Cole Harbour Basin Open Spaces Plan Oct 22, 2011

Open Spaces: Cole Harbour BasinPlanning Project

Visioning GatheringOctober 22, 2011

What is the Cole Harbour Basin?It is an historic geographic location that is centered with the Cole Harbour Estuary and is settled by the communities of Cole Harbour, Cow Bay, Lawrencetown, and Westphal

What is the Purpose of this Project:To prepare a plan that has been influenced & impacted by the public voice and opinion of the Cole Harbour Basin Communities in order to guide HRM decisions of investment in public open spaces in the community and region.

Open Space DefinedGreen – for parks and conservation areasBlue – for watercoursesGrey – for streetscapes

What does Open Space do?

Pillars and Principles Matrix – a work in progress

3 Pillars that support a Livable Society

The Culture The Economy The Environment

How can an open space system contribute to the culture, economy, and natural environment?

• Need to validate principles thru the Public Engagement Survey

Culture – the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

From a Cultural Perspective open space has unique value in a Community’s past, its present, and it’s future.

Early Settlement - Connection with natural environment•First Nation, African and European•Agriculture and Fishing•Landscapes and lasting impressionsRecreation - Connection with people•Sport & competition•Rejuvenation & escape•Spectators entertainmentMobility – Connection with places•Modes of transportation•Move place to place

Economy – the labour, capital and land resources, and the agents that socially participate in the production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area.

From an Economic perspective open space has unique value in a community’s ability to compete for people:

To reside in HRM•live near well planned open space

To visit HRM•desire to return

To invest in HRM•have predictability

Environment – the relationships that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment

From an environmental perspective open space has unique value in the preservation, conservation and protection of natural systems•Land•Water•Air•Flora and fauna

Public InfluenceThe public can influence the project team’s understanding of how an open space system can benefit the area’s culture, economy and environment.

So far, here’s what we’re excited about!The Recreation (the Green)•Rainbow Haven Park•Coastal Heritage Park•Forrest Hills Common and Cole Harbour Place•The 56 parks that have fields, forests, trails, and playstructuresThe Natural Environment (the Green & Blue)•The Cole Harbour Estuary•The Little Salmon River•Bissett LakeThe Heritage (the Green)•A Cultural Core•The Causeway•The rail corridorThe Corridor Image Routes (the Green & Grey)•Rainbow Haven to Cole Harbour Place•Highway #207, Bissett Road, Cow Bay Road•Old Lawrencetown Road & Old Miller Road r.o.w.

Where should we look to invest?

Sample Survey

Need to validate these suggested core principles

Question 4Please choose the five most important principles to guide us when we plan & design our open space: (rank them from 1-5, #1 being the best)•Concentrate on the quality and the diversity of open spaces•Maintain property values•Consider the equity of access and distribution•Boost our sense of community identity•Focus on the efficient and effective resource management•Protect the natural environment•Allow the flexibility to respond to changing needs•Preserve & promote our heritage landscapes and structures•Improve the appearance of the streetscapes and parks•Improve mobility options to get to school, work, and play•Promote a healthy lifestyle•Other_______________________________________________

Open Spaces: Cole Harbour BasinPlanning Project

Visioning GatheringOctober 22, 2011