HomeMy Public PortalAbout2018-11-07_Final Plan_Text Only_Sherbrooke Lake Park Design (1MB)SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK
Prepared by EDM Planning Services Ltd.
In Association With
Viridis Design Studio Ltd. and SNC Lavalin Inc.
Prepared for Sherbrooke Lake Park Advisory Committee
November 2018
FINAL REPORT
EDM Planning Services Ltd.
2111 Maitland Street
Halifax, NS B3K 2Z8
902 425 7900
FINAL PLAN
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK PLAN
Final Report
November 7, 2018
Prepared for:
Sherbrooke Lake Park Advisory Committee
Prepared by:
EDM Planning Services Ltd.
in association with
Viridis Design Studio Ltd.
SNC Lavalin Inc.
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
CONTACT
EDM Planning Services Ltd
2111 Maitland Street
Suite 300
Halifax, Nova Scotia
CANADA B3K 2Z8
Phone: 902-425-7900
Fax: 902-425-7990
Web: www.edm.ca
Contact: Eva Mooers, MaSC, P.Eng.
Email: eva@edm.ca
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: FIELD WORK AND GIS METHODOLOGY
APPENDIX B: MAPS
APPENDIX C: MASTER PLAN AND PHASING
APPENDIX D: PROJECT SHEETS
APPENDIX E: CONCEPT ROAD DESIGN
APPENDIX F: CONCEPTUAL DETAILS
- FLOATING WALKWAY
- WASHROOM PAVILION
- BOAT LAUNCH
INTRODUCTION 4 ...................................................................................................................................................
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK DESIGN 5 .....................................................................................................
WOODSTOCK ROAD 5 ........................................................................................................................................
PRIVATE PARK ROADS 7 ...................................................................................................................................
PARKING 10 ................................................................................................................................................................
GARBAGE/RECYCLING BINS 10 ....................................................................................................................
SWIMMING 10 ...........................................................................................................................................................
WASHROOM PAVILION 11 .................................................................................................................................
PIT RESTORATION/WETLAND ENHANCEMENT 12 .........................................................................
BOAT LAUNCH 12 ....................................................................................................................................................
PHASING 12 .................................................................................................................................................................
SAFETY 14 .....................................................................................................................................................................
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN 15 ..........................................................................................................
CONCLUSIONS 18 ...................................................................................................................................................
NEXT STEPS 18 .........................................................................................................................................................
REFERENCES 19......................................................................................................................................................
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INTRODUCTION
Sherbrooke Lake or “Nine Mile Lake” is a natural freshwater lake. While the lake has a rich history of use
in the area, it has not been accessible to the public for quite some time. The issue of public access to
Sherbrooke Lake has been discussed for over thirty years. It is exciting that the Municipality of the District
of Lunenburg (MODL) has acquired lands (the site) necessary to make Sherbrooke Lake accessible to the
public. While access to the lands is through MODL, the park property is within the Municipality of the
District of Chester (MODC). A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the municipalities has been
established and defines the joint interest in the park as well as the key terms, principles and decision
making structure to use for design and operation of the park, including the establishment of the Park
Advisory Committee (the Committee) and the Sherbrooke Lake Stewardship Committee.
The MOU establishes the key design principles for the park:
•Public Access should have an environmental focus
•Public Access should be safe, clean and secure
•Public Access should be accessible for the general public.
EDM is pleased to present the Sherbrooke Lake Park design. The vision for Sherbrooke Lake Park comes
from the values of the park stakeholders. Many values and desires for the park have been identified and
documented in the MOU between MODL and MODC, the Final Report (Sherbrooke Lake Access Advisory
Committee, 2016) and the Sherbrooke Lake Public Consultation Report (UPLAND, 2016). This report
includes a description of the methodology, the Park Master Plan, suggested phasing with cost estimates,
safety considerations and a description of an adaptive management approach for the development of the
park. The report is brief and additional details can be found in the series of appendices.
METHODOLOGY
To gain an understanding of the park property, EDM has produced a series of maps and conducted an in-
the-field inventory of the site on land and in Deep Cove. An account of each site visit, import meetings as
well as a description of the digital mapping and analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can
all be found in Appendix A.
MAPS
The results of the site visits and GIS analyses are a series of maps. These maps can be found in Appendix
B, and are as follows:
• A watershed map with streams, lakes, roads and property parcels.
• A bathymetry map of Deep Cove identifying deep and shallow zones.
