UNIMINWATERFRONTMASTERPLANSTEERINGCOMMITTEE

DESIGNCOMMENTS&DIRECTIONS
1.

MustHaves/Nonnegotiable
Publicaccessandconnectionstothewaterandintothewater(forswimmingandwading) Waterfrontpromenadeadjacentoronthewatersedge Greattaxbase;developmentmustbeaneconomicgenerator(oftaxdollarsandjobs);notjusta park ShouldbethemarinegatewaytoMidland;themarinefrontdoortoMidlandforpleasurecraft andtourboats,butnotforindustry. Marineheritageshouldbepartofthedesignthemeforthewholeneighbourhood;createan absolutelydistinctneighbourhood. Mustbeamixedusedevelopmentincludinggreenspaces,retail/commercial,residentialand destinationfacilities.Nottoomuchofonething. Mustbea4seasonsneighbourhoodanddayandnightneighbourhood;dontforgetaboutwhat wedonowinthewinter,butitshouldbeadestinationallyearlongfortouristsandforarea residents(eveninFebruary).ItmustsupportthedowntownandtherestoftheTownallyear long. Thenewneighbourhoodmustbeaccessibleforpeoplewhowillbecomingbycar,butnot dominatedbycars.Particularlyaccessibleparkingshouldbeprovided,butbalancethatwitha walkablecommunitythatstillprovidesagooduseofthelands. Tieintothedowntown;dontcompetewithit,butensureitissupportiveandphysically connectedtothedowntown

2.

Dontwant
Waterfrontlikeeveryoneelses.MakeMidlandswaterfrontscreamMidland. Privateownershipofthewaterfront..thereshouldbepublicaccessthroughout. Nomajorsingleuseneighbourhood;wealsodontwantamammothsinglestructure(e.g. casino)dominatingthewaterfrontorneighbourhood Anallresidentialproject;ensureresidentialissupportivebutnotdominant. Industrial.Wedontwantaggregatepilesonthewaterfront,butindustrialwhereappropriate couldbeconsidered. Lotoflowdensitysinglestoreydevelopment. Neighbourhooddominatedbycarandcaruses(e.g.parkinglots).

3.

Nicetohave
Longtermcare/assistedhousingprojectaspartofmixedusedevelopment Satelliteuniversity/collegesite.MidlandisthegatewaytoGeorgianBay,itshouldbecomethe guardianofGeorgianBay.

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Consistentneighbourhooddesignprinciples

4.

KeyOrganizingStrategies&Designimperatives

GenerallytheSteeringCommitteewassupportiveofthekeyorganizingstrategies/designimperatives shownontheannotatedconceptplan,withthefollowingrefinementsandcomments: #1.ViewcorridorsshouldbeprotectedfromBayshore,trailandthepark.Viewcorridorsfromthe adjacentsouthernneighbourhoodsarelesscritical. #2.Anchoropenspacesarecritical,butthe#ofthemandthelocationdonthavetobeateastandwest ends,butwherevertheyarebeststrategicallylocated.Openspaceshouldbelocatedthroughoutthe neighbourhood. #3.Afocalsquareorfocallocationfortheneighbourhoodiscritical,itjustdoesnothavetobecentral tothesiteandmaybeshouldbemoretothewestendofthesitetobesupportiveofthedowntownand theactivitiesandfacilitieslocatedatthewesternedgeofthesite.Listifuses/facilitiesshouldbelisted assuchasandnotstrictlyincludingonlythoselisted. #4.SteeringCommitteesupportstheribbons,buttheyshouldbemoreprivateownershipwithpublic accessthenpubicownershipandpublicaccess. #5.Themixofsnowmobilesandpedestriantrafficinthewinter,particularlyatthecrossingpoints,will needtobeaddressedatsomepoint.Mixingwalkingseniorcitizensandsnowmobilesmaynotbea goodcommunitydesignapproach. #8.Theneighbourhoodshouldbefullyintegratedwithamixandrangeofusesfromwesttoeast. Commercial/retail/office/restaurantsetc.shouldbespreadthroughoutthenewcommunity.Maybe3 storeysshouldbetheminimumfirstfloorretail,secondfloorofficeorretailandthirdfloorapartment condos? DesignimperativesthatcouldalsodrivetheconceptsareshownonAttachmentA.Thisincludesthe principalthattheheightofbuiltformshouldmatchthesurroundingtopography,notjustWesttoEast,

5.

