UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL Turning the National Nepean

Transcription

UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL
Turning the National Nepean Equestrian Park into a
self-sustaining, robust community asset
June 2012
INTRODUCTION3
ABOUT THE WESLEY CLOVER FOUNDATION
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THE CONCEPT: GREENBELT STABLES
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CHALLENGE4
OPPORTUNITY4
VISION4
OBJECTIVES5
EXISTING SITE
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KEY NNEP SITE ISSUES
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KEY FACILITIES/ACTIVITIES
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1 | EQUESTRIAN PARK & IAN MILLAR HORSEMANSHIP CENTRE
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2 | CITY OF OTTAWA ROYAL SWAN HABITAT
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3 | OUTDOOR ATHLETIC AND RECREATION FACILITY
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4 | FOREST SCHOOL CANADA
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5 | SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL LEARNING GARDENS
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6 | GREENBELT STABLES CAMPGROUND
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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY & MINIMIZED SITE IMPACTS
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SITE PLAN
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EVENTS AND RENTALS
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FINANCIAL INVESTMENT & LEASE REQUIREMENT
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CONCLUSION26
Turning the National Nepean Equestrian Park into a self-sustaining, robust community asset
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INTRODUCTION
The Nepean National Equestrian Park (NNEP) has been part of the Ottawa community since the late 60’s run by
municipal governments. The City of Ottawa has decided that it cannot continue to fund the capital and operating
needs of the park. At the same time the NNEP has the potential to benefit a much larger group of residents and
tourists, and make a much greater contribution to the National Capital experience – especially in Ottawa’s west end.
The following document describes a concept to enhance the existing equestrian park to world-class standards,
while also expanding the range of activities and opportunities to celebrate the National Capital Greenbelt. The
aim of this document is to propose the creation of a vibrant “people place”, that promotes enjoyment of the
outdoors and the natural environment of the Capital Region.
Under a long-term lease agreement with the NCC, the Wesley Clover Foundation offers to provide approximately
$20 million in capital improvements to buildings and landscape on the site and would operate the facility.
ABOUT THE WESLEY CLOVER
FOUNDATION
Based in Ottawa, the Wesley Clover Foundation is the charitable foundation of the Matthews Family, and serves
as the not-for-profit/charitable arm of Wesley Clover – the world-class investment group that has interests in
high technology companies, real estate and leisure properties.
The focus of the Foundation is to promote excellence in four areas within the local community:
»» Entrepreneurship
»» Education
»» Healthcare
»» Local community initiatives
The foundation is committed to supporting advances in healthcare research, promoting excellence in education
and creating the next generation of entrepreneurs. A key focus is also the creation of activities that enhance the
welfare of our local community.
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THE CONCEPT:
GREENBELT STABLES
CHALLENGE
The existing facility presents the current tenant (The City of Ottawa) with a significant challenge. The lands and
facilities are in need of upgrades, and the operation does not generate enough revenue to come close to funding
the needed work.
The required capital investments and financial viability of the equestrian operations requires a broader vision of
the potential of the property for recreation and activity. Given the property location in the Greenbelt, the expanded
uses of the lands must align with the vision of the NCC and should minimize the impact on the property. Any plan
to achieve financial sustainability on the property must do so while protecting, celebrating and even enhancing
the Greenbelt.
OPPORTUNITY
Under the stewardship of a non-profit foundation, the facility could be run as a social enterprise focused on
maximizing community benefit. Revenue sustainability, including justification for significant capital investment,
could be achieved by improving the infrastructure and operations of the equestrian facility and expanding activities on the property to attract more residents and visitors to enjoy the natural environment in Ottawa.
The ultimate opportunity is to establish a robust Greenbelt asset in the National Capital that will enhance the
existing equestrian park, significantly expand the facility’s reach and public use, and deliver a focal point for
celebrating the Greenbelt asset.
VISION
The Wesley Clover Foundation would establish Greenbelt Stables, an outdoor recreation and learning centre
that promotes health and education through connections with nature and the outdoors, within the National
Capital Greenbelt.
Under this vision, the facility would grow into a robust community asset that elevates equestrianism in the
National Capital Region, serves a much wider audience, celebrates the National Capital Greenbelt and ultimately
benefits Ottawa residents with education, positive health effects and local economic impacts.
