Morrisburg, a historic village in South Dundas, is nestled along the shores of the St. Lawrence River. One of the most significant municipal waterfront green spaces in Eastern Ontario, the village has over 800 metres of public shoreline and parkland. This relationship with the St Lawrence River played a significant role in Morrisburg’s history, and has the potential to play a similar role in its future.
A Convergence of Uses
The Municipality of South Dundas retained TRACE architectures and their team of specialists to prepare the preliminary design for Phase I of Morrisburg’s Waterfront Plan, with the aim of creating a unique public space on the water, accessible to all, and respectful of Morrisburg’s distinct natural and cultural heritage.
The Team’s design included: a connected riverfront promenade and other pedestrian and bicycle pathway systems, a multi-use building, shoreline treatments, the consolidation/replacement of the ball diamonds with open space and event activity areas, and parking for a boat launch.
Strengthening Community Identity
These features also included the evaluation of proposed Finger Docks and their location, architectural and public space features, traffic analysis, safety measures, and a preliminary cost estimate to carry out the design.
The design concept sought to highlight the strong connection between the village and its waterfront, as well as creating inviting spaces, with simple components that are in harmony with the history, local materials, and identity of the community.
