Wellington Rotary Beach Revitalization

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Following the 2022 Wellington Beach Revitalization Plan - developed with community input - the County completed additional technical studies, including a detailed review of Quinte Conservation’s Shoreline Management Plan. These findings have all been incorporated into the Wellington Beach Implementation Plan, which outlines next steps to improve the beach in a phased, practical way.

Prior to presenting the Plan to Council (date TBC), the recommendations were shared at a public open house that took place on June 25, 2025. The image below, illustrates key priorities, including fixing drainage and grading along Beach Street, improving accessibility by extending the boardwalk, enhancing dune health, bi-annual dredging, and maintaining and enhancing key amenities like parking and pathway:


In addition, a funding application to the Active Transportation Fund to improve pedestrian access in Wellington, with a focus on better connections to the beach, has been submitted. As part of the proposed plan, a new pathway between Oak Street and Main Street would create a safer, more direct walking route to CML Snider Public School where summer parking is available. Sidewalks are also proposed along Beach Street to provide a safer, dedicated pedestrian entrance to the beach, as shown in the map below:


These improvements are subject to Council approval and available funding. Some smaller maintenance items may be addressed through the regular operating budget. If you have comments or feedback, please get in touch!


Background: 2022 Wellington Beach Revitalization Plan

In Spring 2022, a landscape architect firm was retained by the municipality to explore landscape design solutions to address challenges at Wellington Rotary Beach (e.g. parking, pedestrian access, accessibility, outdated amenities, etc.). A design workshop and public open house was held in May 2022, which resulted in three conceptual designs - Big Move, Tweak, and Naturalize:

Big Move - The ‘Big Move’ concept represents a picture of how the beach could be developed over a longer period of time, with significant financial investment and major infrastructure improvements.

Tweak - The ‘Tweak’ concept represents a picture of how the beach could be improved in the immediate and interim timeframe, with modest financial investment and infrastructure improvements.

Naturalize - The ‘Naturalize’ concept represents a picture of how the beach could be developed as a natural environment where vehicle access is strictly limited to access and drop-off only. The concept contains elements that may be implemented in the immediate term and over the longer timeframe, with modest to significant financial investment.

The three options were developed by community stakeholders, who were identified by the Wellington Waterfront Task Team. With three options in hand, the public was consulted via a public open house, intercept interviews and an online public survey to identify what they liked / disliked about each concept. Quinte Conservation was also consulted to ensure alignment with the Quinte Conservation Authority Shoreline Management Plan.

The findings from the task team were presented at the September 19th meeting of the Community and Economic Development Commission.


Following the 2022 Wellington Beach Revitalization Plan - developed with community input - the County completed additional technical studies, including a detailed review of Quinte Conservation’s Shoreline Management Plan. These findings have all been incorporated into the Wellington Beach Implementation Plan, which outlines next steps to improve the beach in a phased, practical way.

Prior to presenting the Plan to Council (date TBC), the recommendations were shared at a public open house that took place on June 25, 2025. The image below, illustrates key priorities, including fixing drainage and grading along Beach Street, improving accessibility by extending the boardwalk, enhancing dune health, bi-annual dredging, and maintaining and enhancing key amenities like parking and pathway:


In addition, a funding application to the Active Transportation Fund to improve pedestrian access in Wellington, with a focus on better connections to the beach, has been submitted. As part of the proposed plan, a new pathway between Oak Street and Main Street would create a safer, more direct walking route to CML Snider Public School where summer parking is available. Sidewalks are also proposed along Beach Street to provide a safer, dedicated pedestrian entrance to the beach, as shown in the map below:


These improvements are subject to Council approval and available funding. Some smaller maintenance items may be addressed through the regular operating budget. If you have comments or feedback, please get in touch!


Background: 2022 Wellington Beach Revitalization Plan

In Spring 2022, a landscape architect firm was retained by the municipality to explore landscape design solutions to address challenges at Wellington Rotary Beach (e.g. parking, pedestrian access, accessibility, outdated amenities, etc.). A design workshop and public open house was held in May 2022, which resulted in three conceptual designs - Big Move, Tweak, and Naturalize:

Big Move - The ‘Big Move’ concept represents a picture of how the beach could be developed over a longer period of time, with significant financial investment and major infrastructure improvements.

Tweak - The ‘Tweak’ concept represents a picture of how the beach could be improved in the immediate and interim timeframe, with modest financial investment and infrastructure improvements.

Naturalize - The ‘Naturalize’ concept represents a picture of how the beach could be developed as a natural environment where vehicle access is strictly limited to access and drop-off only. The concept contains elements that may be implemented in the immediate term and over the longer timeframe, with modest to significant financial investment.

The three options were developed by community stakeholders, who were identified by the Wellington Waterfront Task Team. With three options in hand, the public was consulted via a public open house, intercept interviews and an online public survey to identify what they liked / disliked about each concept. Quinte Conservation was also consulted to ensure alignment with the Quinte Conservation Authority Shoreline Management Plan.

The findings from the task team were presented at the September 19th meeting of the Community and Economic Development Commission.


  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Wellington Rotary Beach Revitalization

    Thank you for taking the Wellington Rotary Beach Revitalization Survey. This survey will walk you through three key design concepts for the beach that were developed by a group of 25 community stakeholders, with help from a team of landscape architects. 

    We encourage you to read more about the concepts below, then scroll down to jump right in and tell us how you feel about each of the concepts!