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OBJECTIVES
The vision would be supported with the following objectives:
1 | Elevate equestrianism in the National Capital Region
2 | Inspire and promote outdoor recreation
3 | Connect residents and visitors to nature and the outdoors
4 | Promote sustainable agriculture and food
5 | Enhance the National Capital experience
EXISTING SITE
The Greenbelt Stables concept is designed to include both the NNEP site as well as the adjacent Municipal
Campground site. A proposal to the City will be made to takeover the City’s operations of the Municipal Campground and include it in Greenbelt Stables. The City is currently reviewing its commitment to the Municipal
Campground. While the entire concept will work on the existing NNEP site alone, it will be made even stronger
through integration with the Municipal Campground site. The campground operations would be continued and
leveraged to strengthen the Greenbelt Stables offering.
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KEY NNEP SITE ISSUES
The current NNEP site has a number of pressing problems that need to be remedied to ensure success of this
project. Addressing these issues immediately would be done as part of the capital investment by the Wesley
Clover Foundation. Immediate issues include:
1 |Drainage
The site has a number of existing swales, but they are insufficient to effectively manage storm water.
Most of the property with the exception of the main show ring is compromised by poor drainage. This
leads to inadequate conditions for events after a rainfall, and makes much of the property unreliable for
most uses – including agriculture. Drainage from the property needs to be dramatically improved, while
being mindful of the adjacent wetland and targeting a better environmental outcome compared to the
effects of the current drainage patterns.
2 | Traffic Flow
The existing NNEP layout is disjointed and inefficient. Today it is unable to support equestrian events of
any significance, much less world-class events and competitions. While the separation between the event
area and the day-to-day equestrian operations will be maintained, it is important to allow for integration
for larger events, and to maximize the utility of infrastructure between both uses. Furthermore, accommodating world-class events requires better separation of the traffic flow for audiences and performers,
as well as the traffic flow of motorized vehicles and horses.
3 | State of Existing Buildings
A basic inspection during a tour of the facility found the existing building to be structurally sound, but in
need of significant cosmetic renewal. The short-term needs for the buildings to prevent further decay are
significant. Further, the existing building configuration is limiting for the growth of a school program and
for hosting high-calibre events. There is currently not enough indoor space to make the park financially
viable.
4 | Existing Rings
The existing main grass ring is of premium quality and has been well maintained. However, all the other
sand-based rings are far below the level needed for world-class events. Each of the sand rings need their
footing replaced.
5 | Curb Appeal
The current site is uninviting. Few even know the public space is available for them to enjoy. The site
spans a significant drive along the Queensway and Corkstown Road, yet it challenges passers-by to grasp
what it is, and does not compel someone to find out. Increased curb appeal will increase public interest.
The current primary site entrance is not inviting, and the drive into the property doesn’t set a tone worthy
of a world-class or national-class facility.
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DESIGN PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
This design of Greenbelt Stables will seek to maximize the use and benefit of the property while minimizing
the extent of additional long-term structures, and increasing the long-term health and productivity of the lands.
The design looks to maximize the use of temporary, or low-impact, buildings, in addition to the rejuvenation of
existing structures. Where necessary to create permanent structures, steps will be taken to ensure sustainable
design principles are followed and land impacts are minimized.
KEY FACILITIES/ACTIVITIES
1 | EQUESTRIAN PARK & IAN MILLAR HORSEMANSHIP CENTRE
The equestrian facility will be at the heart of the Canada National Equestrian Park. The existing infrastructure
will be enhanced and expanded to establish a world-class facility, which will attract a series of larger equestrian
events, and elevate all equestrian sports in the National Capital Region by attracting more competitors and
spectators.
The Ian Millar Horsemanship Centre
The riding school will bear the name of Canada’s best-known equestrian rider, Ian Millar. He is one of two
individuals who hold the distinction of representing his country in the most Olympic games ever. He is an ambassador for the sport within Canada and internationally. Ian Millar will partner with The Wesley Clover Foundation
to establish a non-profit, world-class riding school at the facility.
The Ian Millar Horsemanship Centre’s goal is to make it easier to join-in and invite new people into equestrian
sport while working in tandem with local stables. The Ian Millar name and leadership in sport is well known
among Canadians, and will attract new riders to the sport.
The existing main building at the park is sound structurally, but needs significant work to improve their appearance and maintain its integrity. The building would be fully renovated and revamped to create a modern
functional stable. The new face to the building would offer an inviting entrance through large window spans.
Horses will be stabled in the best possible conditions with wide isles and a high ceiling to promote air circulation.
Twelve-by-twelve foot wood and aluminum stalls would be installed, giving the facility the ability to stable 70
horses and service 500+ students all year around. Should the operation require expanded horse stabling, an
additional building could be added adjacent to the current stables, or an addition could be built on to the existing
stables building.
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Front section of the revitalized main building and stables
The existing indoor-riding arena is one of the park’s greatest assets. At 20,000 square feet, it is one of the largest
indoor riding arenas in Eastern Canada. It would be revitalized to better serve the riding school in the winter.
