Burlington Council Approves Changes & Updates to Beachway & Lowville Parks

At our Jan. 24 Council meeting, we approved staff-recommended changes and updates to the operations of Beachway Park and Lowville Park.Here are the motions that we approved:

• Direct the Director of Transportation Services to discontinue the Parking Ambassador program at Beachway Park, include holidays in the paid parking period, and defer the cessation of the Halton Beach Exemption program to budget discussions;
• Direct the Director of Transportation Services to discontinue the Parking Ambassador program at Lowville Park, effective 2023, and report back in Q1 2023 on the operational model of the uses of the gate system; and
• Direct the Director of Transportation and Director of Recreation, Community and Culture to provide an update report at the May 2, 2023 CPRM meeting to provide recommendations on timelines to undertake a comprehensive study of park operations for Lowville Park, inclusive of parking operations. (SD-01-23)

Please see below the staff reports for each item for background and more details around staff's recommendations:

• Beachway Park Staff Report: TS-01-23 Beachway Summary and Recommendations
• Lowville Park Staff Report: TS-02-23 Lowville Summary and Recommendations

MY TAKE:The Parking Ambassador program at Beachway and Lowville was integral at a time when it was needed. As we are in a post-pandemic period, the program is not as much a necessity now.However, I still believe the Halton Beach Pass/Exemption program is an important piece to keep in our operations at Beachway Park. Unfortunately, even with the post-pandemic period, we're still seeing a high inflation period, and that coupled with an increase in taxes this year, I believe the pass/exemption program is needed to help provide our community with some relief -- particularly, if they want to enjoy our wonderful beach.This is a beach and park that is unique and distinct from our other parks. Also, it's not uncommon for residents to receive discounts to visit their local beach because they do pay for it through their taxes.That's why I submitted a motion during committee and Council to defer the discussion and staff-recommendation to end the Halton Beach Exemption program to the 2023 budget discussions. This way we can truly examine how we can continue this program in a more fulsome discussion. I'm grateful for my Council colleagues for carrying that motion through.Regarding the recommendations for Lowville Park, as there are no alternative ways to get there and outside a general discussion on whether we're prepared to implement paid parking for all our parks across the city, I didn't want to parcel this particular park out. That is why I submitted a motion during committee and Council to direct staff to provide an update report in May on recommendations on timelines to undertake a comprehensive study of park operations for Lowville Park, inclusive of parking operations. I'm grateful again to my Council colleagues for carrying this motion through.A huge thanks to staff on their report at committee on Lowville Park. This is where we exactly need to be -- I'm very supportive of the culture shift to understanding what issue we’re looking to solve and preparing the proper solution to solve it. I appreciate the flexibility from staff on this. It’s a good example of how to position ourselves for good discussions on issues that have been vexing us pre-pandemic, during and post-pandemic. It also ensures the accessibility and equitable future use of this park.