Brock looks to Beaverton’s future with new Waterfront Plan

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

BROCK: Councillors recently endorsed a Waterfront Plan which provides a long-term vision for Beaverton’s waterfront and the lands which provide a crucial connection between downtown and the harbour.

Over the past 14 months, the municipality has been engaged in a comprehensive public consultation program. This included a series of workshops, open houses and meetings, to obtain valuable stakeholder contributions from the community.

The result of all this community engagement is a remarkably comprehensive document which brings together many components and features, from the different concept options which were developed through the process. The Waterfront Plan presents a crucial framework for guiding the detailed design of more than 40 component projects. These are from across five focus areas: the harbour, the fairgrounds, railway parcels, Mill Gateway Park, and downtown Beaverton.

The Waterfront Area and Open Space Plan will be used to help guide future projects within the township’s annual budget and business plan. Township staff also explained, they will be able to use the plan to explore external opportunities for funding, such as grants, as they become available.

The matter was discussed at a council meeting, on Monday, February 26th. Once the plan was formally endorsed by council, Regional Councillor Mike Jubb questioned how the municipality prepares for the possibility of grants becoming available, as they relate to the areas identified by the plan, notably tourism and economic development. Township staff noted, the plan being endorsed by council is a significant step, and will enable staff to look at those grants more closely and act quickly, when they become available to the municipality.

Brock has already begun phasing in projects, such as, identifying the replacement of washroom facilities at Beaverton Harbour in the next five years. There are also longer-term projects which will enhance the community in the future, including a bandshell for the Fairgrounds or Mill Gateway Park and an enhanced river walk feature in Mill Gateway Park and downtown.

More information on the waterfront plan can be found online, at letstalkbrock.ca/waterfront-plan.