A viewing area would also be added to one side of the building, allowing spectators to watch lessons, or even
indoor events such as clinics, winter shows and demonstrations such as indoor polo, vaulting and reigning.
The riding school would focus its programming on the development of riders at the novice level. Lessons will
instill solid horsemanship skills, drawing from all riding disciplines, to produce well-rounded novice riders. Students who wish to pursue a specific discipline (show jumping, dressage, eventing, etc.) will be given assistance
in choosing a local stable to continue their training. This will create a facility that supports all other equestrian
enterprises in the region, rather than a competitor to existing businesses. This will result in a stronger and more
sustainable equine community throughout the entire region.
In addition to the onsite riding school, the equestrian park facilities are ideally suited to provide targeted, higher
level clinics and courses to enhance rider development in the region. This will create an opportunity for leading
clinicians in all disciplines to showcase their expertise and expose students to the variety of top tiered training
available.
With a state of the art world-class facility in its backyard, The Ian Millar Horsemanship Centre would offer
unprecedented experiential opportunities for riders and horse enthusiasts. Students would have exposure to
elite level shows in the three most popular riding disciplines: show jumping, dressage, and eventing.
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Equestrian Park Event Facilities
Improvements will be made to the existing event facilities so that the city of Ottawa will become one of the few
cities in North America capable of offering world-class equestrian events.
The immediate target would be to achieve a two-star show in each equestrian discipline. These would be events
sanctioned by FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale), and established as part of a national show circuit. Future
goals would include moving to three star competitions, World Cup qualifiers, and hosting international events
like the North American Young Riders. To achieve these goals three stakeholders must be satisfied: competitors,
sponsors, and spectators.
There are key elements that a world-class facility requires to attract the top competitors to a show. When these
fan favorites show up, so do the spectators, sponsors and media, making the event a significant source of pride
and economic activity for the region.
The two key elements are state of the art stabling for the horses and the arena footing for the competitions.
The new facility would include a proper temporary stabling area with a raised stall base, proper tenting for cover,
functioning drainage, and access to power for lights and fans. There would be turnout paddocks as well as the
mandated secure FEI stall area available for FEI competitors. A portion of this space would be a covered pavilion.
During shows, this will provide a roof under which to setup premium stalls needed to attract world-class horses.
The pavilion will also be available for other events on the site such as farmers markets or small community
gatherings.
New all season fiber footing and proper drainage would be installed for all sand rings, providing a ring quality
suitable for FEI level show jumping or dressage. Top-level competitors won’t risk injury to their world-class
horses that can result from competing on poor footing. Proper footing is a critical success factor for top tier
equine events.
One of the park’s greatest assets is its main grass ring. Spruce Meadows in Calgary is the only Canadian and
one of only a handful of North American horse show venues to offer FEI sanctioned classes on grass footing. With
footing quality on par with the Spruce Meadows rings, the main show ring would be transformed into a state of
the art show jumping stadium. Its design will foster drama and excitement, from an enhanced in-gate for horses,
to sheltered public seating and sponsorship seating areas.
The design of the improvements to the seating and facilities are “low footprint” in their orientation. Specific
thought has been given to integrating this work into the landscape. The approach from the outset was to propose
improvements that could be removed at the end of the lease period returning the site to empty green space at
the end of the lease period if for any reason the NCC wished to maintain that option.
Bleacher style seating will be available to comfortably seat a large number of spectators while ensuring a good
view of the ring. The North portion of the ring will feature tiered grass seating, ideally suited for relaxed family
viewing. Large removable canvas shelters will circle the seating area sheltering spectators from sun and rain.
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The west side of the ring (beside the in-gate) would provide “table” seating backing on to the Grand Hall facility.
With this type of seating, patrons would receive their own tables where they can comfortably view the class
while enjoying food and beverages. This structure would be permanent, with the sail-like structures being
made of thin concrete and acting as giant funnels to capture rainwater in holding tanks for use on site for
dust-suppression and irrigation.
Main show ring aerial view from the north
Main show ring aerial view from the southwest
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An impressive main entrance to the show ring will set the tone. A kiosk would be centrally located for entering
spectators where schedules and orders of go would be distributed.
Entrance to the main ring with “Grandstand” area
The event facility will be better connected to the equestrian school facilities through the creation of a promenade
that runs from the main stables building to the main show ring. The promenade will provide space for temporary
concession stands and “street performing”. The Grandstand featured at the end of the promenade will provide
a platform for performance art and small prizing ceremonies.
