Pickering’s Millennium Waterfront
By: Linda Erskine
The City of Pickering’s Millennium Waterfront project will be a major feature of the Pickering Waterfront and Waterfront Trail. The goal of the project is to establish a careful balance between public use and exposure to the waterfront, in harmony with the addition of natural planting areas and improvements to the fish habitat along the waterfront.
The central focus of the waterfront project is a Millennium Square, located on the shoreline to provide views of the historical harbour of Frenchman’s Bay, the natural amenity of the Hydro Marsh and the Pickering Nuclear power station. Following the natural water theme, "waves" are reflected in the colours and textures of overlapping and radiating bands of the pavement surface. A low concrete retaining wall and armourstone protection separates the very publicly accessible square from the uninterrupted natural beach.
Elements such as beach pavilions, washroom building, kinetic sculpture play area and marsh lookout area will be scattered throughout the millennium waterfront. Information and directional signs will also be added to help direct visitors through the waterfront area.
Visitors will be able to travel east along existing sections of the waterfront trail or west around Frenchman’s Bay via the Millennium Boardwalk, placed over part of the beach area. The entire Pickering Waterfront Trail as well as the boardwalk and square will be accessible to able bodied and physically challenged visitors.
Immediately adjacent to the Millennium Square, the Water Play Beach uses kinetic spray sculptures to satisfy a child’s natural desire to play in water at the beach. To complement the Water Play Beach, a Sand Play Beach with state-of-the-art children’s play feature would replace conventional climbers and create the unique experience of playing on a huge natural sand box.
There is no doubt that art exists in nature - the Millennium Waterfront project aims to provide an artistic interpretation of local history and cultural concerns through new landmarks and recreational areas, while limiting the impact on the natural environment. The natural environment is celebrated in many ways, including a naturalized planting created by the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority.
The projected completion date for the current phase of the Millennium Waterfront is June 2001.
