Township of Brock - Harbour of the Future

The Township of Brock, located on the east shore of Lake Simcoe and northeast of Toronto, will conduct a pilot project aimed at creating an innovative and integrated stormwater, management system to capture, infiltrate and filter run-off to reduce the phosphorus and other pollutants entering Lake Simcoe. This project will take place at the Beaverton Harbour, where water quality is impacted by significant stormwater flowing directly into the Lake due to grass and impervious pavement, along with oil and gas from the adjoining parking lot. The 15,000 m2 harbour site is comprised of deteriorating infrastructure, a hardened shoreline, poor transitional areas and no buffer zone. Beach closures are common due to high bacteria counts. These environmental concerns can't be addressed through simple one-off interventions, which is why the Township wants to address these various issues using an ecosystem type approach. Through a collaboration of community groups, private sector representatives, and through the ReWilding Lake Simcoe initiative of the Ontario Water Centre, the Township wishes to undertake the redevelopment of this site as The Harbour of the Future. The pilot project is composed of a series of components and will be carried out in two phases that will utilize current infrastructure, such as roads, parking lots and playground surfaces, and natural features, such as hills and water bodies, as mechanisms for creating a new form of stormwater system that attracts and brings people back to the waterfront. In phase 1, the different project components (People Gardens, Accessible Pathways, Road Infiltration, and Razzle Dazzle) will be tested to determine their efficiency in managing stormwater volume, suspended solids, as well as road salt and phosphorous concentrations using a Measurement Protocol based on the ReWilding Lake Simcoe Measurement Protocol. In phase 2, the concept of flow will be utilized to determine how all of these structures can be used together in a holistic way that ensures triple top line outcomes. Through this pilot, the Township expects to demonstrate the potential to eliminate all site runoff for the 90th percentile of all 24-hour rainfall events, by volume, as well as the potential to eliminate 65% of the total suspended solids currently flowing into Lake Simcoe from the Beaverton Harbour site. Other environmental benefits include a 55% reduction in road salt and in phosphorous entering the lake, as well as a decrease in beach closures and an increase in vegetative cover which will enhance air quality, decrease temperature and increase biodiversity in the Harbour. The water filtration objects and infiltration structures will be created using recycled or up-cycled materials whenever possible. Lessons learned from this pilot project will be used to develop and implement integrated stormwater management systems for the MacLeod & Clare Hardy Park in Cannington, as well as for various sites along the Canada 150 Trail system. (Project description from original funding application)