Victoria_Park_Re port Final.pdf - City of Charlottetown

Final Report • June 2013
VICTORIA PARK COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN
Management Issues
In the absence of a comprehensive master plan, the modern usage of Victoria Park
has been guided by the Victoria Park and Promenade By-law. Since its origin, Victoria
Park has always balanced both active and passive uses such as cricket and walking,
although many of these activities have evolved to reflect contemporary community
needs. As Charlottetown’s most prominent open space, there is a general idea that
Victoria Park needs to be everything to everyone, and this has led to some challenges
for City staff in terms of operational and management decisions. Many of the existing
management issues can be categorized based on an overall theme.
Ecological Values
Victoria Park contains one of the largest contiguous blocks of urban forest in the City of
Charlottetown. This natural asset adds significant beauty and character to the block, as
well as providing natural habitat as a functioning stand of Acadian forest. However, as
with many urban forests, Victoria Park’s ecology is challenged by the presence of nonnative
and invasive species, human and canine impact, vandalism, and the impacts
of active recreational activities. In recent years, significant focus and investment has
been dedicated to the active management and restoration of the forest, and this work
has lead to improvement in the ecology of the Park. This work needs to continue, as
evolving community needs and ongoing usage pressures continue to press against the
need to preserve and protect the urban forest.
Cultural Values
Victoria Park is one of the oldest municipal parks in Canada, and it occupies a high
profile place in the hearts and minds of the Charlottetown community. As such, the
cultural significance of the park cannot be understated. The presence of the Lieutenant
Governor’s House and Fort Edward add layers of cultural and heritage significance
to the park, and require special attention when making long-term management
decisions. Key views of Fort Amherst / Port-la-Joye across the harbour are important
and deserving of preservation and interpretation. The cultural importance of the park
suggests that it will never become a dedicated active sports park, and as such, future
uses will require appropriate consideration of the cultural attributes.
Defining Appropriate Levels of Recreational Use
As a large site, there are a wide range of potential recreational uses for Victoria Park, including
active and passive programs that may or may not require dedicated infrastructure. Examples
include baseball and softball, tennis, cricket, dog walking, bocce, soccer, walking, cycling,
community gardens, etc. The identification of community needs and desires is an important
step in making facility renewal and upgrade decisions, and will help to reduce the tension
between various uses and their impact on the park’s ecological and cultural values. The types
and intensities of appropriate uses will be made based on the community’s needs, within the
context of the expressed cultural and ecological values.
Major Events
Victoria Park is often referred to as the Crown Jewel of Charlottetown, with strong feelings
from the community on its long-term vision and management. This is especially evident
with respect to the hosting of major events on park grounds. Permitted by the Victoria Park
Bylaw upon Council approval, past major events have included Canada Day celebrations, the
Jack Frost Festival, and sports tournaments. As competing uses continue to place pressure on
park managers, so too will the need to evaluate the opportunities and constraints presented
by major events. Many of these decisions require review on a case-by-case basis, within the
context of the park’s overall vision and long-term goals, and a desired outcome of this plan will
be more definitive event policy.
Adjacent Lands
Victoria Park’s proximity to the shoreline, the Lieutenant Governor’s House, the historic
downtown, and the adjacent Brighton Neighbourhood provide a unique overlook to the City of
Charlottetown. Future land-use decisions for the park will have direct and indirect impact on
some high profile neighbours, including the Province of Prince Edward Island and the Lieutenant
Governor. The strong sense of community ownership demonstrated by the public further
reinforces the need to consider the impact of management decisions with respect to adjacent
lands. While many decisions may elicit a ‘not in my backyard’ response, it will be important
to consider the broader community impact that potential projects may have. In particular, the
potential value the neighbouring Prince Edward Home lands could have for the future of the
park should not be minimized, and the City should work with stakeholders to further explore
that potential.
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