    BIG MOVE

    A diagram showing the "Big Move" concept with labels describing the various features of the plan as described below.

    The ‘Big Move’ concept represents a picture of how the beach could be developed over a longer period of time with significant financial investment and major infrastructure improvements. This includes:

    • Reconstruction of the road and boardwalk to minimize the impacts of the rising lake levels
    • Locating paid parking on the north side of the road
    • Constructing a new pedestrian bridge to Belleville Street to create a connected pedestrian walking loop
    • Constructing new, centralized, all season buildings to house park facilities as well as vendors/concessions. 

    This concept focuses on ‘active’ beach uses and vehicular activity within the west zone while maintaining access to boating activities within the east zone. An access gate between the two zones is meant to help limit vehicular traffic to this portion of the park during the busiest times of the year. However, pedestrian access will continue to flow throughout the park year-round.

    The labels on the diagram include:

    FACILITIES:

    1. Centralized location with new structure for seasonal concessions, new building with washrooms and changerooms and entrance control booth
    2. Picnic pavilion/bandshell

    BOATING

    3. Control booth/ gate to boat launch (in peak season)
    4. Canoe/kayak storage and lockers
    5. New/updated boat launch
    6. New dock/tie-up along canal
    7. Parking = trailers (8), vehicles (16)

    ACCESS AND PARKING

    8. New sidewalk on west side of Beach Street
    9. "Pay and display" parking on North side of road
    10. Re-built road at slightly higher grade elevation
    11. New drop-off/turnaround area
    12. New wider boardwalk at slightly higher grade elevation
    13. New walkway to lighthouse
    14. New pedestrian bridge connection. Lift bridge or arched bridge design

    LANDSCAPE

    15. High branching native trees and low dune grasses
    16. Bird-watching platforms


    TWEAKDiagram of the "Tweak" concept with labels for the features of the design as described below.

    The ‘Tweak’ concept represents a picture of how the park could be improved in the immediate and interim time frame, with less financial investment and infrastructure improvements. This includes:

    • Reconstruction of the road and boardwalk to minimize the impacts of the rising lake levels
    • Moving vehicle parking to a central location that also serves as a drop-off / turnaround
    • Providing new structures to house vendors / concession
    • Re-organizing the boat launch area to provide some trailer parking while re-naturalizing the area on the beach side with native and dune plantings

    This concept maintains all of the existing infrastructure in the beach, while re-organizing circulation and parking to prioritize pedestrian movement and experiences. The looped walkway network includes a sidewalk along Beach Street, a raised boardwalk along the beach and trails within the wooded areas. Additionally, existing gravel driveways and parking areas are replaced with naturalized landscaping at the east end of the park and on-street parking is re-instated along Wellington Main Street. An alternative design for the ‘Tweak’ concept has no structures for vendors / concessions in the central are; these are to be seasonal / non-permanent structures located on the north side of the parking / drop-off area. In addition, the launch area includes a new canoe / kayak storage facility along with an upgraded boat launch.

    The labels on the diagram include:

    FACILITIES:

    1. Maintain existing control/entrance gates
    2. Restore existing washrooms
    3. Maintain existing picnic pavilion
    4. Upgrade existing changerooms
    5. Concessions

    BOATING

    6. New canoe/kayak launch, storage and lockers
    7. Existing launch for motorized boats
    8. Parking - trailers (10)

    ACCESS AND PARKING

    9. New sidewalk on west side of Beach Street
    10. On-street parking on Main Street
    11. Angled parking
    12. Raised boardwalk
    13. Replace Eastern section road with trails and maintenance access only
    14. Signalized intersection at Main St and Belleville St
    15. Left turn lane from Main Street

    LANDSCAPE

    16. High-branching native trees and low dune grasses
    17. Naturalized and restore the dune landscape


    NATURALIZEDiagram of the "Naturalize" concept with labels for the design features as described below.

    The ‘Naturalize’ concept represents a picture of how the beach could be developed as a natural environment where vehicle access is strictly limited to access and drop-off only. The concept contains elements that may be implemented in the immediate term and over the longer time frame, with modest to significant financial investment. This includes:

    • Narrowing of the road
    • Removal of the existing washrooms and the construction of new shade pavilions along the boardwalk
    • The most significant elements of this concept are the pedestrian bridge crossing of the channel to connect to Belleville Street and the introduction of a shuttle to connect to off-site parking facilities. 

    This concept focuses on the natural environment and the facilities and activities that fit within and complement this environment. Most importantly, it seeks to restore a naturalized dune landscape.

    The labels on the diagram include:

    FACILITIES:

    1. New, larger building including entrance/control gate, 4-season washrooms and new low-stone wall to delineate private/public area
    2. Upgrade existing change rooms
    3. Remove existing washrooms. Replace with seasonal washrooms
    4. New shade structures

    BOATING

    5. Canoe/kayak storage
    6. Existing launch for non-motorized boats only

    ACCESS AND PARKING

    7. Signage and low-stone wall at Main Street and Beach Street
    8. Shared multi-use trail
    9. Shuttle "stop" for off-site parking users
    10. Continuous boardwalk
    11. Walkway to lighthouse (reinforced design)
    12. New pedestrian bridge connection (lift bridge or arched bridge design)

    ACCESS AND PARKING

    13. Indigenous gathering circle
    14. Naturalized/dune landscape

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Page last updated: 03 Jul 2025, 03:59 PM