Meadows Park at Royal Bay CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

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Warren Moody
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1 Meadows Park at Royal Bay CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

2 1.0 Parks & Open Space Project Mission Project Goals Project Objectives To restore the Royal Bay site to a place where natural elements can flourish and deliver social and ecological health to all residents and visitors. Re-creation of Natural Systems Protect Sensitive Ecosystems Promote Stewardship Promote Healthy Living Establish Sense of Place Improve Conditions for Biodiversity Build Social & Ecological Resilience Implement 6 Ecosystem Templates Provide a Network of Trails Provide a Network of Community Amenities Provide a Network of Wildlife Corridors Create Multipurpose Landscapes Create Functional Landscapes with High Ecosystem Service Value Utilize Green Infrastructure to Manage Landscape & Create Amenities Strengthen Local & Regional Linkages Between Existing Amenities

1.1 Context Addressing Social & Ecological Linkages The City of Colwood, with its Official Community Plan (OCP) (2008), identified future development as the key to their sustainable future.

2-2), the following was noted: To make progress on community sustainability, it is imperative to address the fundamental aspects of life and living that will enable the community and its residents to

3 1.1 Context Addressing Social & Ecological Linkages The City of Colwood, with its Official Community Plan (OCP) (2008), identified future development as the key to their sustainable future. In the plan (P. 2-2), the following was noted: To make progress on community sustainability, it is imperative to address the fundamental aspects of life and living that will enable the community and its residents to function healthily and sustainably over the long term. The fundamental sustainability goals with an intention of application to all aspects of community planning and development are as follows: 1. Ecosystems & Biodiversity - Maximize the ecological value of natural areas. Where development occurs, maintain ecosystem values. 2. Community Health - Develop or enhance environments that enable healthy choices in all areas of living that are safe, secure and welcoming for all. 3. Basic Needs - Ensure healthy housing and food is available for all. 4. Personal Health - Ensure healthy recreational, educational, emotional, spiritual, artistic and cultural opportunities for all. 5. Sense of Place - Ensure community planning and design celebrates the community s unique history and natural setting and embraces diversity. 6. Vibrant Local Economy - Enhance economic vitality and opportunity. Ensure local employment and business opportunities. 7. Energy, Climate Protection & Adaptation - Promote energy-use choices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to clean air. Plan for climate change adaptation. 8. Water, Resources & Wastes - Promote efficient use and reuse of water and other resources. Reduce the consumption of nonrenewable resources in favour of renewable resources. Modified Sensitive Ecosystems & Stream Habitat Areas from Colwood 2008 OCP Royal Bay Site Boundary Reinforcing Ecological Linkages Modified Open Space Integration Strategy from Colwood 2008 OCP Royal Bay Site Boundary Reinforcing Social Linkages

1.2 Context Historical Garry Oak Ecosystems of Greater Victoria & Saanich Peninsula 1997 Garry Oak Ecosystem 1800 Garry Oak Ecosystem Study Area Boundary Establishing Placefullness & Restoration

4 1.2 Context Historical Garry Oak Ecosystems of Greater Victoria & Saanich Peninsula 1997 Garry Oak Ecosystem 1800 Garry Oak Ecosystem Study Area Boundary Establishing Placefullness & Restoration Municipal Boundary Credits RESERVE nic h Saa Ecosystem mapping by Ted Lea, Terrestrial Information Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, Victoria, B.C. As evident from its majestic eastward views of Victoria, Royal NORTH SAANICH t Inle Digital Products by Dan Horth and Duncan Richards of HR GISolutions Inc., with support from Tim Brierley, Terrestrial Information Branch, B.C. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management. SIDNEY a Sh Funding was provided by the B.C. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, and Forest Renewal British Columbia, Terrestrial Ecosystem Restoration Program (TERP). wn ig Bay is located in the Regional Capital District (CRD). Before it an La ke Sidney Island RESERVE rounds the southernmost tip of Vancouver Island, this region James Island Projection: BC Albers Nad 1983 Base: 1:20,000 TRIM Date: May 3, 2002 can be classified predominantly as a Coastal Douglas-fir (CDF) Scale: 1:225,000 1, ,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 Meters biogeoclimatic zone. Though much of the forest in this region RESERVE RESERVE is coastal douglas-fir, garry oak ecosystems are also found here. CENTRAL SAANICH Soo ke Lak e The CDF biogeoclimatic zone currently contains 261 plant and ro Ha animal species and 36 ecosystems that are provincially listed La ke Lak e k a it Str El as at-risk (British Columbia Ministry of Environment, 2009). The Pr os pe c t garry oak ecosystem is on the top of this list as one which is severely threatened. SAANICH RESERVE VIEW ROYAL LANGFORD RESERVE ESQUIMALT OAK BAY COLWOOD VICTORIA S oo ke Ba sin Be ch er Ba y METCHOSIN Royal Bay Site Regional Capital District Biogeoclimatic Zones MEADOWS PARK AT ROYAL BAY CONCEPTUAL DESIGN Historic & Current Presence of Garry Oak Ecosystems

1.3 Context Opportunities With The Garry Oak The Garry Oak

unique to this region of Vancouver Island.