QuestionsfortheExperts

CoastalEngineer Istherealocationwherebeachandswimmingispossibleonthisshoreline?Canamanmade beachonthisshorelinebesustainable? Whatshoreandonshoreinfrastructurewouldberequiredtoaccommodateagreatlakescruise ships? WhataretheriskstothewaterfrontdevelopmentisGeorgianBaylevelscontinuetodrop?How shouldthisbereflectedinthedesign? Whatistheconditionoftheshorewalland/orwhatstudiesorreportshouldwebegettingto recommendhowtostabilizeandprotectshorewall?

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EnvironmentalConsultant Arethereopportunitiesalongtheshorelinetoimprovehabitatandcreateamorenatural shoreline?Isthisshorelineconducivetocreatingfishhabitat? MarketConsultant Isthereastrategytoattractinggreatlakescruiseships? Whataretherangeandtypeofactivitiesthatattract4seasonsandalldemographics? Whatisthemarketforlongtermcareandassistedlivinghousinginthisarea? Whatquestionsshouldwebeposingtothedeveloperswhentheycomeforwardwithactual developmentproposaltoensurethattheywillbesuccessful? PolicyPlanner Howdoweaddresslegacyimpactsfrompastindustrialuses? Howdowemakesuretheplanisturnedintoreality?Whatshouldbeourimplementationplan? Howdoweachievewhatweareplanningforregardlessofownership?

6.

DesignDirections

GenerallytheSteeringCommitteewassupportiveofthedesigndirectionsfortheseventhemeareas shownontheOutcomesofPublicWorkshopphotoanalysis,withthefollowingrefinements: Parks&Recreation ParksandrecreationshouldnotduplicatefacilitieselsewhereintheTown Smallchildrensplayareas.Thinkaboutwhoisgoingtotheusethespace.needtoplanfor8 and80yearolds. Urbanopenspaces/hardsurfaces Outdoorperformanceareas Outdoorseating Recreationalareas(ifthismeanssportsfieldsoractiverecreationalareasthenthese uses/facilitiesshouldnotbepartofthedesigndirections YearroundactivitiesthefirstdesignprincipalshouldbedesigningthesiteforaWinter City.alltheotherseasonswillthentakecareofthemselves. Trails&Promenades Again.WinterCitydesignprincipalsshouldtakeprecedence.Thinksaboutoffprimeseason useslikecrosscountryskiing. Hardsurfacetrails Cyclingtrails Buildingfront/face/featuretrails Promenadesalongwater Institutional Possibilityforotherusesi.e.school,communitycentre,museum Satelliteuniversityorcollegecampus

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Longtermcarefacilityorassistedlivingunits Residential Sustainable Walkable Compactform Publicaccessthroughoutneighbourhoods,especiallyalongwatersedge Lushlandscape Retail/Commercial/Office Smallscaleretail/commercialandofficeuses Focusonwaterandpublicspaces Publicaccess MarineFacilities OpportunitiesforsmalltouristboatsandGreatLakescruiseships FacilitiesforGreatLakescruiseships Boattieupsfortransientboattrafficalongtheshoreline SteeringCommitteeisnotsureaboutthepotentialafullservicecommercialmarina Cultural Createadestinationorseriesofdestinations(powerof10)withintheneighbourhoodto createreasonsforpeopletocometotheMidlandWaterfront. Outdoorperformancespace Unique,highqualityarchitecture Landmarks/destinationculturalspace Diversemarketspaces Publicart