Re-imagining Wellington Beach

Task team to explore landscaping vision

An update on Wellington Beach and next steps was presented virtually in a report to the Community and Economic Development Committee (CEDC) last Monday by Emily Cowan, Acting Director of Community Services, Programs and Initiatives. In a brief overview, Cowan explained how a group will be formed to find a way to establish a new vision for Wellington Beach. Basically, how it should function and who it should function for, and to show the scope of possibilities for revitalizing the beach. The purpose of the report is to provide the CEDC with a proposed approach to reimagine Wellington Beach and to request funds of up to $15,000 from the CEDC’s 2022 budget (contingent upon Council approving the operating budget in early February) to engage the services of a landscape design or urban planning architect. The landscape architect would work with a panel of community stakeholders to develop a series of design charettes that will illustrate the possibilities for improvements to Wellington Beach. It is anticipated the proposed designs would then undergo public consultation to narrow down an approach.

While it is described as a task team of sorts, it will be led in a slightly different way by creating a charette, or a series of charettes, according to Cowan. The word ‘charette’ is an unfamiliar one to many people, and according to the Oxford English Dictionary it means ‘A public meeting or workshop devoted to a concerted effort to solve a problem or plan the design of something’; Merriam-Webster says: ‘The intense final effort made by architectural students to complete their solutions to a given architectural problem in an allotted time or the period in which such an effort is made’. Mayor Steve Ferguson took issue with the word ‘charette’, suggesting the language be worked on. “Wellington Beach certainly needs some love, there’s no doubt about that, but does it need charettes as opposed to some appropriate landscaping,” he said.

“By creating a charette, I think it’s a really great idea and it’s where a group of stakeholders come together, generally subject-matter experts,” explained Cowan. “That can be that you use the beach or it can be that you are an expert in flora and fauna, or business development; all sorts of different things make up what an expert might be in this regard.” She said those experts will then have some parameters to work within when it comes to working with a professional who can sketch out visions and ideas of how the land is going to be used. The Wellington Waterfront Task Team will include two CEDC commissioners (Lesley Lavender and Christine Searle), Wellington councillor Mike Harper, as well as 10 to 12 community leaders and stakeholders (beach advocates, organizations, service groups, etc.) plus three citizen members.

Cowan describes Wellington Beach as a municipal property with various amenities, but without some other amenities. “There was a food truck last year, there is a boat launch there, there is obviously the beach itself, and is it accessible for all.” The report indicates some of the challenges the beach faces are a lack of amenities, such as food and drink, washrooms and change rooms, shade, activities, etc. Mayor Ferguson noted the designs would have to consider fluctuating lake levels, noting the recent spring floods, especially in 2017. Describing Wellington Beach as a “much-loved and well-used part of Prince Edward County”, Cowan said she would like to see public consultation to encompass all users from all over the County. “And have everyone chose the vision for that area going forward, that is the idea behind this charette task team project.”

Commissioner Jeremiah Mackenzie made a comparison to the recent improvements of the Picton harbour waterfront by a CEDC-led task team to what may be possible at Wellington Beach, suggesting the same philosophy and approach could be applied to Wellington. “I think some fast work and some hard work can be done by commissioners Searle and Lavender to get a plan and first phase employed,” said Mackenzie. Searle warned it would be a very long-term project, describing the beach as a “huge, huge area” and did not want people to become impatient. “This is really the long-term visioning and planning, identifying opportunities, but really a collaborative approach, so that members of the County on a very systematic way can take a look at what possibly that beach can become in terms of the gel for the community.”

Councillor Janice Maynard pointed out before any landscaping design can begin, the elephant in the room is the discussion on the boat launch and the continual expense of the harbour dredging. “I want to see this progress, but how do we keep from getting the cart in front of the horse and making this holistic and fair?” she said. “We really have to be cognizant, do we really want the Wellington beach to be more attractive, i.e., attract more people?” Cowan said it was important to talk about all of the operational issues that are occurring right now at Wellington Beach. “Dredging is most definitely one of them; the boat launch is one of them, the proximity of the other boat launch marina, all of that needs to be taken into consideration in this first part,” said Cowan. “It is complicated and that’s why we chose to go down the path of having someone lead us in this facilitation.” She noted the Picton harbour task team had an architect working with them on the boardwalk, and how to make it as accessible as possible and understanding what makes a boardwalk. “We had a little bit of budget to pay for their time and it made a huge difference in getting that project completed, and it was very successful.” The January 17 Community and Economic Development Committee meeting is available for viewing on the County’s YouTube channel (the Wellington Beach report is available on the County’s website).