Claredon Beach Park benefits from $500K upgrade

yorkregion.com
July 28, 2014
By Heidi Riedner

A public beach in Keswick went from under construction to a waterfront oasis thanks to a $500,000 makeover courtesy of the Region of York.

Claredon Beach, at the foot of Way’s Bay and Windy Shore drives, is a mix of stunning lakeside vistas, impressive playground equipment, extensive landscaping and quaint resting spots thanks to an expansion of the region’s water treatment plant on Morton Drive in Keswick.

In exchange for using the public beach as a staging ground and project headquarters for the duration of construction of a new discharge pipe from the Keswick water pollution control plant into Cook’s Bay to double the plant’s capacity to accommodate expected growth in Keswick, the region agreed to rebuild Claredon Beach Park and pick up the tab.

The park restoration, including improvements and new additions, is a demonstration of an effective partnership between the town and region, project senior manager Shu He said.

Restoring the park was the region’s minimum obligation, but also a gesture of good faith for the inconvenience, time and residual effects of carrying out the expansion project, he added.

On that note, He said the park is a wonderful result and way to thank the town and local residents for their co-operation during the almost year-long construction phase of the region’s capital project.

Unaware the park had been open to the public since the Canada Day long weekend, a few local residents were out enjoying the warm weather and their new park Monday.

A couple of cars also dotted the new, free parking lot.

Most were impressed by the new footbridge, extensive landscaping and new CSA-approved playground equipment that replaced the old version, although one of few minor complaints raised was the limited amount of sandy beach at the south end of the park.

But He said altering any portion of the park’s lakefront wasn’t part of the project’s scope.

Changes were only made to the park.

“We weren’t to touch anything to do with the waterfront or that would affect fish habitat,” He said.

Public washrooms also didn’t make the list.

Under the agreement with the town dating back to 2012, the region committed to undertake all improvements necessary to any local roads damaged.

It also agreed to rebuild Claredon Beach Park as a condition for using the park as the expansion project’s headquarters and main base.

Due to the state of disrepair, lack of use and increasing cost of upkeep of the old maintenance building on the site, town staff also requested it be demolished and removed at the completion of the outfall project.

With only a few minor details to finalize with the project, the town resumed responsibility for the park from the region June 27.