The Promenade looking towards the Grandstand and Main Show Ring entrance
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The existing cross-country course on the west side of the park is in decent shape, but needs to be upgraded
to meet the standards of a world-class facility and the FEI. Ottawa’s own world-renowned course designer,
Paul Popiel, designed the current course in the mid-80’s. Mr. Popiel has agreed to work with the Wesley Clover
Foundation to make the necessary changes to the course. The cross-country course would be revitalized into a
6,000 meter, FEI three-star compliant course, capable of hosting Olympic qualifier events. Proper traffic flow is
an essential component of the event facilities. Spectator traffic would be kept to the northwest, with additional
parking on the west side as needed. The Promenade flows from the parking area to the Main Show Ring and
the event area. Parking & stabling for event participants will continue to be situated to the east. Separate bridle
paths and golf cart/walking paths will be established in the exhibitors’ areas in order to segregate traffic types
for improved safety and overall traffic flow.
The equestrian park event facilities would be capable of hosting show jumping, dressage, or event horse shows
at international, national, and local levels.
Trail Riding
A trail riding program would target more casual interests in equestrian riding. The trail riding activity would be
housed separately from the riding school, as it is quite a large and busy endeavor with a different atmosphere
than that of individuals preparing for riding lessons.
Trail horses will be turned out in a herd during non-working hours. Following a trail leader, families and groups
of friends with little to no horse experience would enjoy hundreds of acres of forested and open Greenbelt land,
using trails on the Equestrian Park and adjacent municipal campgrounds. In order to properly integrate with the
campgrounds site, a level crossing would need to be added at the northern section of the CP Rail tracks that run
between the sites.
A variety of trail riding programs will be offered. These programs will include:
»» Basic 1-3 hour trail rides around the equestrian facility and throughout the northern section of the campgrounds.
»» A trail ride through the northern section of the municipal campgrounds with a stop for a ‘cook out’ lunch or dinner
featuring foods from the property and nearby. The harvesting of crops for use in the meal could also be included
in the program.
»» ‘Romantic Rides’ with a destination of a candlelit dinner for two at the campground’s amphitheater site.
»» ‘Camp and ride’ programs for families that allow for a short-ride to the campgrounds where they can camp
overnight to provide the ultimate camping experience for children.
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Therapeutic Riding
Therapeutic riding refers to horse-related activities for people with disabilities. Interactions with horses have
been recognized as physically, psychologically, socially and educationally beneficial. According to the Canadian
Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA), the benefits are:
»» Development of mobility, balance and co-ordination
»» Improvement of muscle tone and strength
»» Increased concentration and improved learning skills
»» A challenging recreational activity
»» Independence, integration and a sense of achievement
»» Development of self confidence and motivation
»» Opportunity to become an elite athlete
The gentle horses currently in use at the riding school are ideally suited for therapeutic equine programs. A
CanTRA certified partner would deliver therapeutic riding at the site. CanTRA promotes challenge, achievement
and empowerment for children and adults with disabilities through the use of the horse. The program will
provide life skills training, rehabilitation and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
2 | CITY OF OTTAWA ROYAL SWAN HABITAT
The Royal Swan program has been in place in Ottawa since 1967 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gifted six
pairs of Mute Swans in celebration of Canada’s Centennial. Since that time, the City of Ottawa has operated the
program and cared for the swans during the fall/winter months at an indoor facility on Leitrim Road. During the
spring/summer months the swans are released on the Rideau River.
In 2003, a building audit found that the Leitrim Road facility would reach the end of its life in 2008/09. The
Leitrim Facility is still used today.
In 2008 City staff concluded that a new site needed to be found for the facility in order to keep the swan program
going. So far, no solution has been found for both a site or for funding construction of the facility.
In a study by staff in 2010, the NNEP site was the only site of 23 considered to meet all of the City’s criteria for
a swan habitat.
The Wesley Clover Foundation is willing to include the Royal Swan habitat as part of the Greenbelt Stables. The
foundation would seek a partnership with the City to maintain operations of the facility and annual care for the
swans. City staff will be consulted to determine the exact requirements for the building in order to design a
habitat that best meets the needs of the swans.
Conceptually, the habitat would be connected to the Grand Hall building divided from the human space by
unidirectional glass. This will allow people to come and enjoy the swans without disturbing them during the
winter and fall months.
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Conceptual rendering of Swan Wintering facility integrated into the Grand Hall building
3 | OUTDOOR ATHLETIC AND RECREATION FACILITY
The location of the property makes it an ideal hub for outdoor fitness in Ottawa’s west-end. The property is
flanked by the TransCanada Trail, sitting at the crossroads of the Greenbelt Trail and the Watts Creek Trail. From
this location, the site is an excellent launching point and destination within the vast NCC trail network.