• A detailed topography map generated from the LiDAR data including calculated streams and
ephemeral drainage patterns, and catchments generated using ArcHydro.
• A slope map of the site.
• A site map with important features.
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK DESIGN
The Sherbrooke Lake Park site is nestled within a rustic, rural environment. The Park Plan highlights the
natural features of the landscape, such as the well established forest with a high canopy, streams, wetlands
and of course, Sherbrooke Lake. The design has a low impact on the surrounding environment, especially
the water quality of the lake, is aesthetically pleasing, and offers a safe user experience. It is a family-
friendly place where community members and visitors of all ages and abilities can come and swim, relax
and develop relationships with each other and the natural environment.
The master plan of the park shows the long term vision of the Park. It presents the layout of the park and
the location of park elements (Appendix C). A description of each park element and how it fits within the
overall plan, information about materials, permitting considerations, and a class D estimate, has been
prepared as a project sheet (Appendix D) for the following elements:
•Shoreline Swimming;
•Floating Walkway to Shoal Island;
•Floating Swimming Raft;
•Washroom Pavilion;
•Gate(s);
•Boat Launch;
•Picnic area;
•Hiking trails;
•Natural Playground; and,
•Pit Restoration and Wetland Creation.
Road upgrades, parking areas and garbage/recycling bins do not have project sheets. They are addressed in
later sections of the report, followed by additional details regarding the implementation of the swimming
elements, washroom pavilion, and boat launch.
WOODSTOCK ROAD
Sherbrooke Lake Park is accessed via a 2 km section of the Woodstock Road. The Woodstock Road is a
non-maintained, 66 ft public highway owned by Nova Scotia Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal
(TIR) and was recently surveyed at the request of the MODL (Berrigan Surveys, 2018). The existing
condition of the road and the intended vehicle use of park users warrants upgrades to the road. The current
travel surface is approximately 3 m wide and many of the existing culverts require repair or replacement.
There is no intent of winter use of the park and as such, winter maintenance for the road is not required to
accommodate park users.
The concept design for the Woodstock Road (Appendix E) enables traffic and vehicles with trailers
transporting boats up to 14 ft. The concept design retains the country character of the road by maintaining
its current travel width. The balance here is between needing to accommodate emergency vehicles and the
importance of keeping driving speeds low. Residents in the area have expressed concerns about driving
speeds and illegal dumping. Keeping driving speeds low through the design of the road will dissuade illegal
dumping, as will the daily presence of MODL staff and park users. In the design, the road surface is
upgraded and pull-off areas, sized appropriately and located to provide sufficient seeing distance to safely
pull over (approximately every 200 m), are located within the highway right of way. The Walden Fire Chief
stressed the importance of keeping brush trimmed along the road. The pull-offs have been sized to
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
accommodate a 40 ft vehicle. The design makes use of existing pull-off areas where possible and indicates
which side of the road pull-offs are to be placed to minimize impact on existing drainage. Mitchell Fancey
has built the existing pull-offs along this section of the Woodstock Road. In places, these pull-offs extend
beyond the right-of-way onto his property. Mr. Fancey uses the pull-offs for storage of logs and machinery
as part of his forestry operation. He does not anticipate there being conflict with park users pulling off and
storage of his gear in the deeper parts of the pull-offs.
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Woodstock Road, rural character. (Source: EDM)
Woodstock Road existing pull off area. (Source: EDM)
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
Prior to construction, an engineering design is required, as well as a “Work Within Highway Right-of-Way”
Permit from TIR. Several culverts in the existing road need to be repaired or replaced and will require
watercourse notification or approval with Nova Scotia Environment. The scope of and party responsible for
road maintenance, including vegetation trimming and maintenance of the road surface, should be identified.
PRIVATE PARK ROADS
Roads within the park are considered private and are wholly located in MODC. The two private properties
to the north of the park site have a deeded right of way to use the upper portion of the park driveway to
access their properties. Where possible, the existing road/driveway network has been used in the concept
design. MODC does not have a standard road specifications for the general basic zone in which the park
site lies. However, MODC (H. Archibald, personal communication) have indicated they are concerned with
slope and access for emergency vehicles. These considerations have been taken into consideration in the
final concept design of the roads.
Private roads have been designed to have a maximum slope of 12%. For one-way and two-way roads, a
travel width of 3.7 m and 7.3 m have been specified, respectively (Appendix E). Sufficient turning area(s)
have been included for emergency vehicles. AutoTURN, vehicle sweep path analysis software, was used to
test various vehicles’ ability to navigate the site. The largest anticipated vehicles, a school bus and a motor-
home with boat trailer, were used to size turning areas (Appendix E).
