the composition of the participants at the Fitzroy consultation was similar to that of Buckham’s attendance was lower with thirteen participants and two comment sheets received. Again there was overriding support for the replacement of the existing facility. The Fitzroy site has limitations that make it less popular with boaters (shallow water limits access to smaller watercraft at low water levels) however, its use in winter as an access point for ice fishing adds an additional dimension.
¨ Dredging required at the end of the ramp to remove high spots
¨ Place a retaining wall along the edge of the south side of the ramp to prevent siltation of the ramp surface
¨ Ensure that the riprap along the shoreline on the north side of the wharf does not impede access to the ice in winter as ice fishing shacks brought onto the ice at this location
¨ A long drop down to a boat from the deck of the wharf when the water is at a low level (existing and proposed wharf)
¨ Numerous comments regarding the poor condition of the access road to the site
Participants in the two public consultations offered overwhelming support for the proposed improvements to the Buckham’s Bay and Fitzroy Harbour wharves and launch ramps. It was evident that those who participated are regular and knowledgeable users and the comments that they provided reflected their experience. It is recommended that the proposed modification suggested by the participant should be closely evaluated for implementation, as most would appear to improve functionality at minimal cost. The most common question both evenings was “When will the work be completed?” which reflects the keen interest in seeing the improvements completed.
Parks and Recreation will now prepare a Report to the City of Ottawa Committee and Council informing them that a proposed course of action to realize the improvements to the two sites has been completed and that the public has been consulted. Pending the acceptance by Council the proposed improvements will then be undertaken by the federal government.