Shoreline Promenade & Waterworks Park
Location: 5 Walker Street, Oakville
Client: Town of Oakville
Project Start Date: 2017
Project End Date: 2019
Project Type:
Civic
Green Infrastructure
Heritage
Public Realm Master Plans
Parks, Recreation and Open Space
Trails
Waterfronts
Construction Cost: $3,600,000.00
About the Project
The implementation of Shoreline Promenade and revitalization of Waterworks Park provides a missing link in public waterfront access that is custom-built to be resilient to our changing environment while balancing amenities for park users with the health of the shoreline and near shore landscapes.
In 2013, MBTW was retained by the Town of Oakville to develop detailed design for a series of park spaces along the west shores of the downtown Oakville Harbour at Sixteen Mile Creek. Shoreline Promenade and Waterworks Park were constructed as part of the public realm expansion and lakefill operations that began in 2017. Lakefill engineering works were completed in early spring of 2019 (designed by Shoreplan Engineering, constructed by R&M Construction) and were followed immediately by the construction of the land-based park and landscape development. MBTW worked closely with Shoreplan in the design stages to ensure that landscape plans were thoroughly integrated with the engineering of the new shoreline, groynes and cobble beaches.
The Shoreline Promenade and Waterworks Park project is the most expansive undertaking within the overall West Shore Parks revitalization initiative. The fundamental intent of the work was to create a safe, accessible and continuous waterfront promenade between Tannery Hill and Waterworks Park - a 600m segment of barrier-free public waterfront access that was previously missing. It is important to note that all new in-water and land-based development was designed to be ‘Built-Back-Better’, creating a waterfront that would be more resilient to changing environmental factors while improving accessibility for park visitors. The implemented design integrates sustainable solutions that offset the impacts of wave uprush and flooding during storm events while providing the community with a safe and accessible waterfront amenity.
New amenities include a refurbished and expanded parking facility (which also serves as boat storage within the winter months and as a special events venue), multiple seating and gathering areas, barrier free trail access to the top of Tannery Hill, renovated trails, stair connections and site-wide lighting, wayfinding and interpretive features. The project also enhances both in-water aquatic life and terrestrial habitats and include migratory bird and butterfly gardens, native slope stabilization, naturalization areas and low impact development (LID) features to address parking lot drainage.
Of special note, is the integration of informative artwork acknowledging the presence of Indigenous People in the harbour area. The design team worked with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation to design and locate a gathering circle, a Moccasin Identifier Installation and a timeline art piece set into a stone retaining wall.
Services:
Accessibility and Risk Assessment
Arboriculture
Contract Administration
Graphic Art & Interpretive Signage Design
Landscape Architecture
Project Management
Public & Stakeholder Consultation
Sustainable Design
Public Art Coordination
First Nations
Indigenous Engagement
Contractors:
R&M Construction (Contractor)
Shoreplan Engineering Ltd. (Coastal Engineering)
Blackwell (Structural Engineering)
MJS Consultants (Lighting and Electrical Engineering)
RV Anderson (Civil Engineering)
