CHECK OUT OUR CONCEPT IDEAS!

Thank you to everyone who made it out to the  Open House on Tuesday, March 8th. We greatly appreciated hearing feedback on the concept options that were presented. We will take that feedback as we proceed to developing more detailed plans for the properties. For everyone who could not make it on Tuesday, we have posted the concept options for each property below for you to view. 


The concept options posted on this blog represent rough plan ideas for each open space property within Enfield North. We developed these ideas based on an analysis of the physical conditions of each property, and out of comments and ideas from our first meeting with the public in February. The ideas focus on provide recreational amenities for a variety of ages, while still protecting sensitive ecological features valued by the community. 


During the last Open House meeting, we had several questions about where the project goes from here. Moving forward, we are seeking additional comments from you, the residents of Enfield North. Over the next week, we welcome your thoughts on the concept options presented below. What do you like about these ideas? What don't you like? What other features would you like to see?


We will take these comments, and refine our design ideas for each property. We will develop "schematic" plans for each site, and present them and a Plan for their implementation to the Municipality of East Hants' Department of Recreation and Culture, to inform their future planning decisions for open space properties in Enfield North. This Plan, and the designs for the sites, will provide ideas and options, but it will be up to your community and the Municipality to move forward with these properties. 


Please take a moment to scroll through the design options for each property, and let us know your thoughts. You can leave your thoughts and ideas in the comment sections of this blog, or email your comments to tamarack.ns@gmail.com.

PROPERTY A - ALDERNEY DRIVE

Property A, located on Alderney Drive, offers the best opportunity for development. There are issues that must be addressed, including a seasonal watercourse and limited street access. However, this site is the driest of the four properties, is generally visible from the street, and has been identified by many residents as a desirable location for active recreation amenities. 

We propose the development of this site as an active recreation property, featuring play spaces for children. We have developed three options featuring a range of potential play amenities, from a natural playscape to formal playing fields. 

These concept options are not exclusive. Aspects from one could be mixed and applied to another option.

CONCEPT OPTION #1

Option #1 highlights the intersection of nature and play. Natural play fields with native species located on the northern portion of the property allow for informal recreation. The natural playscape located on the south east portion of the property provides children with opportunities to play in a space that uses native plants, boulders, large fallen trees and rocks to encourage recreation and active imaginations. Traditional playground features such as slides are incorporated into the playscape in a way that maximizes natural elements of the space.

Trails throughout the site connect different recreational spaces and provide access to the street and to Property B.

CONCEPT OPTION #2

Option #2 utilizes traditional playground equipment to create a playground and tot lot for neighbourhood children. The playground, located in the southern portion of the site, will target children ages 6 to 12 while the tot lot, located north of the playground, will provide younger children with formal recreation opportunities in Property A.

Much of the property will remain in a natural state, preserving wooded areas and meadows on the northern half of the site. 

Trails will connect the playground and tot lot with the street.

CONCEPT OPTION #3

Option #3 proposes the construction of conventional recreation options for Property A. In addition to a playground and a tot lot as proposed in Option #1, a formal sports field is added in the northern portion of the property. 

Trails throughout the site will connect the three recreational amenities to the street and will also provide trail linkages with Property B in the future.

PROPERTY B - CARRIAGE LANE-TRENT COURT

Property B, located off Carriage Lane and Trent Court, presents considerable challenges to development as an open space. Drainage issues and constricted access points limit the potential for public use, especially once the residential areas are fully built up. There are, however, potential uses of the space that work with these issues while still providing recreational activities for residents of different ages.


We have developed two options for Property B. Both options provide for use of the site in spite of its limitations, and offer both active and passive activities. 

CONCEPT OPTION #1

Option #1 features multi-use recreational trails throughout the site including a boardwalk over wetland areas. Wildlife is nurtured through a bird house, a bat house, and a butterfly garden featuring native flowering plants. These features provide educational opportunities for residents of all ages through educational signage.


Trail connections to Property A and the street network create a variety of year-round active recreation options.