Upper Shared Driveway
The upper portion of the driveway is widened along the west side to work with the existing drainage. One
provincially mapped watercourse crosses the upper driveway. Where the watercourse crosses the driveway,
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Woodstock Road exposed culvert. (Source: EDM)
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
there is wetland on the up-stream side and a pond on the downstream side. During consultation, it was
mentioned that this pond was dug out as a “fire pond.” There is obvious beaver activity in and around the
pond. During site visits, EDM was unable to locate a culvert through the driveway, however Mr. Fancey
confirmed there is one in the road that was installed 35 to 40 years ago. Replacing this culvert will likely
require a permit from NSE (Watercourse Application or Notification). The entrance two-way road veers
from the existing driveway alignment near the intersection with the other driveways. This intersection has
been redesigned to direct park users to the park and away from the private properties to the north. To the
south, access has been blocked to Mr. Fancey’s lands with boulders. He has no interest in this connection in
the future. A turning circle and parking area are located in this area before the gated entrance to the lower
shoreline park. The location of the gate was selected in order to maintain the deeded easement and not gate
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Private park upper driveway in need of widening. (Source: EDM)
Private park road - lower driveway in need of widening. Large trees to be kept.
(Source: EDM).
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
in the 2 properties north of the park site. This was the desire of the adjacent property owner. A concern was
raised by residents of the neighbouring Deep Cove development that a gate was not placed so that it would
prevent access to Hemlock Drive from the turning circle intersection in the park. The difficulty with this
additional gate is that the immediate property owner does not want to be gated in. This route was
established long ago for logging (Mr. Fancey, personal communication) and is not a legal right of way,
however, there is an easement for telecommunications lines. An increase in the usage of this illegal access
could warrant a gate. The property owner of PID 60647021 (Rowan Rafuse-Kell) is most affected and has
expressed concerns of people gaining access to Deep Cove via the Woodstock Road and parking on their
land without permission. Deep Cove residents have concerns of being broken into from this route but also
wanting to use this illegal route for emergency egress. Rowan Rafuse-Kell should be contacted related to
this matter as it is her land.
Lower Driveway to Shoreline Park
Past the gate, the two-way road continues down slope to the shoreline park. The existing driveway in this
area reaches a 19% slope. The slope of this road was reduced to 12% by realigning the upper portion and
grading the lower sections of the driveway. Regular drainage off-takes should be included in the detailed
engineering design of this portion of the road to ensure runoff is regularly dispersed into vegetated areas to
prevent direct runoff from the road surface running into the lake.
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Example Parking Lot (Source: https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g35223-d560997-i97325360-
Cloudland_Canyon_State_Park-Rising_Fawn_Georgia.html)
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
Implementation Considerations
Where existing roads will no longer be used, they should be restored. This involves blocking entrances with
boulders and transplanting vegetation to these areas from places that require clearing. The intent is to fill in
the gaps and for users to not be drawn along historical routes. Where new roads are required, geotechnical
investigations will be needed as part of the detailed engineering design. Both neighbouring properties will
need to have continued access during construction and should be notified in advance of planned
construction.
PARKING
The master plan includes 4 kinds of parking areas which are developed in phases in conjunction with road
work. All parking areas are to have a gravel finish to match the roads. During review of the draft plan, a
concern was raised by Municipal Councillors regarding the number of parking spots. The Final Report
(Sherbrooke Lake Access Advisory Committee, 2016) served as the basis for the number of parking spots.
While not officially included in the Master Plan, future additional parking has been considered. The need
and impacts of additional parking could be addressed and decided using the Adaptive Management Plan
laid out at the end of this report. Should they be approved, additional stalls can be added to the north of the
6 car parking stalls on the one-way loop and along the outside of the east edge of the turning circle at the
park entrance gate.
GARBAGE/RECYCLING BINS
Waste disposal bins should be located so that they are of most use, namely associated with the washroom
pavilion, picnic area, boat launch, and along the paved section of the trail in the shoreline park. Bins are to
be serviced by MODL staff. The paved trail could be used so that bins can be accessed by vehicle.
SWIMMING
Swimming was identified as the number one desired activity to be included in the park. Locating the
designated swimming area was perhaps the most challenging and important aspect of the park design. The
following constraints were identified:
•The proximity of the existing beach area at the most northern edge of the shoreline, to the
neighbouring property;
•The need for swimming areas and the boat launch to be separate;
•The presence of boulders in the shallow water along the shoreline; and
•The location of the boat launch.
