Island Lake Conservation Area Management Plan

Project Background

The current management plan for Island Lake Conservation Area (ILCA) was completed in 1997 and outlines objectives and directions for the property for a 20-year period. This plan, together with an addendum in 2005, set the stage for the development of several key recreational facilities and supporting infrastructure such as the boat launch, docks, picnic pavilions, washrooms, parking lots, viewing platforms, fishing piers and trail system.

With the plan expiring in 2017, CVC is working with community stakeholders and the public to develop a new 25-year management plan for ILCA, an action plan that will balance the protection of natural and cultural heritage values with public access and meaningful visitor experiences. Key elements that will be outlined in the new management plan include:

• Vision statement that defines the identity and meaning of ILCA
• Objectives that describe what the management plan aims to accomplish
• Outcomes that describe the desired results and the directions that are needed to achieve them
• Conceptual site plan that identifies park amenities and experiential elements
• Strategies for trails and natural resource management
• Programming framework that outlines current and future park programming including recreational activities and events

Where are we now?

We’ve conducted a variety of engagement methods to inform the new management plan:

• To better understand and evaluate ILCA values and pressures, we learned what is valued most about ILCA and what changes are welcomed through technical and stakeholder meetings and an online public survey
• We heard about concerns over visitor capacity and turned to our visitor data to better understand visitation patterns and where capacity issues are emerging.
• We conducted an online visioning session with staff and community stakeholders to brainstorm ideas for future park experiences, facilities, partnerships and education.

Your Opinion Matters!

CVC, with project consultants WSP and Smoke Architecture, is hosting a virtual community event. You’ll hear more about:

• Draft guiding statements (vision, objectives, outcomes and directions)
• Supporting strategies (Restoration and Natural Resource Management Plan and Credit Valley Trail Plan)
• Draft conceptual site plan and designs

Our first public meeting will be held virtually on April 21, 2021 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. To attend the meeting:

• Sign up at cvc.ca/events to receive an access link to the virtual community event.
• Send us your questions. If you have questions you would like CVC or the project consultants to answer at the community event, let us know and we will make sure they are discussed.
• Your opinion matters! Please share your opinions and ideas after the event by completing this survey.
• If you’re not able to attend, a recording will be posted here after the event.

We realize that virtual consultation is not ideal for everyone. To connect with project staff, please contact Kate Burgess, Conservation Lands Planner, via email at kate.burgess@cvc.ca or call (905) 670-1615 ext. 386 to discuss the project.