Historically, much of the coastal landscape of this region

Today less than 5% of these remain in a near-natural

In Colwood, only 16 of its original 320Ha (5%) of its

Of the sites CRD Parks is managing restoration efforts for

The substantial size and location of the Royal Bay site is

5 1.3 Context Opportunities With The Garry Oak The Garry Oak ecosystem offers a landscape typology that is entirely unique to this region of Vancouver Island. With its severely threatened status comes great opportunities. Of these come the following noteworthy opportunities: Historically, much of the coastal landscape of this region was home to the garry oak ecosystem. Today less than 5% of these remain in a near-natural condition. In Colwood, only 16 of its original 320Ha (5%) of its coverage in 1800 remained in Of the sites CRD Parks is managing restoration efforts for the garry oak ecosystem, none are in Colwood. The substantial size and location of the Royal Bay site is perfectly situated to help restore some of the 95% loss of this ecosystem. Restoration would benefit the ecology of the region and bring the unique island landscape character to the site, providing also a feasible solution for restoring soils and erosion control. Images of Garry Oak Ecosystems Images of Garry Oak Ecosystems + Trails Images of Garry Oak Ecosystems + Streets

6 2.0 Existing Character Stormwater Causeway Murray s Pond Existing Escarpment Existing Trail Condition

7 2.1 Ekistics Master Plan MEADOWS PARK AT ROYAL BAY CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

8 3.0 Ecosystem Approach: Soils & Plants Soil Creation Approaches The current state of the site is one that is almost entirely devoid of topsoil. Such a condition as this requires one of three options. Either a rich topsoil or an amending medium is acquired and delivered from offsite, soil is created on site, or only species that grow in the existing mineral soil are planted. Due to the size of the site, the proposed phasing of the development, and the proposed ecosystem template approach, a combination of all three approaches is recommended. Specifically, the approaches are as follows: 1. Soil Amending: Amend the surface of the existing soil with biosolids to support grass and herb species of Garry Oak ecosystems, while providing deeper pockets of imported medium where necessary to support accompanying trees and shrubs. 2. Nitrogen Fixing: Strategically plant non-invasive plant species (eg. Alnus, Ceanothus, Robinia, Elaeagnus) known for their abilities with fixing nitrogen and building organic matter. 3. Soil Creation: Import massive amounts of organic matter (eg. Fir sawdust) and mix with clay where available to remediate the top 300mm of soil. To speed up decomposition and avoid nitrogen deficiency for the initial 2-3 years, additional fertilization will be necessary. Each approach will vary in cost of material and labour as well as vary in time needed for implementation. Depending upon the details of each approach, there may be additional variation in cost and time. However, the conceptual diagram to the right illustrates the general relationship of the approaches. The Ecosystem Template Plants Each of the series of six proposed ecosystem templates will be characterized largely by the plants that populate it. The following list offers the recommended plants for each ecosystem template: Meadow + Oak Woodland: Quercus garryana (Garry oak); Festuca roemeri (Roemer s fescue); Danthonia californica (California oatgrass); Camassia quamash (common camas); Achillea millefolium (common yarrow); Ranunculus occidentalis (western buttercup); Sanicula crassicaulis (Pacific sanicle) Stream / Riparian Buffer: Alnus rubra (red alder); Populus balsamifera ssp trichocarpa (black cottonwood); Acer macrophyllum (big-leaf maple); Pseudotsuga menziesii Investment vs. Time Needed Per Approach INVESTMENT # 3 # 1 # 2 T IME # 1 Soil Amending # 2 Nitrogen Fixing # 3 Soil Creation (Douglas fir); Abies grandis (grand fir); Rubus spectabilis (salmonberry); Sambucus racemosa (red elderberry); Oemleria cerasiformis (Indian plum); Cornus sericea (red osier dogwood); Salix: scouleriana, hookeriana, or sitchensis (willows); Spiraea douglasii (hardhack); Physocarpus capitatus (Pacific ninebark); Malus fusca (Pacific crabapple); Lonicera involucrata (black twinberry); Elymus glaucus (blue wild rye) Oak Woodland: Quercus garryana (Garry oak); Acer macrophyllum (big-leaf maple); Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir); Abies grandis (grand fir); Thuja plicata (Western redcedar); Rubus spectabilis (salmonberry); Sambucus racemosa (red elderberry); Oemleria cerasiformis (Indian plum); Cornus sericea (red osier dogwood) Meadow: Festuca roemeri (Roemer s fescue); Danthonia californica (California oatgrass); Camassia quamash (common camas); Achillea millefolium (common yarrow); Ranunculus occidentalis (western buttercup); Sanicula crassicaulis (Pacific sanicle) Steep Slope / Dry Soils: Ribes sanguineum (redflowering currant); Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick); Arctostaphylos columbiana (hairy manzanita); Amelanchier alnifolia (serviceberry); Juniperus communis (common juniper); Juniperus maritima (seaside juniper); Arbutus menziesii (arbutus); Quercus garryana (Garry oak); Pinus contorta var contorta (shore pine); Mahonia aquifolium (tall Oregon-grape); Mahonia nervosa (low Oregon-grape); Melica subulata (Alaska oniongrass); Danthonia californica (California oatgrass) Shore / Windbreak: Pinus contorta var contorta (shore pine); Juniperus communis (common juniper); Juniperus maritima (seaside juniper); Abronia latifolia (yellow sand verbena) Every ecosystem template has different needs associated with it, regarding such things as sun exposure, soil moisture content, topsoil depth, etc. Subsequently, each requires a particular starting condition. Each of the six proposed ecosystem templates therefore corresponds to varying degrees of one or more of the approaches for soil creation. The matrix below illustrates a general understanding of which approach will best help produce the conditions needed for each ecosystem template. Soil Creation & Ecosystem Template Approach Matrix Meadow + Oak Woodland Stream / Riparian Buffer Oak Woodland Meadow Steep Slope / Dry Soils Shore / Windbreak Soil Amending Nitrogen Fixing Soil Creation Full Implementation Partial Implementation To reduce time and costs related to material aquisition, labour, and freight, it is recommended that a nursery and a composting station be established on site. Not only would this provide more control in the hands of the developer, it will enrich the story of Royal Bay and its contributions to sustainability.