Parking Type Details
School Bus
•Located with the Pit restoration project and constructed during private road widening.
•Sized to accommodate a 40 ft school bus.
•1 stall.
Car
•Located at the entrance intersection, 6 stalls
•Shoreline park, 6 stalls
•3 m by 6 m
Accessible •Located in front of the Washroom Pavilion
•2 stalls
Boat Trailers
•Located on the one-way loop
•5 stalls
•3.25 m by 12 m
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
Taking all of these factors into consideration, multiple options for swimming to accommodate different
abilities are included in the design. The first is the floating walkway to the shoal island (Appendix F). This
walkway, made up of sections on posts and floating sections, creates access to the water for swimming, and
places for people to lay on a towel and watch the water. People can swim off the side of the walkway or
explore out to the shoal island and swim in the deeper waters and over to the swimming raft. Buoys can be
used to clearly mark areas for swimming and the route for boaters. The floating walkway would be
removed in October when the Park closes for the season. EDM consulted with Eagle Beach Contractors and
EZ Docks regarding conceptual design and cost estimate of this feature.
For those wanting to wade in shallow waters, typically families with small children, the design includes
shoreline swim areas. To make these areas, boulders along the shoreline and in the shallow waters need to
be moved. This will require an excavator. Boulders are moved to make an obvious pathway to the shoreline
and cleared areas are filled with sand from the site (pit area). Boulders will also need to be moved within
the water in order to clear hazards from the swimming area.
The installation of the walkway to the shoal island and shoreline swim areas will require a watercourse
permit from Nova Scotia Environment. It would also be prudent to further explore if the Navigable
Protection Act (NPA) applies to the Floating Walkway. Sherbrooke Lake is not a scheduled water body and
the project likely falls under the description of minor work. Projects on non-listed waterways can make the
choice to opt-in to the NPA for assessment and review. The advantage to proceeding this way is that
projects can proceed with the added assurance that the project is sanctioned under the NPA. Whether or not
the project can opt in depends on whether navigability is affected. The fact that the passageway between the
shore and shoal island is shallow and that there is another nearby way to gain access to either side of the
project, suggests that the project would be sanctioned by NPA. The first step would be to contact Transport
Canada and determine if the application is required.
WASHROOM PAVILION
The washroom is a key element of the park and is important to keeping nutrients out of Sherbrooke Lake.
In order to elevate the look and feel of the park, a contemporary pavilion has been designed (Appendix F)
and includes 3 toilet stalls with sinks serviced with non-potable water from the existing dug well. Without
adequate facilities, park users will find a way to relieve themselves, be it on land or in the lake. Composting
toilets are vented to the air but are otherwise a closed system. Human wastes are treated by the composting
system which is located in the basement. The height of the basement, 1.9 m or 76 inches, has been sized to
accommodate the composting units as outlined in the Clivus Multrum Planning Manual (http://
www.clivusmultrum.com/). This manual and representatives from Clivus Multrum should be contacted
during detailed design. The composting units require periodic maintenance to ensure they are efficiently
treating wastes through the addition of bulking material and physical mixing/raking. This will be a bit of a
learning experience for park maintenance crews and the level of maintenance is correlated with usage.
Hand washing sinks and an outdoor shower are drained to a grey water treatment system that is built using
recycled materials from the existing septic system. Opposite of the shower, there is an outdoor faucet where
a hose could be attached.
The pavilion includes a communications board and has interpretative panels and signage which outlines the
park facilities and expectations of users. A storage building is opposite the washroom and is designed to
store wharf and other materials/infrastructure for short term and during the winter.
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
PIT RESTORATION/WETLAND ENHANCEMENT
The first element encountered in the park is school bus parking at the gravel pit restoration/wetland creation
area. Interpretative panels offer a description of the Sherbrooke Lake Watershed, including soils and
bedrocks, trees and birds that could be seen throughout the park, as well as a brief description of the
restoration/wetland creation project. The establishment of moss and other wetland plants and the presence
of wet areas shows that drainage through the pit is currently forming a wetland. The wetland creation plan
includes enhancement by transplanting vegetation during construction of other park elements.
