It’s been 40 years in the making, but a new lakefront park is finally getting closer to reality.
The area in question is known as Cherry Beach, located east of Millen Road between the lake and QEW.
Prior to amalgamation, the former City of Stoney Creek had initiated an acquisition program under the auspices of the Stoney Creek Lakeshore Neighbourhood Plan, and began accumulating property as early as the 1960s. Land purchases continued to take place, even after Stoney Creek was amalgamated with Hamilton.
The properties, many of which were former cottages, were acquired to facilitate a future waterfront park. Most residences in the Cherry Beach acquisition area are not serviced with municipal water, sanitary or storm sewers, and for decades, the former City of Stoney Creek and now City of Hamilton have denied any and all building permits for existing homes in the area.
“Every year we continue to put money aside in the budget for land aquisition at Cherry Beach,” said Ward 10 councillor Maria Pearson. “We have bought a number of lots over the past seven years, and right now we own a good chunk of the area. There are only a few properties left for us to buy.”
Pearson said once all lands are acquired, the area will be set up as an open space passive park, and the city will also embark on efforts to protect the shoreline from continuing erosion.
A City of Stoney Creek internal Planning staff memo in 1993 noted among other benefits to the municipality, that a lakefront park at Cherry Beach would:
• maximize and consolidate municipal lands in this area;
• maximize the visibility and development of the potential park;
• remove private dwellings which otherwise would remain on a private road indefinitely; and,
• relieve environmental septic problems for the existing homeowners and will alleviate the necessity of additional municipal services.
The size of the proposed Cherry Beach park area is 7.9 acres. At present, the City of Hamilton owns 79 per cent of the land in this area but will be adding the Ontario Realty Corporation’s (Ministry of Transportation) 1.52 acres located at 00 North Service Road. The balance of approximately 1.5 acres are privately held in 10 smaller residential parcels.
Robert Norman, manager of open space development and park planning, said once all the lands are acquired by the city, a stakeholders group will be formed to look at passive uses for the park. This group will include area residents as well as the local councillor.
“We certainly hope to take advantage of its position on the lakefront,” he said. “We want to look at passive uses.”
The accumulation of the few remaining properties could take a while, however, as purchases are made only if there is a willing seller. The city has no plans to expropriate the remaining properties.
A private road and adjoining sideroads are also part of the area in question. The city’s real estate department said from time to time the estate that owns the lands has granted rights of ways over the adjoining roads for access purposes. The right of access is a property right and the city and private land owners have rights to pass over the lands. The city owns land along the southerly limit of Cherry Beach Road identified as Part 6 and 14 Plan 62R-13426. Municipal access to Cherry Beach Road is derived from Given Road and the North Service Road.
It’s been 40 years in the making, but a new lakefront park is finally getting closer to reality.
The area in question is known as Cherry Beach, located east of Millen Road between the lake and QEW.
Prior to amalgamation, the former City of Stoney Creek had initiated an acquisition program under the auspices of the Stoney Creek Lakeshore Neighbourhood Plan, and began accumulating property as early as the 1960s. Land purchases continued to take place, even after Stoney Creek was amalgamated with Hamilton.
The properties, many of which were former cottages, were acquired to facilitate a future waterfront park. Most residences in the Cherry Beach acquisition area are not serviced with municipal water, sanitary or storm sewers, and for decades, the former City of Stoney Creek and now City of Hamilton have denied any and all building permits for existing homes in the area.
“Every year we continue to put money aside in the budget for land aquisition at Cherry Beach,” said Ward 10 councillor Maria Pearson. “We have bought a number of lots over the past seven years, and right now we own a good chunk of the area. There are only a few properties left for us to buy.”
Pearson said once all lands are acquired, the area will be set up as an open space passive park, and the city will also embark on efforts to protect the shoreline from continuing erosion.
A City of Stoney Creek internal Planning staff memo in 1993 noted among other benefits to the municipality, that a lakefront park at Cherry Beach would:
• maximize and consolidate municipal lands in this area;
• maximize the visibility and development of the potential park;
• remove private dwellings which otherwise would remain on a private road indefinitely; and,
• relieve environmental septic problems for the existing homeowners and will alleviate the necessity of additional municipal services.
