|
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
Churchill Drive Lower Parking Improvements 2009
Mount Douglas Park continues to be a popular destination park for the region and with the high
number of park visitors an ongoing assessment of the health and management of the diverse
habitats is required.
Recently an evaluation of the health of the trees in the parking lot area was completed and several
trees have been identified for removal due to their poor condition. In addition, there has been
interest from park users to close Churchill Drive to vehicle traffic to the summit and a trial period
has been initiated, along with a Closure Survey, to determine how this affects the park access to
the summit.
These two developments are related and this provided Saanich Parks with the opportunity to
schedule improvements to the parking lot at the Churchill Drive park entrance.
OBJECTIVES:
To provide a safe park experience, for both the parking lot and trail areas, and improve the
condition of the parking area for ongoing maintenance and protecting the adjacent habitat.
In response to community interest, Saanich Parks initiated the Trial Gate Closure, and also
recognized the need to improve the condition of the existing parking area and provide addition stalls
and other site amenities.
PUBLIC PROCESS:
Saanich Parks held the following community consultation process:
Discussions with The Friends of Mount Douglas and the three Community Associations adjacent to
the park; Cordova Bay Association, Gordon Head Residents’ Association and Blenkinsop Valley
Community Association. These meetings were held on site to review the concerns for the condition
of the trees and the effects of the gate closure and a Concept Plan was developed to address the
above objectives. Through this process, Parks has determined the scope of the work to be
accomplished for this project.
PROJECT SCOPE:
Tree removals & replanting: A number of trees will need to be removed and some will be made into
wildlife trees, many of these are dead or dying. This area of the park appears to be a disease
centre which will require additional survey work and inspection over the course of the next year. We
will work on an overall replanting plan based on the root disease and agree that any removed or
wildlife tree will be replaced with a native species tree on at a 2:1 ratio in the same area.
The existing parking area will be expanded to provide 10 additional stalls in the area where the tree
removals were required. This will alleviate some of the congestion and destruction of the
vegetation and ditch along the road edge. Concrete curbs will be installed to define the parking
areas.
Storm water management: We have reviewed the storm water flow and the design for the new
spaces will allow the storm water to continue to flow into the forest. The drainage course along the
south edge of the roadway is being considered as a bioswale with the properties of slowing the
flows. There would be gravel added into the existing swale, and logs placed to re-establish the road
edge, as part of the work.
Split rail fence: The “Pathway Blend” surface between the parking area and the split rail fence
serves the purpose of providing an area for people to access their vehicles and also allows
movement from the vehicles to the trails. This will assist with the restoration of the existing forest as
it will direct traffic to the designated trails.
Site amenities: A Park Information Sign, bike rack, and a trash can will be provided in the new
parking area.
The entrance will need to be closed for approximately three weeks to complete the above
program, primarily for safety reasons. We will minimize the disruption to park and trail
users.
FUNDING:
Saanich Parks received the Council approval for these parking lot improvements along with a
budget of $50,000. These resources are generated from the funds received through the
Telecommunication Facility at the summit of Mount Douglas Park.
Take a look at our Concept Plan for the Parking Lot Improvements click here.
|