The Greenbelt Stables will encourage and host various fitness activities. As a NCC trail hub the facility will
provide bikes, snowshoes and cross-country skies rental. Skates will also be made available for use on an onsite
rink during the winter months.
During the warm seasons the site will host 10 acres of premium athletic grass fields used for outdoor field
sports. The field space will be configurable into seven full UEFA regulation soccer pitches, 14 Ultimate Frisbee
fields, or a combination of both and some smaller recreational-sized fields. Very occasionally, the space could
be configured to host polo matches. The Ottawa Royals Soccer Club and the Ottawa Sport and Social Club are
both formally interested in long-term arrangements to use the fields. The predominant athletic activities will be
competitive and recreational soccer, rec ultimate, rec grass volleyball, and rec flag football. In short, the site’s
significant space will be transformed from a field most drive by into an inviting and active place for outdoor
enjoyment of the Capital.
To accommodate on-site storage needs of both clubs a small ‘field house’ will be created. In order to maximize
revenue from the fields, all of the fields will be capable of being lit by low impact LED lighting systems at night.
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The Ottawa Sport and Social Club
The Ottawa Sport and Social Club (OSSC) offers co-ed, recreational sport leagues, tournaments, outdoor adventure and social events for adults. Since its inception in 2003, the OSSC has consistently grown its membership
year-over-year in Ottawa, and has also expanded operations to include Kingston, Halifax, Moncton, Victoria,
London (Ontario) and Boulder (Colorado). Currently, the OSSC has over 25,000 annual league participants in
Ottawa, with 8,000 participants playing weekly.
The Ottawa Royals Soccer Club
Since its founding in 1966 as a community-focused non-profit, the Ottawa Royal Soccer Club has been one
of Ottawa’s leading soccer organizations, providing skills development and soccer enjoyment to thousands of
Ottawa-area youth and adults. Today, the Ottawa Royals operate a 1000 member house league as well as 50
competitive youth and adult teams, bringing its total membership as an organization to over 2000 members.
The Ottawa Royals Soccer Club is committed to implementing the principles of Soccer Canada’s new Long Term
Player Development (LTPD) program in developing the highest level players as part of a national effort to improve
our soccer standing internationally while bringing soccer enjoyment, from childhood to adulthood, to the widest
possible group of people in the Ottawa area.
4 | FOREST SCHOOL CANADA
In a forest school, children from ages one-to-six spend their day outdoors, learning through experiential activities
and playing in various urban and near-urban parks, and natural spaces. Indoor space is used only when weather
requires it. Research has shown access to nature improves health, promotes better learning outcomes, and
fosters greater knowledge of the environment and conservation. Forest schools have existed worldwide since
the late 1950s, and are extremely popular throughout Europe – with over 500 forest schools in Germany alone.
Forest School Canada is a national initiative of the Canadian Child and Nature Alliance to support the establishment of forest preschools and nature kindergartens across the country. The forest school concept was first
brought to Canada by Forest School Canada in 2009 through a 25-child pilot initiative in Carp, ON. The popularity
of these schools has meant this initiative has to turn away the vast majority of interested parents and children.
The school is consequently looking to grow its forest school, and to begin supporting the establishment of more
forest schools across the country.
Greenbelt Stables will host the organization’s flagship school and training centre. The site will host a 100-child
forest school that will also serve as a training and certification centre for prospective teachers and administrators. Forest School Canada will train teachers and administrators so they can provide comprehensive, safe, and
engaging educational programs using the forest school model.
The forest school at Greenbelt Stables will be an Ontario-licensed childcare facility. This ensures equitable
access for all children in the region. In addition to the pre-school, other publicly accessible programs like camps
and workshops will be conducted by Forest School Canada at the facility, allowing a broader group to experience
the forest school.
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The facility at Greenbelt Stables will allow Forest School Canada to model and teach Forest School pedagogy
and curriculum, and support similar schools across the country. This allows the Greenbelt-based forest school
to reach across Canada through an expanded network of forest schools, in addition to its direct benefits in the
National Capital Region.
Forest School Canada will also act as the main hub for developing and disseminating educational research and
resources. For example, Forest School Canada will work with the Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research
Group, led by Dr. Mark Tremblay at the Ottawa Hospital, to conduct research on the health outcomes of children
who attend Forest Schools in comparison to children in other conventional early learning programs. Such research could help promote increased use of parks and conservation initiatives as health interventions in Canada.
Forest School Canada will link more Canadians with parks in a way that extends beyond recreational opportunities, into educational and play-based learning. Through a partnership model, Forest School Canada will support
the establishment of ‘natural playscapes’ in educational settings and parks across the country. Additionally, it
will act as the umbrella organization for delivering on-going support to those working in this expanding field.