CONCEPT OPTION #2

Option #2 encourages a more informal use of the property, providing unstructured natural spaces for creative play and exploration.This option acknowledges current uses of the space by youth for tree-forts and “adventure” play.

The multi-use trail connecting the streets and Property A also incorporates an off-road mountain bike course, making use of the rough terrain and fallen trees. Wetland areas are avoided or incorporated using board- walks and bridges.

PROPERTY C - CLAUDE COURT

The development potential of Property C, located off Claude Court, is affected by a number of significant challenges. These include limited access due to a steep grade from Claude Court down to the site, a considerable wetland, thick vegetation, and blown-down trees from Hurricane Juan. 

In spite of these issues, the property is centrally located within Enfield North, and has the potential of serving the greatest number of residents. A large lot immediately south-west of Property C is currently undeveloped. In the future, when this property is subdivided, there is an opportunity for additional land to be acquired by the Municipality of East Hants as public open space (see map below). We see this as a chance to increase the size of Property C, increasing access and area for possible development of open space facilities.

We propose two different concept options, one as the property's boundaries exist now, and one with the anticipation of lot subdivision adjacent to the property. 

CONCEPT OPTION #1

Option #1 achieves natural conservation and passive recreation opportunities.The site’s forested landscape is left intact and enhanced by removing blowdown. Two natural water features, a stream running across the southwestern portion of the property and a wetland near the Claude Court access point, are retained as aesthetic and ecological assets that create passive recreation and educational attractions.

A boardwalk trail provides pedestrian entry to the site and offers an opportunity to stroll through the woods.To the north a birdhouse and a bat house have been installed to nurture onsite wildlife and add points of interests.

CONCEPT OPTION #2

Option #2 is dependent upon the acquisition of additional open space land during future subdivision of the lot adjacent to Property C.This land provides additional lot frontage for the open space.

A community gathering space, a playground, and a tot lot are located on the southwest portion of the site near the street.Trails are located throughout the site and a bird house is located along the trail. Educational signage along the trail network provides residents with information about local wildlife and vegetation.

PROPERTY D - SHAUNA LEIGH LANE-WILSON ROAD

Property D, located between Shauna Leigh Lane and Wilson Road, is a particularly wet site. With a sizeable wetland, and seasonal watercourse, the property's primary function is as a catchment and drainage course for stormwater runoff from neighbouring lots. Unless the drainage issues are addressed through costly engineering solutions, the site's development potential is greatly limited.


With this in mind, we propose two limited concept options that preserve the environmental qualities of the property, while still providing recreational opportunities.


CONCEPT OPTION #1


Option #1 conserves a large portion of the site. A seasonal wetland will be used for winter recreation only. In the winter, the area can be used for skating by the neighbourhood, while preserving the site's year-round ecosystem. The remainder of the site will remain in its present, undeveloped state.

CONCEPT OPTION #2


Option #2 addresses drainage issues on the site and neighbouring properties by directing stormwater runoff through an engineered watercourse and defined wetland area. A multi-use trail with educational signage connects Shauna Leigh Lane and Wilson Road.

CHECK OUT OUR IDEAS!

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE TO VIEW CONCEPT OPTIONS FOR ENFIELD NORTH'S OPEN SPACES

On Tuesday, March 8th, from 7:00 - 9:00 PM, we invite residents of Enfield North to attend a public meeting and open house at the Enfield Fire Hall. This is your best opportunity to view the design concept options for municipally-owned open space properties in your neighbourhood, and tell us your thoughts in person.

We've spent the last month taking the concerns and ideas expressed by your fellow Enfield residents at the last open house, and from comments emailed to us and left on the Facebook page, and developing some rough concept ideas for how best to use these properties. We're excited to share them with you, and to get your feedback on the work so far.

We'd like to get as many residents out for this meeting as possible. So please, tell your friends and neighbours in Enfield North to join you in attending. If you aren't able to make it on Tuesday, we will be posting all of our design options on this blog the next day, and we welcome comments on this site, on our Facebook page, or by email.

If you have any questions about our project or the Open House on March 8th, please feel free to email us at tamarack.ns@gmail.com.