Gibsons Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements Mini-Charrette - Presentation Town of Gibsons | October 6, 2016
Our Team Consulting Team • Dave Murray , Project Manager, Water Resources Engineer, KWL • David Reid, Facilitator, Landscape Architect, Lanarc • Kate Evans , Landscape Architect, Lanarc • Glenn Hafey , PalegicTechnologies, Marine Construction • Diane Sanford , Moonbeam, Marine Biology Town of Gibsons • Emanuel Machado , CAO • Andre Boel , Director of Planning • Dave Newman , Director of Engineering
Agenda Three Sessions: 1.0 Morning Session = Charrette Participants & Designers 2.0 Afternoon Session = Designers (Optional for Charrette Participants) 3.0 Evening Session = Open House (Charrette Participants, Designers, and Public)
1.0 Morning Agenda 8:45am Doors Open 9:00am Introductions & Background 9:45am Session A – Clarify Objectives (10:15am) --- Break --- 10:30am Session B – Design Ideas 11:30am Facilitated Integration – What Design Ideas Where? (12:oopm) --- End of Morning Session --- (Key stakeholders invited to stay as participants in the “Designer Session”
2.0 Afternoon Agenda 1:00 pm Session C – Sorting Concepts Into Integrated Design Approach 1:45 am Session D – Production Assignments As two working groups, each with planner, engineer, and landscape architect/biologist --- End of Designers Session --- (4:00 pm)
3.0 Evening Agenda Open House 5:00 pm Doors Open to View Display (Informal Discussion) 5:30 pm Presentation Clarified Objectives, Design Results (Options & Implementation Phasing) 6:15 pm Small Group Discussion of Results Focused on Questions in a Response Form 6:30 pm Small Group Reporting Consensus Points and Remaining Issues 7:00 pm Wrap-up & Next Steps Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 6
Charrette Objectives Review public input received Share info on constraints & opportunities Work creatively to explore all possible solutions After discussion, integrate the best ideas into two design concepts .
Charrette Objectives NOTE: Results are subject to more detailed analysis prior to production of formal recommendations.
Study Area 9 From Gibsons Wharf to Armours Beach
Study Area 10 Foreshore “generally refers to the area between the natural boundary of the ocean and the lowest tides” Access Sewer Slope
Historical Uses 11 Wharf at Gibsons Landing (visible: large crowd waiting for the ferry with some waterfront buildings, c1952) Lower Gibsons with Tanker at Wharf (visible: Ballentine Block, Methodist church, Hill's Marine Shop, Marina House & other buildings along waterfront to Armours Beach, c1950) Waterfront and Shoreline Buildings (visible: immediately East of the Wharf looking towards Armours Beach and Soames Hill, c1950) Photos (#2211, 423, 541) Courtesy of the Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives
Foreshore Today 12 Ecosystem Services for a Range of Uses • Part of the marine ecosystem (fish and eelgrass) • Infrastructure servicing corridor (sanitary sewer) • Public recreation trail (oceanfront walkway)
Foreshore Today 13 Photo Tour Wharf – Southern End of Study Area N
Foreshore Today 14 Photo Tour Access/Seawalk – Looking South to Wharf N
Foreshore Today 15 Photo Tour Access along properties N
Foreshore Today 16 Photo Tour Typical foreshore N
Foreshore Today 17 Photo Tour Cole’s Access N
Foreshore Today 18 Photo Tour Cole’s Old Marine Railway N
Foreshore Today 19 Photo Tour Armours Beach – Park and Seawalk N
Foreshore Today 20 Photo Tour Armours Beach N
Foreshore Today 21 Photo Tour Foreshore – Northern End of Study Area N
Foreshore Today 22 Environmental Protection Eelgrass N
Design Constraints 23 Sanitary Sewer • Fixed alignment of sanitary sewer in access road • May require eventual replacement Access (Maintenance and Seawalk) • Riprap protecting the walkway and sewer pipe below is largely intact but needs upgrade for access • Small section in front of Cole’s Marina– How to upgrade? Armours Beach • Lock-block retaining wall to be reviewed • Beach area access to be integrated to new foreshore approach
Design Constraints – Land Tenure/Use 24
