Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation in the Town of View Royal: The New Business As Usual
View Royal hosts first of three events in the 2008 Showcasing Green Innovation on Vancouver Island Series (Sept 12)
The meet-and-greet for Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation in View Royal starts at 8:30am. Program concludes at 2:30pm after a walkabout. To download the agenda, click here. Registration will be capped at 32.
Town implements ecosystem-based plan for enhancement of old Island Highway
View Royal developed an innovative Design with Nature strategy to obtain senior government funding for retrofitting the old Island Highway with transportation and rainwater management enhancements. These will achieve environmental, water quality and social sustainability objectives at both the road and community scales. A driver is restoration of Portage Inlet. To learn more about what to expect on September 12, click on the following four links:
- The New Business As Usual: “Design with Nature” in British Columbia and be rewarded with infrastructure grants – According to the BC Ministry of Community Development, the Town of View Royal has developed a Green Infrastructure Grant Template that establishes a provincial benchmark for other municipalities to measure themselves against when applying for senior government funding. In 2007, the Town’s vision and innovation was rewarded by a $7.4 million grant to fund the first phase of a holistic, ecosystem approach to reconstructing and enhancing the old Island Highway.
- Town of View Royal shares its Green Infrastructure Grant Template with other British Columbia communities – The Town is taking a novel approach to sharing its Template: as part of the Showcasing Innovation day, it is organizing an interactive group exercise using case study examples provided by other municipalities. In making the template available, the Town hopes its action will further accelerate the application of an ecosystem approach to roadscape enhancement.
- “My Rain Garden” – Fostering an Ethic to Maintain Roadway Amenities in View Royal – Rain gardens are a core element of the Design with Nature strategy for the Island Highway Enhancement Project through the Town of View Royal. The ultimate objective of the strategy for retrofitting rain gardens is to protect and restore water quality in Portage Inlet. This requires a major shift in the way homeowners think about their road frontage: “It’s my rain garden.”
- Town of View Royal presents its vision for a municipal fibre optics network -The Town of View Royal has a vision for a regional fibre optic network owned by local government. “In an age of senior government downloading, combined with higher community expectations for more and more services, we see a fibre optic network creating opportunities for local government to generate new revenue streams
For a program overview and registration details, click on this link to download a copy of Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation in the Town of View Royal. Registration will be capped at 32.
About the 2008 Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation Series
Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation in View Royal is the lead-off event for Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation on Vancouver Island: The 2008 Capital Region Series:
The goal is to promote networking, inform and educate practitioners, and help local governments move ‘from awareness to action’ in doing business differently — The New Business As Usual — through sharing of approaches, tools, experiences and lessons learned that will ultimately inform a pragmatic strategy for climate change adaptation.
Posted September 2008