BOAT LAUNCH
The boat launch has been sited in the best place to get from the shore to deep water. Buoys should be used
to mark this route and clearly mark the areas for boats and that for swimming. Transport Canada has a buoy
convention that could be followed. The boat launch has been designed to limit the size of boats to 14 feet
through means similar to the Church Lake launch. A moveable winch is used to lower the boat down a rail
line to the lake. The rail line is installed along a ramp excavated into the foreshore, creating a calm,
sheltered area in which to safely launch a smaller vessel. The ramp bottom is natural loose gravel and a
parallel gangway provides access to the floating wharf for boaters to dock and load/unload supplies. An
accessible kayak launch could be included at the end of the wharf to help those in need easily into and out
of the their boats (Appendix F). Construction of the boat launch will require an excavator to move boulders
beneath the ordinary high water mark. It will also require a watercourse application with NSE. The northern
edge of the park runs along the boat launch. In order to provide a clear marking of this property line, rocks
and boulders should be placed along this edge as they are encountered during construction along this
property edge.
PHASING
The Park Advisory Committee has identified that a phased approach to building the park is desired. The
intent is to ease the development of the park to ensure minimal impact to the surrounding environment. The
sequence of phasing offers opportunities for the park to be used prior to its entire completion. It seeks to
break up the road work and stage it with development of recreational activities. This is anticipated to slowly
and steadily increase park usage. An illustrated version of the park phasing plan has been prepared
(Appendix C) and a summary table of the phases, including a cost estimate per item subtotalled per phase
is presented in the table on the following page. For each element, materials, construction costs, and any cost
for permitting have been considered and are presented as a lump sum.
Phase 0 takes place prior to formal park development and includes activities to be implemented in response
to the reported increase in traffic to the park site. While in the field, EDM witnessed area residents drive up
to the site and use the north driveway to gain access to the lake. It has also been reported that people are
launching canoes and kayaks from the existing northern beach. Park visitation is encouraging for the
project, however there are some risks in visiting the property before the park has been developed. These
could include:
• Increased traffic on the Woodstock and private thin, and in some areas steep, roads;
• Navigation of Deep Cove and Sherbrooke Lake without guidance can be dangerous; and,
• Nuisance to neighbouring properties.
MODL may consider posting “Use at your own risk” signage and/or informing the public about the park to
help direct people visiting the site. Blocking access to the northern driveway would prevent people from
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
driving the road but it would also block the emergency access for the neighbouring property — this is not
desired. Navigation of Deep Cove and Sherbrooke Lake in general can be difficult and the Deep Cove
buoys, which are deployed and maintained by Wil-Dor Park, are typically removed from the lake in mid-
September. Over the course of the summer of 2018, EDM observed vegetation encroaching on both lower
driveways. MODL should consider keeping growth trimmed to maintain general and emergency access to
the shoreline portion of the property.
Phase Elements and Description Estimate With Contingency
Phase 0 –
Risk Management
“Use at your own risk” signage,
Information about the park and contact
information,
Block access to lower driveways with
consideration for neighbouring property
Phase 1 –
Woodstock Road
Upgrades to Woodstock Road $90,000
Subtotal $90,000 $103,500
Phase 2 –
Private Park Roads
Upper driveway and entrance intersection
including parking,turning circle, and gate $120,405
Bus parking $2,700
Gated lower south drive to prevent usage $4,000
North beach decommission and vegetative
buffer planting $1,000
West shoreline improvement start $2,250
Picnic area start $2,150
Floating walkway phase 1 $19,645
Subtotal $152,150 $175,000
Phase 3 –
Washroom Pavilion
Construction of washroom pavilion $82,900
Composting treatment system $20,000
Septic system removal and grey water
system construction $6,000
Storage Shed $18,000
Picnic area completion $2,150
Subtotal $129,050 $148,400
Phase 4 –
Lower Road
Lower drive way widened for two-way
traffic
First lower parking area
$40,000
Lower south driveway convert to trail and
move gate to bottom $10,000
Floating walkway phase 2 $21,600
Shoreline improvements completion $2,250
Natural play area $40,000
Subtotal $113,850 $131,000
Phase 5 –
One-way Loop
One-way loop to complete road network $67,500
Shoreline paved trails $16,000
Floating walkway phase 3 $19,645
Floating swimming raft $2,800
Subtotal $105,945 $121,800
Phase 6 –
Pit Restoration/
Wetland Creation
Pit restoration/wetland creation including
trail in pit $6,400
Backwoods trail system $4,300
Subtotal $10,700 $12,300
Phase 7 –
Boat Launch
Boat launch $82,875
Boat trailer parking area $8,500
Subtotal $91,375 $105,000
Total $693,070 $800,000
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
SAFETY
In order to facilitate the safety of the park, several risks have been identified by various stakeholders and
are addressed in the park plan. These include:
•Park Access - The park entrance road is gated and will be opened daily at 8am and closed at 9pm by
MODL staff. The road access to the park has been designed to accommodate two way traffic by adding
pull-offs along the Woodstock Road and widening the roads within the park. Turn around areas have
been sized to accommodate emergency access vehicles (40ft). The Walden Fire Department has been
identified as the first responder to the site. The Fire Chief, Melanie Langille has requested that bushes/
vegetation along these roads be trimmed back to ensure access. The RCMP and the Walden Fire
Department will need keys to park gate(s). The RCMP have requested someone be identified as an
emergency contact in the area to open the gate should the need arise. Fire Services (Lyle Russel, New
Ross Fire Department) confirmed that the nearest boat to be launched in the event of an emergency is a
16 ft zodiac out of Bridgewater. The boat launch is capable of accommodating this vessel and it should
be confirmed during detailed design.