From its flagship school at Greenbelt Stables, Forest School Canada will improve children’s overall health,
educational outcomes, ecological literacy, and overall conservation efforts in Canada. It will also promote a
greater understanding of how nature and parks can be used as a means of health promotion, play, recreation,
and education.
Forest School Canada will also run programs on the site for other schools in Ottawa. Partnerships will be sought
with both the public and catholic school boards to provide daily programming at the site to classes up to grades
eight. This will ensure access to children from across the city. These programs will be fully integrated with other
facilities on the site including the Learning Gardens and the equestrian facilities.
Forest School Canada has established various partnerships in order to best deliver on its mission. These partners
include UNESCO, Parks Canada, the HALO research team, and the Evergreen Foundation.
The school will use much of the infrastructure already on site:
»» Main office/store building
»» Administrative building, supply room, store
»» Large outdoor fire pit
»» Campgrounds (camping accommodations for educators participating in training program)
»» Outdoor kitchen (the current outdoor kitchen would be winterized to be used year round for agriculture and
cooking curriculum)
»» Laundry Building (used for school’s laundry needs)
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In order to properly support the forest school’s operation, the following infrastructure would be added:
»» A “tree house” style main building in compliance with DAY NURSERIES ACT, to suit 100 children and office space
»» Five heated teepees or yurts to serve as outbuildings
»» An outdoor natural playscape
»» A small learning garden
Conceptual rendering of the “tree house” forest school building on stilts to minimize site impacts
5 | SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL LEARNING GARDENS
The facility will host a sustainable agriculture operation. In its basic form, gardens will be used to educate
children and adults about sustainable agriculture. There will be several learning gardens at the facility, with the
primary garden being close to two acres in size.
If the right partner is secured, and if proven economically viable, Greenbelt Stables will host a larger agricultural
operation that will see the primary garden at approximately 10 acres. In this scenario, harvested products will
be used in food preparation for onsite events, and potentially made available for purchase at a periodic small
onsite market.
Sustainable agriculture is an important use of Greenbelt land, and it is important that Greenbelt Stables educates
about and delivers sustainable agriculture as part of its offering.
The Wesley Clover Foundation is currently exploring various partnership options for this facility.
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6 | GREENBELT STABLES CAMPGROUND
If Greenbelt Stables is able to include the current Municipal Campground site, the campground operation will
be continued and integrated as a key facility. The campgrounds will further strengthen the overall concept by
offering outdoor accommodations in combination with events and programming supporting outdoor recreation
and education. The large forested areas of the campground will also enhance the overall offering by providing
sections for horse riding and multi-use trails, and a home for the forest school.
The campground will also continue to be available for outdoor events such as the annual Odawa Pow Wow, and
seek to attract additional events that suit the space.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY &
MINIMIZED SITE IMPACTS
Greenbelt Stables will enhance and celebrate the National Capital Greenbelt. The plan proposed is designed to
minimize site impacts while also creating a world-class facility that will bring the Greenbelt experience to many
more local residents and visitors from across Canada and even the world.
Landscaping and Storm Water Management
Significant investment will be made into landscaping and site drainage to improve storm water management.
This will improve the long-term arability of the land across the site. It will also make it possible to host a variety
of activities on the site without long-term degradation of the land.
Construction
The planned buildings are designed to minimize impacts on the site, and to be easily removed from the site at
their end of life.
Greenbelt Stables will also feature sustainable design. Additional buildings will be built to LEED Gold standards,
while maximizing the use of existing buildings. There will be no major demolition of existing structures, as
everything will be retrofitted to achieve much higher quality buildings.
Rainwater collection will take place using storm water ponds and building integrated collection systems. This
water will be used on site for irrigation and dust suppression in the sand horse rings.
Renewable Energy
A bio-digester system for horse waste will be considered pending the ability to get a feed-in-tariff contract with
the Ontario Power Authority. Since there is already an automated manure collection system in the existing stables,
collected manure could easily be sent to an on-site digester. Heat would be used to heat the large indoor arena
in the winter or the site’s hot water. The bio-digester would be an onsite attraction. Visitors will be able to see it in
action and learn about the process. Through onsite programming, kids will be able to be hands-on with the system
and get first hand experience with renewable energy.
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The potential for rooftop solar energy generation is also being explored. If a solar feed-in-tariff contract can be
secured, photovoltaic panels would be installed on site to feed electricity into the grid to supplement energy
used on site. They would also be used for educational purposes in onsite programming. If a power contract is not
obtainable, a solar thermal system for aiding with heating the indoor arena will be considered.