Environmental Constraints 25 Physical: Beach slope and size of material (sand, gravel, cobble are critical design constraints Climate Change: Possible storm surge increases Estimated sea level rise of 0.5 m by 2050 and 1.0 m by 2100 Biological: The upper intertidal area is largely devoid of observable aquatic life; however, lower tidal has Rockweed and Sea Lettuce, Mussels, Barnacles, Sea Stars and trace Oyster The backshore area along the public walkway is largely devoid of any natural riparian vegetation A fringing and continuous patch of eelgrass appears to be expanding in the nearshore area
Environmental Constraints 26 Eelgrass “Meadows of the ocean” • Stabilize shoreline substrates and moderate shoreline wave action • Serve as a refuge area for marine life, nurseries and feeding areas, and marine corridors o The harbor in Gibsons was the recipient of eelgrass transplants in the mid 1980’s o Mapping began in 2005 (to determine the size and location) and then was updated in 2013 o The eelgrass bed has expanded since 2005, especially along the NW shoreline
Regulatory Constraints 27 Coastal Shore Jurisdiction in BC
DFO Input 28 Regulatory Approval Required- Review/Authorization • Natural Capital Valuation and Ecosystem services should be highlighted • Become a coastal community champion! • DFO generally supports GreenShores approach but there will be trade offs to protect Eelgrass • Ensure forage fish habitat &use are considered in design • Encourage public education through signage/ecosystem services • Good examples are out there and proven • Need an interdisciplinary team on design and implementation • Need a phased approach to support long-term climate change • Strong focus on natural processes • Design lead by core principles/values
DFO Input 29 Bottom Line Preference/recommendation for application of Greenshores approach should be consistent with local/site coastal characteristics, maintenance of Natural foreshore processes and that integrates and balances with maintenance & protection of adjacent, significant Eelgrass beds.
GreenShores Approach for Coastal Development • A tool for developing the shore while protecting natural shorelines and habitats • Guiding principles: o Preserving the integrity or connectivity of shoreline processes o Maintaining or enhancing habitat diversity and function o Minimizing or reducing pollutants to the environment o Reducing cumulative impacts to the shoreline environment Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 30
Future Character? Future Character? More natural tree/shrub backshore or More gentle built shoreline?
How could we apply GreenShores? Wave Run-up 2H:1V = 2.3 m Existing Beach Typical Cross Section 4:1 = 1.14 m 8:1 = 0.6 Future 10:1 = 0.45 m Character? 5H:1V 10H:1V Sewer 5H:1V 8H:1V
How could we apply Greenshores? Future With SLR- Beach Typical Cross Section Future Character? 5H:1V 10H:1V 5H:1V 8H:1V Sewer
Precedents Examples of restored shorelines ‘ GreenShores ’ approaches ‘Urban Waterfront’ approaches Note: the exposure of the Gibsons shoreline to wind and waves will require a customized approach – however these precedents provide general examples of alternative shoreline treatments. Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 34
Jericho Park BEFORE AFTER Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 35
BEFORE Kitsilano Beach AFTER Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 36
Spanish Banks BEFORE AFTER Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 37
Parksville Beach Nourishment BEFORE 2008 AFTER AFTER Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 38
Davis Bay after the March 2012 storm Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 39
GS Ratings Pilot Project #1- Dick Murphy Park, Campbell River Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 40
GS Ratings Pilot Project #1- Dick Murphy Park, Campbell River Timber wall removal, beach replenishment and planting Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 41
Lazo Road, Town of Comox Riprap rock buried and logs balasted Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 42
Shore zones support important biological functions Sandlance, food for salmon, spawn on beaches R. Hocken R. Hocken Feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds Town of Gibsons – Foreshore & Seawalk Improvements | 43
Adapting to the Future Long Term Ideal (2050, 2100 or 2200?) Short Term Phased Improvements Now 2030 2050
Sea Level Rise (SLR) Shoreline dikes over 200 years?
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