Giant ships pass by it and thousands of vehicles travel over it daily. The area around the entrance to Hamilton Harbour is an often overlooked part of the waterfront with some of the highest potential for creative redevelopment and some of the most stunning views of both Lake Ontario and the Harbour.

And now the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority wants your help to plan its future.

Introducing PlanLocal: Fisherman's Pier.

The Fisherman's Pier area is located at the entrance to Hamilton Harbour at the shipping canal. The canal marks the municipal boundary between Hamilton and Burlington. The area includes land on both sides of the canal and many notable landmarks such as the Lift and Skyway Bridges, Breakwater Piers (1), Eastport greenspace (2), Historic Lighthouse (3), and land adjacent to the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters (4) (see the image below). Previously, the area was home to commercial activities before the twinning of the QEW in 1985 removed many of the retail structures. While there are some existing plans for parts of the area, including an initiative to restore the lighthouse and keeper's cottage, as well as the creation of parkland on the Burlington side of canal, there are many areas that are unplanned and primed to be reimagined.

In this context, the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority has teamed up with Civicplan to use its award-winning PlanLocal process to help get residents involved in shaping the future of this important part of the waterfront.

It all starts with an interactive online tool that guides you through an engagement process where your responses will inform a vision for the area that will help guide future development.

Here's how it works. The engagement tool takes users through a virtual tour of the area, before evaluating a series of improvements you would like to see in the future. The area is separated into zones, each with unique attributes. Within each zone, design concepts are presented for you to assess. The proposed improvements are ideas from different locations around North America and each concept demonstrates a different approach to design that could be implemented in that zone.

For example, the breakwater piers are walkable concrete piers that extend from Hamilton Harbour into Lake Ontario, providing excellent views in all directions. At the shoreline, the piers are connected by an underpass to the other side of the lift bridge, as well as to the rest of the Breezeway Trail towards the Hamilton Beach neighbourhood. Currently, the piers are bare bones with no amenities provided and in need of refurbishment. This provides an extraordinary opportunity to remake them as a recreational destination. There are great examples of redeveloped waterfront piers from elsewhere, so we ask you, what do you want to see for this area:

In Option A, the space is updated with elements such as seating, railings and sun/shade structures to create a better pedestrian environment. With Option B, the space is reimagined as a more naturalized space, including elements such as plant material and trees, rocks, seating and sun/wind shelters, as well as different types of path surfaces, from wood boards, to concrete areas and paving stones. With Option C, the space is transformed into a temporary commercial and events space. It could include pop-up vendors or food trucks, as well as railings, lighting, seating areas and passive landscaping. So, what options would you like to see for this space?

This is just one example of an area we are looking at for feedback. In working through the online engagement tool, you will have an opportunity to evaluate other spaces and design options. We invite you to participate in this exciting process to have your say on helping to design this important part of the waterfront. To learn more and to engage in the process, please visit hpa.planlocal.ca.

Larissa Fenn is Director, Public Affairs and Corporate Secretary with the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) and Paul Shaker is a Principal with Civicplan.