Transportation
Greenbelt Stables will be a cycling hub on the NCC trails. Cycling will be promoted as a preferred means to
travel to and from the facility. The site is close enough to the downtown core to be easily accessible by both
urban areas, and communities in the west by bicycle and public transit. Maps will be published to show nearby
neighborhoods the best routes to the site, and substantial bicycle parking will be made available. In addition,
automobile parking on site will be a pay-what-you-can service. Revenues will go towards funding maintenance
of the site and its environmental initiatives.
The site is also accessible by public transportation – both the 93 and 96 buses stop adjacent to the site. Should
Greenbelt Stables successfully attract more people to the site, the Wesley Clover Foundation will approach the
City of Ottawa and OC Transpo to further enhance public transit service to the site.
The table below shows the catchment area according to cycling distances:
Cycling
Distance
(travel time)
Estimated
Population
Communities
Up to 6 km
(within 20
minutes)
37,000
Crystal Bay, Shirleys Bay, Crystal Beach, Rocky Point, Bell’s Corners,
Marchwood, Beaverbrook, Westcliffe Estates, Bayshore, Lynwood Village,
Arbeatha Park, Boyce, Qualicum
Up to 8 km
(within 30
minutes)
29,000
Graham Park, South March Station, Queensway, Redwood, Morgan’s Grant,
South March, Katimavik-Hazeldean, Leslie Park, Britannia, Ottawa West,
Lincoln Heights
Up to 11 km
(within 40
minutes)
100,000
Briargreen, Kanata, Glen Cairn, Trend Village, Alrington Woods, Whitehaven,
Queensway Terrace North, Bridlewood, Craig Henry, McKellar Park, Kenson
Park
Up to 18 km
(within one
hour)
355,000
Glabar Park, Bel-Air Park, Harwood Plains, Fallowfield, Woodroffe North, Cedarhill Estates, Centrepointe, Highland Park, Westboro, Ryan Farm, Huntley,
Nepean, Navaho, Bel-Air Heights, Island Park, Marchhurst, Braemar Park,
Pheasant Run, Tanglewood, City View, Hampton Park, Crestview, Malwood,
Huntley Manor Estates, Copeland Park, Amberwood Village, Hintonburg,
Tunney’s Pasture, McKellar Heights, Skyline, Fringewood, Westwood, Borden
Farm, Knollsbrook, Central Park, Old Stittsville, Mechanicsville, Barrhaven,
Parkwood Hills, Carlington, Lebreton Flats, Carleton Heights, Jockvale,
Longfield-Davidson Heights, Fisher Heights, Fisher Glen, Pineglen, Healey’s
Heath, Grenfell Glen, Twin Elm, Dunrobin, Stanley Corners, Clearview,
Country Place, Civic Hospital, Carp
18.6 km (Just
over and hour)
Downtown Ottawa
19
SITE PLAN
Full Site
20
SITE PLAN
Site Plan – East Side (Current Equestrian Park)
21
SITE PLAN
Site Plan – West Side (Current Municipal Campgrounds)
22
Entrances
The main “west entrance” to the facility will be overhauled to enhance curb appeal and make the site more
inviting. It will be brought to the level expected of a world-class equestrian facility.
The “service entrance” will be used for maintenance vehicles, horse show participant vehicles, and for use of
the athletic fields.
The “east entrance” to the campground and forest school will remain mostly as is, with updates only to enhance
and add signage.
Parking
The principal parking at the equestrian facility will be “orchard style”. This will disguise the parking lot to look
more like an orchard than a parking lot. Cars will park among trees. No additional impermeable paving would be
added to the site for parking purposes. Instead, consideration will be given to permeable pavers and a “grasspave” system, and use of sand/gravel surfacing mixed with topsoil (a form of structural soil) with hardy grass/
groundcover seeding to encourage vegetative growth where vehicles do not travel consistently. Trees would be
planted using “Silva Cell”, or similar, technology to protect the root zones and growing medium from compaction
and to allow sustainable healthy growth of the trees in the parking area.
The principal parking area will have room for approximately 350 to 400 cars. This should be sufficient parking
for the majority of regular activities and events at the site. Pay-what-you-can meters will be installed at this
location.
A small parking area for up to 200 cars will be maintained for daily use on the east side of the site to provide
parking for users of the athletic fields. Pay-what-you-can meters will also be installed at this location.
On occasion additional parking will be required for larger events at the site. The area just south of the orchard
parking will be used for expanded spectator parking for large equestrian shows and other large spectator
events. The area designated for temporary stabling and participant parking on the east side of the site will also
be available for spill over parking as needed.
