Help shape the future of Country Hills Park
We are upgrading Country Hills Park and adding stormwater facilities to the park. We want to hear what park experiences are important to you. Your input will help guide the design of these upgrades so that the park better serves the neighbourhood.
Park updates will include:
- Trail upgrades
- A stormwater pond or underground stormwater feature
- Upgrades to other park features in response to the community’s interests and needs
We want to hear how Country Hills Park is currently used and how the park could better support the community into the future. Your input will help us balance the new stormwater facility with park upgrades.
Why are we adding stormwater measures to the park?
Climate change will bring more intense storms and more frequent freeze-thaw cycles. Creating more spaces for stormwater to collect in neighbourhoods reduces flooding during storms.
Runoff from the neighbourhood flows through a sewer under Country Hills Park to Balzer Creek and the Grand River. This makes Country Hills Park a good place to add a new stormwater facility to collect runoff. By adding stormwater storage to the neighbourhood, we would:
- Improve water quality in Balzer Creek and the Grand River
- Reduce the risk of flooding
- Reduce erosion in Balzer Creek
- Improve resilience against climate change
- Enhance community safety
For more information on this project, please read the project background.
Stay Informed
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Healthy Yards Webinar Series
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkSome of you have asked, “What more can be done in our neighbourhood to reduce the amount of runoff that reaches the park/creek?”
As you know, we are working to better manage runoff in Balzer Creek with a stormwater project in Country Hills Park. Meanwhile, our partner Reep Green Solutions, can help residents who live upstream from the project manage rain and reduce runoff that reaches the park.
The Rain Smart Neighbourhoods Project helps you plan projects for your yard that will help reduce flood risk in the neighbourhood by planting more trees, building rain gardens, soaking up rain in permeable paving, and more.
This spring, join Reep’s Healthy Yard Webinar Series to learn how you can make changes in your yard that will improve the nature in your neighbourhood and extend the benefits of this project! You can also learn more about Healthy Yard Consultations, available to residents who want to help reduce flood risk for the neighbourhood with actions in their own yard.
Register for the webinar series at reepgreen.ca/events
Webinars include:
- Healthy Yards: Nurture Nature in Your Neighbourhood - March 28, 2024 from 7 to 8 p.m.
- Healthy Yards: Rain Garden Design and Construction - April 3, 2024 from 7 to 8 p.m.
- Healthy Yards: Nurture Nature in Your Neighbourhood - April 10, 2024 from 7 to 8 p.m.
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What we heard - Winter 2023 surveys and events
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This winter, we hosted pop-up stormwater conversations at Country Hills Park on January 28th and February 2nd. We also put out a survey to help us better understand how you use the park. Thank you to everyone who participated and gave us their input. For a detailed report on what we heard from community members at the park and online, please read the summary: Winter 2023 What We Heard Report.
Here are some common themes you shared:
Community Value: We heard that the park is an important community hub valued for its green space and natural setting.
Safety and Accessibility: We heard concerns about accessibility due to flooding on the trails and uneven pathways.
Community Garden: You wanted to know if construction will impact the community garden.
Why Stormwater Management? You wanted more information on why stormwater management is required in the park.
You described Country Hills Park as having untapped potential. Here are some things you want to see in designs for the future:
- “Improved tennis courts”
- “More opportunities to play sports.”
- “Updates to make the trail system more accessible.”
- “More shade and seating in the park”
- “Connections to nature for kids, such as ducks in a pond”
Your input from the survey and pop-up events will inform conceptual designs. These initial designs will be shared at our first project open house on November 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Country Hills Public School. Learn more and register
Videos
FAQs
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First consultation
- Will the new stormwater facility affect groundwater levels or make my basement wet?
- When will concepts be shared?
- What safety features do you install around stormwater ponds?
- Will the pond be full all the time or only when it rains?
- What is an underground stormwater facility? Would it impact my use of the park space?
- What type of stormwater facility will be added? Where will the stormwater facility be located? What will happen to the tennis court?
- Would a stormwater pond attract mosquitoes and geese? How do you prevent these from becoming a problem?
- Are the supporting studies that led to this project available for public review?
- What neighbourhood consultation has already happened? What other consultation will happen?
- How does the City advertise for public engagement?
- How does the City ensure minority groups and a wide range of stakeholders are engaged?
- How is the park going to be improved for families (enhanced playground, splash pad, off leash space for dogs)?
- Will the playground be moved away from the trees? The shade it offers is valuable.
- Will trees be removed for this project?
- How does the City of Kitchener decide which parks get special features like splash pads and off-leash areas for dogs? Can either of these be added to Country Hills Park?
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Design consultation
- Will there be further community engagement and information sessions?
- It is hard to break down the 3 options based on separate categories, perhaps too many choices?
- Is there a lack of funding?
- How can we prevent water on the open field so that it can be used all year?
- Why are you offering a tennis court in a floodplain?
- How much water will be in the pond?
- What happens to water temperatures? And fish?
- Can you make a sports court that uses all the sport options?
- Has cricket been considered as a sport option?
- Can we add a couple of disc golf posts?
- Can we have a natural and traditional playground?
Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada. For more information about the City of Kitchener's partnership with the Government of Canada through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, visit kitchener.ca/Stormwater
Free landscaping consultation
Our partner Reep Green Solutions can help you beautify your yard while reducing runoff to Balzer Creek. Find out if you qualify for a free, on-site consultation with a landscape designer. Visit Rain Smart Neighbourhoods reepgreen.ca/rain-smart
Who's Listening
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Design and Construction Project Manager (Sanitary and Stormwater)
(TTY:1-866-969-9994)
Phone 519-741-2345 Email countryhillspark@kitchener.ca -
Phone 519-741-2345 Email countryhillspark@kitchener.ca -
Phone 519-741-2345 Email erin.eldridge@kitchener.ca