•Fire - The park is not designed to accommodate fires. “No Open Fires” signage is recommended to be
posted. Fire Services have confirmed that they can be a maximum distance of approximately 30 ft from
the lake to draw water. A vehicle can be within this distance to the shoreline via the boat launch or the
paved path. MODL could consider installing a dry hydrant along the shoreline to ensure adequate
access to water in the event of a fire. The beaver pond along the upper driveway could also serve as a
source of water in the event of an emergency.
•Dogs - Dogs are permitted in the park but must be on leash. This should be addressed in park signage.
•Ticks - Information about ticks should be posted.
•Park Navigation - Park maps will help users stay oriented and prevent users from getting lost. The trail
system crosses the road network and provides the opportunity to rescue trail users should the need
arise.
•Lake Navigation - Navigating Deep Cove and Sherbrooke Lake can be difficult. This needs to be
addressed in signage in the park and specifically at the boat launch. Buoys should be used to help
boaters get from the shore to deeper water and clearly mark areas for swimming. Transport Canada
outlines the national convention for the use of buoys.
In regards to the buoys in Deep Cove, the Wil-Dor Park website warns that there is not a straight forward
convention for hazard identification. Some mark object hazards, some outline a hazard area, some indicate
a passage between, while others denote a no-go zone. Wil-Dor Park also warns that without some
explanation and experience, the buoys could be easily misinterpreted and recommends taking the time to
talk with those who know the lake and ideally accompany someone who understands the lake prior to
navigating alone. The visibility of hazards changes with lake water levels. Ideally the buoys would remain
in the lake when the park is open and it is recommended that the Committee consult with Mike Morrison,
president of Wil-Dor Park Association, to figure out how best this could happen and how the park can
support Wil-Dor Park in maintaining the buoys. The warning regarding the use of buoys in Deep Cove
applies to all buoys in Sherbrooke Lake. There is not a standard convention used across the lake and many
hazards are present. MODL should warn boat launch users to make use of buoys at their own risk. This
should be plainly posted at the boat launch.
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN
An adaptive management approach, as put forward by the Committee, essentially means starting off slow,
monitoring use and evaluating elements to aid in decisions about the park. The intent of the approach, as
stated in the MOU, is to ease the development into the surroundings and ensure minimal impact. Adaptive
management is an evolving process that includes learning and sets up a framework for evidence-based
decision making (William and Brown, 2014). It is an iterative process that acknowledges that there is much
to learn from observation. The figure below shows the adaptive management process as laid out in the
Komoka Provincial Park Management Plan (2010). Starting at the top of the circle, a management plan is
made and is then implemented. While the management plan is being implemented, monitoring takes place.
What exactly is monitored depends on what is being managed and what is known or suspected to affect the
resource of interest. Monitoring results are evaluated and are used to adapt management plans.
The process starts from assumptions and research about how development of the park affects the
environment (including human). The monitoring results are used to deepen/broaden/expand the
understanding of how the environment functions. This understanding is used to better manage development
and on-going use of the park.
When implementing adaptive management, it is important to remember that the environment is a complex
system that is constantly and unpredictably changing and there is no such thing as complete information
(Salafsky et al., 2001). While these statements may feel intimidating, they open our perspective to learning
and improving how to manage the world around us. Adaptive management does not work if we think we
already know all the answers. It also does not work without a long standing dedicated group committed to
the cause. The Park Advisory Committee is currently the obvious body to undertake and house this form of
management for the park. It involves identifying what questions or resources are important for that year (or
development phase). On an annual basis, planning could take place in the winter, monitoring deployed in
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Adaptive Management Process (Ontario Ministry of
Natural Resources, 2010).
