LIVING WATER SMART IN THE COMOX VALLEY: “The City of Courtenay saw hosting the Learning Lunch Seminar Series as an exciting opportunity to further advance a regional team approach,” stated Kevin Lagan, Director of Operational Services (2008)
Comox Valley Learning Lunch Series
The City of Courtenay has taken the initiative in bringing together an ad hoc group of mid- and north-Island municipalities to share their experiences and learn from each other.
“We call ourselves the Municipalities Group,” explains Derek Richmond, Manager of Engineering for the City of Courtenay. “In addition to the four local governments from the Comox Valley, we have participation from Campbell River, Powell River, Qualicum Beach and Parksville to name a few. The membership of the Municipalities Group crosses multiple regional district boundaries.”
Living Water Smart context
“The City of Courtenay decided to host the Comox Valley Learning Lunch Seminar Series because we saw it as an exciting opportunity to further advance a regional team approach. Also, the June 2008 release of Living Water Smart provided a timely provincial frame-of-reference for the Learning Lunch Series,” adds Kevin Lagan, Director of Operational Services.
“The City collaborated with the CAVI team to explore a bottom-up approach that would inform implementation of Living Water Smart,” concludes Kevin Lagan. “Our goal was to demonstrate how we can all do business differently and thereby make green choices that create liveable communities and protect stream health.”
About the Vancouver Island Pilot Program
The Learning Lunch Seminar Series promotes a consistent provincial approach to rainwater management and green infrastructure. In 2008, participating Vancouver Island local governments represented some 250,000 people.
- The Cowichan Valley series was hosted by the Cowichan Valley Regional District and comprised a set of three sessions during the June – July 2008 period.
- The Comox Valley series was hosted by the City of Courtenay and comprised a set of three sessions during the September – November 2008 period.
The Learning Lunch Seminar Series is part of the implementation program for Beyond the Guidebook: The New Business As Usual, This provincial initiative builds on the foundation provided by Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, published in 2002, and adds depth to the Living Water Smart initiative.
To Learn More:
Visit 2008 Cowichan Valley Seminar Series and 2008 Comox Valley Seminar Series