9 4.0 Meadows Park: Overall Concept Embracing Garry Oak Typologies Providing Picnicking Opportunities Creating Multipurpose Landscapes Potential Future Greenway Connection Providing Socializing & Naturalized Play Prioritizing Pastoral Meadow Beauty Offering Pedestrian-oriented Networks

10 4.1 Meadows Park: Programming Playground 2. Passive Activity Meadow 3. Pocket Park/Meadow 4. Picnic Area 5. Gabion Seating Berm/Check Dam 6. Minor Water Crossing (Culvert) 7. Major Water Crossing (Footbridge) 8. Habitat Island 9. Plaza/Pocket Park 10. Oak Woodland/Backyard Access 11. Stormwater/Riparian Zone

11 4.2 Meadows Park: Programming 1. Playground 2. Passive Activity Meadow 3. Pocket Park/Meadow 4. Picnic Area 7. Primary Seating Mound/Play/Art 8. Rain Garden Feature 9. Gabion Seating Berm/Check Dam 10. Minor Water Crossing (Culvert) 11. Major Water Crossing (Footbridge) 12. Primary Lawn 13. Habitat Island 14. Plaza 15. Oak Woodland/Backyard Access 16. Stormwater/Riparian Zone MEADOWS PARK AT ROYAL BAY CONCEPTUAL DESIGN 8

12 4.3 Meadows Park: Primary & Secondary Circulation Primary Circulation Secondary Circulation

13 4.4 Meadows Park: Sections C F E G D E G F D C

14 4.5 Meadows Park: Sections

15 4.6 Meadows Park: Sections

16 5.0 Precedent Images Natural & Built Forms Constructed Wetland Constructed Stream Drybed Stream Gabion Walls Constructed Urban Stream Land Art: The Spiral Jetty Glacial Outwash

17 5.1 Precedent Images Civic Structures & Spaces Picnic Shelter Land Art: Cells of Life Amphitheatre Constructed Wetland Park

18 5.2 Precedent Images Bridges & Walkways Beach Access Grassland Trail Wetland Crossing Beach Trail

19 5.3 Precedent Images Built Character Beacon Hill Park

Native Plant Guide - King County, Washington. Plant list for dry part-shade. Plant list for dry shade

Native Plant Guide - King County, Washington Page 1 Plant list for dry part-shade Tree Pacific dogwood Cornus nuttallii part shade dry - moist 60 Tree bitter cherry Prunus emarginata sun - part shade dry