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
the spring, data/observations compiled and evaluated in the fall and management adaptations and next years
plans drafted in the winter. The Sherbrooke Lake Stewardship Committee’s inclusion of monitoring sites at
the park provides a unique opportunity to include their observations and results into park management
decisions.
The table on the following page outlines a preliminary list of environmental factors which could change as
a result of park development, and is by no means exhaustive. This list should change and be added to as
more is learned about the park environment and Sherbrooke Lake. The table also includes park design
considerations, as well as potential monitoring and evaluations tools and other considerations. The
Committee should formalize what factors matter for each development phase, prepare a management plan,
identify what to monitoring and means for evaluation.
While this is not a complete formula for when to proceed to the next phase, it does outline a framework for
learning from each phase. Prior to the development of the next phase, the Committee should identify risks
and opportunities to participate in a regenerative process with the environment and measures (based on
what was learned from previous phases) to be put in place to limit negative impacts and identify ways to
steward and improve the environment. This could take the form of a brief report and serve as a record for
what was important at the time. Before any development takes place is the only time to collect baseline
information. The longer the record, the better one can establish change. The sooner a detailed plan of action
is drafted and implemented the better.
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
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What could
change?
How its been considered
in the design Monitoring and evaluation tools Other considerations
Lake Water
Quality
Bacteria (E.coli)
Nutrients
(Phosphorus and
Nitrogen)
Composting toilet;
Limited shoreline vegetation
clearing;
Road runoff off takes;
Boat size limited by launch
design.
Stewardship Committee water and sediment
monitoring results.
Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water
Quality outline acceptable E. coli concentrations
for recreational water quality.
Nutrient guidelines are presented as ranges
associated with lake trophic status. An increase
in nutrient load can be linked to algal blooms.
The Stewardship Committee should be consulted
on an annual basis to assess changes to nutrient
concentrations and whether changes can be
linked to park land uses.
Baseline data is very important in
assessing change. Anecdotal
observations can also be useful. These
could include observations of algal
masses within the lake and growing on
rocks. Clarke (2015) outlines how to
make the most of recording a suspected
algae bloom.
Fish
Use of floating docks to
limit lake bottom
disturbance.
Consider participating in/funding fauna
inventory of Sherbrooke Lake.
Small-mouthed bass and chain pickerel
are already in the lake (Clarke, 2013).
Ducks
No grass at the shoreline.
Signage to include no
feeding animals.
Visual inspection by park maintenance.Duck were observed by EDM in Deep
Cove, but not at the Park Shoreline.
Loons Developing the walkway
over three phases.
Survey of the shoal island for nests or other
signs of usage.
Asking Lake residents about their loon
observations.
If identified as important loon habitat,
completing the 3rd phase of the floating
walkway may be redesigned to reduce
impact.
Invasive Species
Aquatic
Boat size limited by launch
design.
Annual aquatic vegetation survey along the
shoreline.
Photos are useful taken around the same
time every year from the same location.
Invasive Species
Terrestrial
Plan to make use of
materials already on the site.
No open fires, limits risk of
important species to the park
via fire wood.
Annual land vegetation survey on the property.
Enforcement of no open fires.
Japanese Knotweed was not observed on
the property in 2018. Any earth moving
machines should be clean before coming
to the site. Any remnants of Knotweed
can cause spread.
Fire
“No Open Fires”, no fire pits
and no overnight camping.
Improved access to the site
for emergency services and
access to the water for fire
suppression.
Record of incidences from the Walden Fire
Department/RCMP.
Visual inspection from MODL staff.
The pond along the upper drive could
also serve as a source of water in the
event of a fire.
The Fire Department requires keys for
any gates.
Visual Nuisance Limited shoreline clearing.
Vegetated buffer.
Before/during after photos of the shoreline for
the purpose of assessing change.
Photos are useful taken around the same
time every year from the same location.
Noise Nuisance Park gate closed during the
evening.
Formalized process for neighbours to provide
their observations.
Summary report of incidences from RCMP.
Assessment of change likely limited to
anecdotal accounts.
Road Traffic Upgrades to accommodate
access.
Traffic counters or motion-activated cameras,
before and after development of park phases.
