Integrated Watershed Management: “Develop approaches which balance idealism with pragmatism,” says Peter Steblin, Coquitlam City Manager
Note to Reader:
The Coquitlam story is the second in a series of Watershed Blueprint Case Profiles published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability. The purpose of the series is to inform and facilitate inter-regional collaboration in the Georgia Basin. By telling the stories of those who are spearheading changes in practice, this helps other local governments eliminate the “disconnect between information and implementation” that may otherwise hold them back.
Leading Change in the Metro Vancouver Region
“An interesting aspect of the City of Coquitlam’s story is that it demonstrates, on a local level, how attitudes and approaches in the Metro Vancouver region have evolved with watershed management and the recognition of rainwater as a resource,” reports Melony Burton, the City’s Watershed and Drainage Coordinator. Since 2007, she has been the champion tasked with drainage utility planning and driving the Integrated Watershed Management Plan process.
“Going back to the 1990s, and the start of watershed-based planning approaches, Coquitlam has been involved in pilot projects that put these theories to the test. Since then they have continued to take concepts introduced regionally, and implement them incrementally, each effort building on the successes or lessons of the last. In the process, Coquitlam has learned by doing.”
“Changing the way we do things means taking on new challenges and not always getting it entirely right the first time. But all attempts generally have some salvageable elements to move forward on,” emphasizes Melony Burton.
Balance Idealism with Pragmatism
“We have arrived at a good place, but the journey has not been easy. In fact, we had to work our way through some pretty contentious periods. We persevered, we adapted and we progressed,” reflects Peter Steblin, City Manager.
“We want other local governments to know about the good, the bad and the ugly of the Coquitlam story so that they may learn from our experience and know that it is okay to stumble.”
“A decade ago, the City’s approach to watershed-based community planning and rainwater management was quite idealistic. It was also prescriptive and impractical. As a result, the City could not implement what was proposed. This resulted in significant complaints from the development community which, in turn, culminated in Council-Staff conflict.”
“With the advantage of hindsight, we now have an appreciation of the extent to which this conflict has defined the journey. There was a dark period yet that is what makes the Coquitlam story authentic and helped us to develop approaches which balance idealism with pragmatism.”
To Learn More:
The Table of Contents presents a section-by-section synopsis of the Coquitlam storyline and is written for the busy reader. The storyline is structured in three parts that address What (Part A), So What (Part B) and Now What (Part C).
To download a copy of the Watershed Case Profile, click on Watershed Planning & Rainwater Management: Creating the Future in the City of Coquitlam.
To download the first in the series, click on Creating the Future in the District of North Vancouver: Hastings Creek Watershed Blueprint.