The size of the proposed Cherry Beach park area is 7.9 acres. At present, the City of Hamilton owns 79 per cent of the land in this area but will be adding the Ontario Realty Corporation’s (Ministry of Transportation) 1.52 acres located at 00 North Service Road. The balance of approximately 1.5 acres are privately held in 10 smaller residential parcels.
Robert Norman, manager of open space development and park planning, said once all the lands are acquired by the city, a stakeholders group will be formed to look at passive uses for the park. This group will include area residents as well as the local councillor.
“We certainly hope to take advantage of its position on the lakefront,” he said. “We want to look at passive uses.”
The accumulation of the few remaining properties could take a while, however, as purchases are made only if there is a willing seller. The city has no plans to expropriate the remaining properties.
A private road and adjoining sideroads are also part of the area in question. The city’s real estate department said from time to time the estate that owns the lands has granted rights of ways over the adjoining roads for access purposes. The right of access is a property right and the city and private land owners have rights to pass over the lands. The city owns land along the southerly limit of Cherry Beach Road identified as Part 6 and 14 Plan 62R-13426. Municipal access to Cherry Beach Road is derived from Given Road and the North Service Road.
It’s been 40 years in the making, but a new lakefront park is finally getting closer to reality.
The area in question is known as Cherry Beach, located east of Millen Road between the lake and QEW.
Prior to amalgamation, the former City of Stoney Creek had initiated an acquisition program under the auspices of the Stoney Creek Lakeshore Neighbourhood Plan, and began accumulating property as early as the 1960s. Land purchases continued to take place, even after Stoney Creek was amalgamated with Hamilton.
The properties, many of which were former cottages, were acquired to facilitate a future waterfront park. Most residences in the Cherry Beach acquisition area are not serviced with municipal water, sanitary or storm sewers, and for decades, the former City of Stoney Creek and now City of Hamilton have denied any and all building permits for existing homes in the area.
“Every year we continue to put money aside in the budget for land aquisition at Cherry Beach,” said Ward 10 councillor Maria Pearson. “We have bought a number of lots over the past seven years, and right now we own a good chunk of the area. There are only a few properties left for us to buy.”
Pearson said once all lands are acquired, the area will be set up as an open space passive park, and the city will also embark on efforts to protect the shoreline from continuing erosion.
A City of Stoney Creek internal Planning staff memo in 1993 noted among other benefits to the municipality, that a lakefront park at Cherry Beach would:
• maximize and consolidate municipal lands in this area;
• maximize the visibility and development of the potential park;
• remove private dwellings which otherwise would remain on a private road indefinitely; and,
• relieve environmental septic problems for the existing homeowners and will alleviate the necessity of additional municipal services.
The size of the proposed Cherry Beach park area is 7.9 acres. At present, the City of Hamilton owns 79 per cent of the land in this area but will be adding the Ontario Realty Corporation’s (Ministry of Transportation) 1.52 acres located at 00 North Service Road. The balance of approximately 1.5 acres are privately held in 10 smaller residential parcels.
Robert Norman, manager of open space development and park planning, said once all the lands are acquired by the city, a stakeholders group will be formed to look at passive uses for the park. This group will include area residents as well as the local councillor.
“We certainly hope to take advantage of its position on the lakefront,” he said. “We want to look at passive uses.”
The accumulation of the few remaining properties could take a while, however, as purchases are made only if there is a willing seller. The city has no plans to expropriate the remaining properties.
A private road and adjoining sideroads are also part of the area in question. The city’s real estate department said from time to time the estate that owns the lands has granted rights of ways over the adjoining roads for access purposes. The right of access is a property right and the city and private land owners have rights to pass over the lands. The city owns land along the southerly limit of Cherry Beach Road identified as Part 6 and 14 Plan 62R-13426. Municipal access to Cherry Beach Road is derived from Given Road and the North Service Road.