greenlands centre wellington workshop 3 maps

Designing Our Future Community Greenlands Centre WellingtonWorkshop 3 - March 2008

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Exercise Goal: To have participants understand that each community member places ‘value’ on cultural and biophysical characteristics of a place; and quite often, these values may differ.

Each of the twelve workshop tables identified areas of the Township, that they believed had high, medium or low value for themselves, or simply, areas of the Township that they believed have high, medium or low constraint for development.

General Observations:

Wetlands, rivers, water recharge areas and woodlots were deemed as areas having “high value” by all workshop tables. Subsequently, these areas were given a high constraint ranking with limited development potential. Several tables also identified that these areas be buffered for protection from potential adjacent development pressures.

Agricultural land was generally given a high value with low to medium development potential.

Many workshop participants identified the land between Elora and Fergus, and some lands surrounding the core, as low to medium constraint demonstrating a higher development potential. Intensification of the urban core was highlighted as a positive direction for development.

Land east of Fergus towards Belwood is generally considered to have low to medium constraints for development except for the obvious areas with high Natural Heritage value.

Some low constraint areas were also highlighted in and around and to the south of Belwood.

The land surrounding the Wellington County Museum was identified by many of the workshop participants to be of high value and note this particular area’s suitability in developing it as parkland.

One workshop table noted the importance of preventing urban sprawl by buffering the urban areas with a high constraint zone.

Other notes included:

Existing trails should be maintained and expanded to connect urban areas with natural areas.

Low constraint areas identified outside but adjacent to the urban core should be considered for industrial development.

4.0 Mapping Summary - Composite Maps

4.1 Opportunities and Constraints Map

High Value - High ConstraintAreas valued for their high natural qualities and inherent amenity have been given a high constraint to limit any development impact that might otherwise compromise the integrity of the landscape in its current state.

Medium Value - Medium ConstraintAreas identified to have a medium value to the community are areas more likely to absorb the impact of moderate development with little compromise to the value of the landscape.

Low Value - Low ConstraintAreas identified to have little or no inherent value to the community are those most suited to higher impact development.

Key:

Elora Fergus

Belwood

Hig

hway

#6

Grand

Rive

r

Irvine River

Belwood Lake


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Exercise Goal:

To collect ‘systems’ descriptions from Workshop participants; information that can be articulated as principles to guide future development in the Township from a Greenlands perspective.


A. Pedestrian Connections:Several of the Workshop Tables identified developing pedestrian links (walking and bike trails) between Elora, Fergus and Belwood. There was also a common circular theme to the suggested trails in that they followed a perimeter path around Elora and Fergus.

Walking / bike trails from residential areas to institutional, commercial and recreational areas were identified as important.

B. Natural ConnectionsWildlife corridors along river systems should be maintained and if possible connected to other like corridors (natural forested areas or woodlots) to allow safe and unobstructed movement of wildlife. These corridors could also be developed to include walking and bike trails.

C. Vehicular / Transportation ConnectionsThere was a strong desire amongst the Workshop participants to develop a truck by-pass route to alleviate traffic congestion along Highway 6. Typical routes were as follows: North bound on either County Road 7 or County Road 29, with a connection back to Highway 6 on Sideroad 15. Second Line was also identified as a possible alternate connection.

Both local (between Elora and Fergus) and regional public transit was identified as a necessary connection to be developed.

Rail transport was identified by a few Workshop Tables to handle both industrial and commuter traffic to and from Guelph and to and from the Kitchener-Waterloo region.

It was also felt that existing or proposed industrial development located along major vehicular routes should be adequately buffered from the road.Key:

Wildlife / Green Corridors

Truck By-Pass

Trails

Light Rail

4.2 Connections and Corridors Map

Local Transit

Cou

nty

Roa

d 29

Cou

nty

Roa

d #7

County Road 18

Sideroad 15

Second Line

Hig

hway

#6

Hig

hway

#6

Elora

Fergus

Belwood

Belwood Lake


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Exercise Goal:

To collect “Land Use” descriptions from Workshop participants; information that can be articulated as principles to guide future development in the Township from a Greenlands perspective.


There is a strong consensus amongst the Workshop Tables to intensify the Elora and Fergus core with higher residential density, mixed with institutional development and parkland.

Many tables located a new hospital and “Central Park” near the Wellington County Museum property. Multi-level parking was desired around the hospital.

One table identified developing a business centre (“economic park”) between Elora and Fergus.

Most Workshop Tables identified the need for industrial development yet noted that existing industrial land be intensified before new lands are developed.

Other notes included:

Increased residential development, identified in low constraint areas for development, should include parks with pedestrian links to other amenities.

New road development should include bike lanes.

Waterways and wetlands to be protected or made into “Nature Reserves.”

Existing agricultural lands should remain agricultural.

Increased Density ( Residential,Cultural, Institutional, Parks )

Key:

Nature Preserve

Gateway Node or Development

H Proposed Hospital

4.3 Places For . . . Map

H

Industrial Intensification

Agricultural

EloraFergus

Belwood

Belwood Lake