Ponds and drainage
As described previously, drainage is a serious concern on the site, and requires significant attention. While it is
difficult to prescribe a solution until a hydrological study is conducted at the site, it is believed that significantly
increasing the size of the existing pond will help to improve drainage. In the winter season, the pond will be used
as a public skating rink.
A smaller storm water pond will be added to the north side of the athletic fields in order to specifically address
the quality and maintainability of those grounds.
Additionally, bioswales and tiling will be explored as options throughout the site as needed to improve the
site’s ability to handle storm water and increased usage. Surface drainage from the orchard parking lots will
be managed through sustainable best practices to remove contaminants and allow for groundwater recharge,
including the use of bio-swales connected to the property’s drainage swales.
23
Landscaping
The landscaping for Greenbelt stables will be agrarian and equestrian in character in-keeping with the site uses
and context. Sustainability will be a key driver for the landscaping plan.
Native plant material will be used wherever possible to reduce special needs of ornamental plants and to reduce
maintenance requirements. The plant material will be selected for its ability to:
»» Attract butterflies, birds and bees
»» Provide habitat for birds and small animals native to the greenbelt agrarian areas.
»» Create an edible landscape with berries, small fruit and nuts
»» Be non-toxic to animals and humans
»» Be microclimatic modifiers for shade, sun, wind and moisture
»» Prevent erosion
»» Assist site drainage and evapo-transpiration through the creation of bioswales
»» Create hedgerows for the fields and to define areas
The pond area will be developed with a natural pond edge including water and riparian plantings of native plant
material valued for its habitat and aesthetic.
Other landscape materials in the design will include the use of sustainable natural products such as timber,
wood, gravel, and stone as well as man-made products such as pavers that are made from recycled materials.
The fields that are not cultivated for the gardens will be sown with grasses and crops that can be used as food
(hay) and bedding (straw). Other fields may be allowed to be grasslands used for pasture. The athletic fields
will utilize hardy sustainable sports field grasses.
Trails
Approximately seven kilometers of riding trails will be maintained across the site. The trails will travel the entire
exterior border of the existing equestrian park and also traverse into the back half of the campground site for a
small network of treed trails. As mentioned above, crossing into the campground site will require the addition of
a level railroad crossing.
Multi-use, non-riding trails will also be maintained on the site for hiking, running, skiing or snowshoeing. If the
NCC is interested, The Wesley Clover Foundation could take on the maintenance of the existing NCC trails that
run between the two sites.
24
EVENTS AND RENTALS
The Greenbelt Stables grounds will be capable of hosting large and small events beyond equestrian shows and
competitions. Facilities will be designed to accommodate weddings, festivals, athletic competitions, or other
events that benefit from the Greenbelt setting and outdoor space.
The Greenbelt Stables could also work directly with the NCC in the case that the commission is interested in
offering official Winterlude programming on a west-Ottawa site.
The Wesley Clover Foundation plans to curate a number of outdoor events each season. Some of the nonequestrian events being considered as annual occurrences are the following:
The National Capital Flower Show
A summer festival celebrating gardening. showcasing competing gardeners, and delivering gardener education.
The National Capital Harvest Festival
A fall festival celebrating the harvest, as well as educating about and enjoying sustainable agriculture and
cuisine.
The Great Canadian Bonspiel
A winter recreational, outdoor, curling competition modeled after H.O.P.E. Volleyball Summerfest and the Ottawa
Dragon Boat Festival. The National Capital Spring Planter
A spring festival focused on providing local residents the tools, seeds and education needed to maintain thriving
gardens in the National Capital Region.
FINANCIAL INVESTMENT & LEASE
REQUIREMENT
The Wesley Clover Foundation expects the Greenbelt Stables project to cost between $20-30 million. Such an
investment would require a long-term lease of 25 years with an option to extend for an additional 5 year. Further,
the lease must allow for the flexibility required to run the operation described in the above proposal.
25
CONCLUSION
The Wesley Clover Foundation is proud to present this proposal to the NCC and ultimately to the communities of
the National Capital Region. Expanding the offering of the current equestrian park to include outdoor recreation
and learning serves the community well, and better aligns the property with the vision of the NCC.
Greenbelt Stables will celebrate the Greenbelt and will work to increase the health and educational impacts of
nature in the National Capital Region. It will elevate the region’s most central facility to a world-class standard
that the National Capital deserves. It will also serve to promote conservation and sustainability in the region.
The Wesley Clover Foundation would welcome a discussion with the NCC to determine the best way forward to
deliver the proposed facility to the community.
26

UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL Turning the National Nepean

Transcription

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