Rain Gardens at Bus Bulges Protect Stream Health in the City of North Vancouver

 

 

North van - lonsdale drainage feature1

Bus Bulges Minimize Impact on Built Environment

The City of North Vancouver is leading by example in demonstrating on-the-ground applications of a ‘design with nature’ way-of-thinking and acting. This is illustrated by drainage features constructed within the highly urban Lonsdale Avenue corridor.

Streetscape Enhancement

“Rain gardens have been included in bus bulges on Lonsdale to minimize the impact of the built environment on the City’s small streams.  But this is just part of the picture,” states Tony Barber, Manager of Engineering Planning and Design.

“The rain gardens also help to sustain the adjacent street trees and make the streetscape a more comfortable and attractive environment for Tony barber (120p) - city of north vancouverwalking. Studies have shown that appealing streetscapes also improve the viability of adjacent businesses.”

“As far as the bus bulges themselves, they reduce transit dwell times and therefore help to make transit a more attractive alternative.  So to sum it up, these bus bulges help to contribute to the social, economic and environmental aspects of the sustainability of the City of North Vancouver.”

Seizing an Opportunity to Lead Change

The drainage features have been praised by Corino Salomi of DFO.  “Not only do the features appear functional, they are visually appealing and interesting.  Installing features like these on a busy street like Lonsdale takes dedication and in my opinion demonstrates the kind of leadership needed to bring about improvements in how rainwater is viewed and managed. This is an example of seizing, not missing, an opportunity.”

Beyond the Guidebook 2010

The story of the Lonsdale Avenue Bus Bulges is included in  Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia, released in June 2010.Corino salomi (100p)

“Beyond the Guidebook 2010 provides local governments with ‘how to’ guidance for developing outcome-oriented urban watershed plans,” states Corino Salomi, Lower Fraser Valley Area Manager with the Department of Fisheries & Oceans.

“Rainwater management has a bigger picture. It is not just about drainage. Non-point source pollution, species at risk, ecosystem functions, and drought management are all coming to the forefront. Everything is linked. So, watershed targets and land development solutions must be holistic in scope.”

Posted September 2010