Midwood Shoreline Access Report
Assessment and recommendations for the Midwood shoreline access point and small park on Portage Inlet.
Midwood Shoreline Access
General
Midwood Shoreline Access is a signed water access and small park on Portage Inlet, off Midwood Rd. near the intersection of Seabird Place and Werra Rd. There are nearby water accesses (less than 10 houses away in each direction) at Seabird Park to the south and Thomas Park Drive to the north. The Midwood Shoreline Access includes a TOVR pump station and is adjacent a significant amount of roadway, seemingly the remnant of an end of street turnaround; the street width dimension from inside curb to inside curb is 7.8m, not including the extra width of the old turnaround. This is excessive if not required for emergency vehicles or other critical access. The site is relatively flat and accessible except for a slope between pump station equipment and the north property line (drop of 1.07m). This suggests a portion of the site has been filled. Vegetation is primarily groomed grass lawn, a goose magnet; there is a healthy salt marsh at the water’s edge.
The property to the north (196 Werra Rd.) appears to have two structures that encroach on public land (a freestanding car port and, separately, an overhang on a parking structure attached to the house), and a third structure to the east with a near zero lot-line setback (has chimney). The awning and structure with chimney have no obvious negative impact on the neighbourhood, however. the land with the freestanding carport is a lost opportunity for TOVR. The Town could establish a significant, beneficial and nearly continuous naturescape between Werra Rd. and Portage Inlet by reducing the excessive pavement and reclaiming the land where the carport sits.
The property to the south (1 Midwood Rd.) does not obviously encroach into the ‘park’ area, but private plantings on the shared south property line do not appear to be parallel to the lot line; the property line should be surveyed, and property lines confirmed (the property is currently for sale and establishing the property line as soon as possible may be timely). There is a private gate near the water’s edge blocking access to a TOVR walkway that runs the length of the Midwood Road property. The concrete walkway is supported by a small boulder retaining wall on the water side, and edged by a stone retaining wall on the upland side. A bench is located about halfway.
Site amenities include 2 benches located at the roadside of the irrigated and manicured grass lawn that extends to the shoreline, and a garbage receptacle. The manicured grass lawn was covered in goose poop during all site visits. Canada geese could be seen on manicured grass lawns all along the shoreline (they weren’t seen in naturalized riparian areas or areas with long grasses and/or shrubs). The hard surface beside and behind the benches provides plenty of room for wheelchairs and strollers; space for walking in front of the benches is tight.
Challenges
At 196 Werra Rd., the property to the north of the site, there are private structure encroachments onto public land and the combined width of the asphalt roadway (old turnaround) and apron to the driveway and attached car port is extensive. When servicing the pump station a hydro-cab truck occupies over half the road width, and work trucks park at the east edge of the driveway apron. See photos below (3).
The front door and adjacent concrete parking area at #1 Midwood Rd. impacts the potential for hardscape reduction. Should future development be proposed for this lot, it may become possible to work with the owners to replace the parking that fronts Midwood Rd. with a naturescaped garden, or, at a minimum, a permeable landscaped area. This property already has significant parking and another entrance off Seabird Place.
Current high tides flood the north edge of the site up to the second drainage manhole.
There is high potential for archaeological sites near the shoreline in this location.
The seawall and walkway appears to be privately owned as it is accessed through a private gate, but it isn’t, and remains the responsibility of TOVR. See photos below (page 24).
Midwood Shore Access Opportunities & Recommendations
- This site is well suited to foreshore restoration and controlled water access. It provides an excellent opportunity to implement GreenShores principals and be a model for GreenShores restoration throughout View Royal. Foreshore restoration following GreenShores principals is recommended. https://stewardshipcentrebc.ca/green-shores-home/
- The foreshore restoration will include replacement of highly ornamental plant species, and groomed grass lawns that are particularly attractive to geese, with natural materials, and native and adaptive plant species that provide habitat to birds, small animals, amphibians and beneficial insects. See Plant list recommendations pages 26 and 27.
- A second Green Shores opportunity and recommendation is to remove the gate leading to the shoreline walkway adjacent #1 Midwood Rd., and to disable the walkway by removing the concrete surface. Retain the boulder wall that supports the walkway and plant the ‘found’ space where the concrete surface had been with appropriate foreshore vegetation. There is little potential to extend the path as a public walkway in the foreseeable future, however, a pathway could be reinstated and extended in the long term. See Plant list recommendations pages 26 and 27.
- It is recommended that the road end design be universally accessible and substantially maintain the current openness of the site and support passive activities such as, but not limited to, picnicking, bird watching and toe dipping. Site furniture, trees for shade, and other amenities, to be located above the HWM and anticipated sea level rise. Existing benches to be incorporated into new the design.
- Although there is irrigation on this site, it is recommended that all new vegetation above the HWM be planted in fall at the start of the rainy season to mitigate the need for extensive watering during the first summer when plants will be small and most susceptible to failure from drought. Spring planting is acceptable if water needs are carefully monitored and adjusted after planting and throughout summer and early fall. After planting mulch immediately with 100mm depth organic mulch, such as composted leaf mulch, to help retain moisture and mitigate invasive species spread. Newly planted areas to be maintained for minimum 2-year establishment period.
- Obtain permission from DFO to plant or work at or below the HWM. This is a requirement not a recommendation. https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pnw-ppe/reviews-revues/request-review-demande-d-examen-004-eng.html The two reduced-risk work windows are
- July 1 - Oct 1 (preferred for longer daylight, daytime low tides, less risk for erosion and sedimentation)
- December 1 – Feb 1 (difficult to work because low tides are at night and there is risk of heavy rainfall)
- Inclusion of interpretive signs identifying ducks in the area and/or wildlife benefits of restoring and maintaining native plant species habitats is recommended.
- Install decorative wrap on pump station kiosks.
- There is a feeling of unfairness (deserved or not) when residents use public property for personal gain. In the instance of 196 Werra Rd. the freestanding carport is on public property, has no access except across the grass boulevard, and has no community benefit. The Town could establish a significant naturescape by reclaiming the land where the carport sits. If there is no requirement for the current width of Midwood Rd. (e.g., emergency vehicle turnaround), TOVR could reduce the road width adjacent 196 Werra Rd., and naturescape the ‘found’ space, or create on-street parking (of benefit to the shoreline access) and naturescape the remaining ‘found’ space. Reclaiming these two areas would create a significant, beneficial and nearly continuous naturescape between Werra Rd. and Portage Inlet. Creation of the low maintenance (after establishment), environmentally significant, and continuous naturescape should be considered. Note that these recommendations won’t impact parking space in the driveway of 196 Werra Rd.
- Determine where archaeological sites are, if any, on the Midwood shoreline, and acknowledge them in accordance with the wishes of the local First Nations
- Regardless of action on recommendations in bullet above, remove portion of asphalt indicated in photo below (remnant of old path), and incorporate area into new design / improved ecology for road end.
