Agenda Item 15
Staff Report for Committee of the Whole Meeting
Date of Meeting: May 1, 2017
Report Number: SRPRS.17.087
Department:
Division:
Planning and Regulatory Services
Subject:
Blackmore Avenue Temporary Parking
Regulation Modification
Planning
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s approval for temporary parking regulation
changes on the east side of Blackmore Avenue to allow pick-up and drop-off activity for
the Doncrest Public School during the construction of the Ed Sackfield Arena Twinning
and David Hamilton Park Revitalization Project.
Recommendation(s):
a) That, during the construction of the Ed Sackfield Arena Twinning and David
Hamilton Park Revitalization Project, between May 12th, 2017 and September
28th, 2018, the Town implements the following temporary on-street
improvements:
1. Remove stopping restriction on the east side of Blackmore Avenue,
between the northern driveway of Doncrest Public School extending
southerly to Ronald Avenue.
2. Install parking restriction on the east side of Blackmore Avenue, between
the northern driveway of Doncrest Public School extending southerly to
Ronald Avenue.
b) That Chapter 1116 (Parking – Regulation), Schedule ‘A’ of the Municipal Code
be amended by adding the following:

Blackmore Avenue be prohibited for parking on the east side extending
from the south limit of its westerly leg to Ronald Avenue thereof between
8:00 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, with an exemption in July and August.
c) That Chapter 1116 (Parking – Regulation), Schedule ‘B’ of the Municipal Code
be amended by adding the following:

Blackmore Avenue be prohibited for stopping on the west side extending
from the south limit of its westerly leg to a point 184 metres south thereof
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Town of Richmond Hill – Committee of the Whole Meeting
Date of Meeting: May 1, 2017
Report Number: SRPRS.17.087
Page 2
between 8:30 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, with an exemption in July
and August.
d) That Chapter 1116 (Parking – Regulation), Schedule ‘B’ of the Municipal Code
be amended by removing the following:

Blackmore Avenue be prohibited for stopping on the east and west sides
extending from the south limit of the westerly leg to a point 184 metre
south thereof between 8:30 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, with an
exemption in July and August.
e) That, upon completion of the Ed Sackfield Arena Twinning and David Hamilton
Park Revitalization Project,
1. The Municipal Code, with respect to recommendations b), c), and d) be
amended to revert back to the existing condition;
2. All signage with respect to recommendation a), be reinstated back to the
existing condition; and
f) That the Commissioner of Planning and Regulatory Services be given the
delegated authority to extend the September 28, 2018 implementation date
subject to construction progress.
Contact Person:
Richard Hui, Manager of Transportation –905-771-5478 and/or
Samson Wat, Transportation Engineer – 905-771-5472.
Submitted by:
"Original signed by K. Kwan, Acting Commissioner of Planning and Regulatory Services,
is on file in the Office of the Clerk"
Ana Bassios
Commissioner of Planning and Regulatory Services
Approved by:
"Signed version is on file in the Office of the Clerk"
Neil Garbe
Chief Administrative Officer
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Town of Richmond Hill – Committee of the Whole Meeting
Date of Meeting: May 1, 2017
Report Number: SRPRS.17.087
Page 3
Background
Construction of Ed Sackfield Arena Twinning and David Hamilton Park Revitalization
Project is currently underway. As previously outlined in Staff SREIS.16.045 the south
parking lot adjacent to Doncrest Public School will be closed and utilized by the General
Contractor to provide construction trailer and on site storage of materials access to the
project site.
As previously reported, the existing agreement between the Town and YRDSB permits
parking for a limited number of teachers’ vehicles on school days and for special
evening events during the school year.
The parking lot is used by both the YRDSB for teacher parking and by parents for
student pick-up and drop-off.
The Town’s Project Staff and YRDSB Staff realized that closure of the parking lot will
have an impact on both teacher parking and parent student drop-off and thus have met
on several occasions to explore solutions that would help mitigate the parking deficiency
and pick-up/drop-off issues.
The YRDSB has resolved the teacher parking issue by allowing teachers to park in the
rear play area of the school for the remainder of the year, and then modifying the
existing school parking area over the summer to properly accommodate 8 additional
teacher parking spaces, as required.
Several options were also explored between the Town’s Project Staff and
representatives of Doncrest Public School and the YRDSB to accommodate the drop-off
and pick-up on the school property, including the use of the school’s internal bus loop or
the use of the play area at the back of the school.
Unfortunately, neither of these options were deemed to be feasible as there are
numerous operational and safety requirements and obligations that need to be met with
respect to bus pick-up/drop-off activities, and concerns were raised by the School Board
and parents over the loss of program and activity area for the children if the rear of the
school.
As such, the school representatives and school board have agreed to work with the
Town to manage an on-street pick-up and drop-off solution by having administrative
staff greet children along Blackmore Avenue and direct them into the school, without the
need for parents to park their cars or exit their vehicles.
Town staff are generally supportive of this option. However, in order to support this
solution and also minimize the traffic operational impacts at Doncrest Public School and
the neighborhood during the construction, the following temporary on-street
improvements are recommended along Blackmore Avenue:
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Town of Richmond Hill – Committee of the Whole Meeting
Date of Meeting: May 1, 2017
Report Number: SRPRS.17.087
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

Removal of the existing stop restriction on the east side of Blackmore
Avenue; and
Installation of parking restriction on the east side of Blackmore Avenue.
The regulation change allows pick-up/drop off activity while prohibiting staff and visitors
from parking on the eastside of Blackmore Avenue during the weekdays only. All other
on-street stopping regulations in the neighborhood remain unaffected. Figure 1
illustrates the existing and proposed traffic prohibitions on Blackmore Avenue. With this
improvement, parents and students may utilize the east side of Blackmore along the
frontage of the school for pick-up/drop-off activities. This would eliminate the risk for
student to cross a local road to get pick-up/drop-off. It would also minimize the
temporary impact to the school and neighborhood with reduced pick-up/drop-off
capacity during the school peak periods.
Once the construction of the Ed Sackfield Arena Twinning and David Hamilton Park
Revitalization Project is completed, the recommended temporary improvement will be
converted back to the existing conditions. The temporary improvement will be made
effective from May 12th, 2017 to September 28th, 2018 and may be extended subject to
the construction progress.
Financial/Staffing/Other Implications:
The cost for implementing the necessary on-street signage is estimated to be
$2,000.00. Staff recommends that source of funding be the capital budget for the Ed
Sackfield Arena second ice pad and the revitalization of the David Hamilton Park
project.
Relationship to the Strategic Plan:
The recommendations are consistent with the Strategic Plan’s Goals of Strong
Connections in Richmond Hill by responding to the changing needs of the community to
support better transportation options.
Conclusion:
The temporary parking regulation changes on Blackmore Avenue to allow pick-up and
drop-off activity adjacent to Doncrest Public School during the construction of the Ed
Sackfield Arena Twinning and David Hamilton Park Revitalization Project will improve
the constrained traffic operations of the school. This was considered the preferred and
least impactful option after exhausting all other options.
Attachments: Appendix Contents and Maps
The following attached documents may include scanned images of appendixes, maps
and photographs. If you require an alternative format please call contact person listed in
this document.

Figure 1: Existing and proposed parking prohibition – Blackmore Avenue
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SRPRS.17.087
Figure 1 –Existing and Proposed Traffic Prohibitions
May 1, 2017
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