Park usage is linked to the recreational
amenities provided. While usage may
warrant proceeding to the next park
development phase, the phrase “if you
build it, they will come” should also be
considered.
Boat Traffic
Boat size limited by launch
design.
Buoys to aid navigation.
Motion activated cameras to track use.
Formalized process to comment on launch.
Summary report of incidences from RCMP,
boater accidents/deaths.
There are many boats on Sherbrooke
Lake already and baseline stats on
boating accidents would be useful.
RCMP have confirmed they maintain a
database of reported incidences tied to a
civic address or an area such as a lake.
They are able to look back in time and
provide statistics for past years.
SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
CONCLUSIONS
This report presents the master plan of the Sherbrooke Lake Public Access Park that reflects the
recommendations in the Final Report, the MOU, consultations with the Sherbrooke Lake Park Advisory
Committee, representatives of Deep Cove residents, neighbouring properties, the Sherbrooke Lake
Stewardship Committee, Nova Scotia Environment, Transportation and Infrastructural Renewal, RCMP,
Fire Services, MODC and MODL.
The master plan is the long term vision of the park made up of desired elements and how they all fit
together. For each element a detailed project sheet is provided. These sheets outline each element and
include permitting requirements and estimated cost. The report also includes a concept plan for the roads
within the park as well as the Woodstock Road. A phasing plan has been overlaid on the Master Plan. The
sequence of phasing offers opportunities for the park to be used prior to its entire completion. It seeks to
break up the road work and stage it with the development of recreational activities. It also includes a Phase
0, which takes place prior to formal park development and includes activities to be implemented in
response to the reported increase in traffic to the park site. The report includes a section about safety
measures to be considered while developing and managing the park.
The approach to the Adaptive Management plan is outlined and includes a description of the methodology
and a list of potential resources which could change as a result of park development, as well as examples of
monitoring and evaluation tools. The Park Advisory Committee is currently the obvious body to undertake
the adaptive management program for the park. It involves identifying what questions or resources are
important for that year (or development phase). On an annual basis, planning could take place in the winter,
monitoring deployed in the spring, data/observations compiled and evaluated in the fall and management
adaptations and next years plans drafted in the winter.
NEXT STEPS
Next steps which MODL could pursue are projects that reduce risk related to future phases and, where
possible, engage community groups. MODL might consider having the water in both the drilled and dug
wells tested for yield and quality for non-potable use in the Washroom Pavilion. Vegetated buffers can be
planted well in advance of their actual phase. This allows them to become established and effective prior to
actually needing them and can be done by community groups. Patches of Hemlock seedlings were
identified and mapped (Appendix B, Site Map of Important features) and transplant well. Phase 0 can start
any time and is focused on signage and keeping vegetation along the drive ways trimmed. Signage could be
related to the risks navigating the water and to mark private properties. The best route from the boat launch
shoreline to deeper water could be mapped and observations of loon use of the shoal island can take place
on an on going basis. Photos of the site pre-development will help with various items in the adaptive
management plan.
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SHERBROOKE LAKE PARK FINAL PLAN
REFERENCES
Berrigan Surveys. 2018. Letter regarding Woodstock Road, Walden. Prepared for the Municipality of the
District of Lunenburg.
Clarke, D. Barrie. 2013. Sherbrooke Lake Water Quality Report 2013. Prepared for the LaHave River
Watershed Committee.
Clarke, D. Barrie. 2015. Sherbrooke Lake Water Quality Report 2017. Prepared for the LaHave River
Watershed Committee.
Clarke, D. Barrie. 2017. Sherbrooke Lake Water Quality Report 2017. Prepared for the LaHave River
Watershed Committee.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 2010. Komoka Provincial Park Management Plan . https://
www.ontario.ca/page/komoka-provincial-park-management-plan
Salafsky, Nick, Richard Margoluis, and Kent Redford. 2001. Adaptive Management: A Tool for
Conservation Practitioners. Washington, D.C.: Biodiversity Support Program.Adaptive Management
Sherbrooke Lake Access Advisory Committee. 2016. Final Report. Prepared for the Municipality of the
District of Lunenburg and the Municipality of the District of Chester.
UPLAND. 2016. Sherbrooke Lake Public Consultation Report. Prepared for the Municipality of the
District of Lunenburg.
Williams, Byron and Eleanor Brown. 2014. Adaptive Management: From More Talk to Real Action.
Journal of Environmental Management (2014) 53:465-479.
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