Your Countryside Park, your watershed
We are looking for ways to improve water quality and reduce flood risks through stormwater measures at Countryside Park. We thank the community for your participation while we look for a design solution that:
- reduces future flood risks
- protects and improves water quality
- is technically workable
- fits into current park uses
- and fits within the project budget
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.
There are two large stormwater pipes currently running next to Countryside Park. They carry runoff from storm sewers through the neighbourhood to Balzer Creek and the Grand River. Countryside Park is a good place to add stormwater facilities to collect and filter runoff. By adding stormwater storage to the neighbourhood, we will:
- 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; and
- Enhance community safety.
For more information on this project, please read the project background.
Connecting stormwater facilities and park uses
We want to understand how Countryside Park is currently used and what’s important to you in your park experiences. This will help us to better integrate the stormwater facilities into the park space.
Stay Informed
Subscribe for updates and be the first to know about news and information about this project. Add your email to the Stay Informed box on this page and click ‘Subscribe’.
We are looking for ways to improve water quality and reduce flood risks through stormwater measures at Countryside Park. We thank the community for your participation while we look for a design solution that:
- reduces future flood risks
- protects and improves water quality
- is technically workable
- fits into current park uses
- and fits within the project budget
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.
There are two large stormwater pipes currently running next to Countryside Park. They carry runoff from storm sewers through the neighbourhood to Balzer Creek and the Grand River. Countryside Park is a good place to add stormwater facilities to collect and filter runoff. By adding stormwater storage to the neighbourhood, we will:
- 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; and
- Enhance community safety.
For more information on this project, please read the project background.
Connecting stormwater facilities and park uses
We want to understand how Countryside Park is currently used and what’s important to you in your park experiences. This will help us to better integrate the stormwater facilities into the park space.
Stay Informed
Subscribe for updates and be the first to know about news and information about this project. Add your email to the Stay Informed box on this page and click ‘Subscribe’.
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Healthy Yards Webinar Series
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkWe are still exploring design options for the stormwater features for Countryside Park. We will be providing updates about an open house when we have a design to share. Thank you for your patience!
In the meantime, some 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 Countryside 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 from the Winter 2023 survey
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIt has been a while since we updated you on this project. Thank you for your patience while we slowed down our design process to get this project right. In January 2023, we invited you to complete a survey to help us understand park use and what the park means to the community. Thank you to all who participated and shared their input.
Here is a summary of the results of what we heard. For a more detailed report on what we heard from you, please read the summary: Winter 2023 What We Heard Report
We received 20 surveys. Thank you for sharing your input! Here are some responses you shared:
You described the park as:
- “An accessible space for sports, recreation and family”
- “A peaceful, open space to connect with nature”
- “Trails are useful for connecting neighbourhoods”
You feel comfortable and safe in these parks:
- “We spend time in the park all year-round”
- “Love to visit the park alone and with family”
- “Quiet place to relax”
You have ideas for changes to the parks, including:
- “Nature studies for students”
- “More seating could improve accessibility”
- “Trails are muddy and wet in spring”
What’s Next for Countryside Park?
Your input from the survey is being used to inform concept designs.
Thank you for all your questions. You can find an updated FAQ page with common questions and answers. We look forward to hosting a project open house this year and will share more details soon.
If you haven’t already, please subscribe for updates. Add your email to the Stay Informed box on this page, then click ‘Subscribe’. If you have any questions, please contact us at countrysidepark@kitchener.ca.
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First survey now open
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkOur first survey is now open. Help us understand how you use Countryside Park and its amenities so we can best integrate the new stormwater ponds into the park space. With your input, we will create preliminary concepts that are relevant to the community. You will get to consider these design drafts and share your feedback when they are ready. The survey is open until Jan. 30, 2023.
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Wrapping up field assessment phase
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThank you for your continued interest in this project. We are nearing the end of the field assessment and monitoring phase. During the next engagement phase, we will open a survey to learn more about how the community uses Countryside Park. Stay tuned for updates in 2023.
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Preliminary concept from 2016 Stormwater Master Plan
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThank you for your questions and feedback. We are continuing to do an initial assessment of soil conditions and the water table. Subscribe to this page for information about the next phases of this project.
Preliminary concept from the 2016 Stormwater Master Plan
We added a preliminary concept to the document library. This shows early ideas for the stormwater management ponds in Countryside Park. This concept is from the Stormwater Master Plan, approved by Council in 2016.
Do you need an accessible version of this document? Please get in touch with Chris Nechacov Chris.Nechacov@kitchener.ca, 519-741-2200 x 7148
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Heavy equipment in the park this month
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkGeotechnical Investigation:
You may see heavy equipment such as an earth auger within the park in the next week or two. This is to see the conditions of the soil which is necessary to begin the design. If you have any questions, please post them to the Questions tab or reach out to the project team.
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Project background
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIn 2016, the City of Kitchener Council approved a stormwater master plan. This plan created a strategy to manage stormwater for the next 15 years. Through this plan, we learned that only 25 percent of runoff in the city is managed through stormwater facilities. This means that 75 percent of runoff from heavy rainfall and snow melt flows into storm sewers, contaminating local creeks.
The master plan identified initial concepts for the installation of projects across Kitchener. As we look at each project more closely, we will examine the technical feasibility of adjusting the designs to meet community needs.
The Government of Canada awarded us nearly $50 million through the Disaster Mitigation Adaptation Fund. Access to this funding means we can install needed stormwater measures at a reduced cost to the community. And we can do this much sooner than would have been possible without the funding. We need to comply with funding requirements, which places an extra constraint on these projects.
We consulted city-wide on the stormwater master plan. That consultation met the needs of the master plan. But as we look closer at specific projects, we need to consult further with the community.
Consultation for the Class Environmental Assessment
This project was approved by the Ministry of the Environment in 2016 as part of the Integrated Stormwater Management Master Plan (ISWM-MP). If community consultations lead to required project modifications, we will seek to amend the relevant planning tools -- in this case, the Class Environmental Assessment, under which the ISWM-MP was completed.
Follow Project
Lifecycle
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Field assessments and monitoring
Your Countryside Park, your watershed has finished this stageWe are doing background work to better understand the park's conditions. Please subscribe for updates.
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Survey open
Your Countryside Park, your watershed has finished this stageTell us how you use the park and what's important to you in your park.
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Under review
Your Countryside Park, your watershed is currently at this stageContributions to the first phase of consultation are closed for evaluation and review. The project team will prepare preliminary concepts.
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Design consultation
this is an upcoming stage for Your Countryside Park, your watershedThe draft concept designs for the stormwater ponds are now open for feedback.
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Under review
this is an upcoming stage for Your Countryside Park, your watershedThis consultation is closed for review. The project team will prepare the final designs.
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Design complete
this is an upcoming stage for Your Countryside Park, your watershedThe final design is documented on this page. Construction is expected to start in 2025.
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Tender and construction
this is an upcoming stage for Your Countryside Park, your watershedConstruction is now underway.
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Construction finished
this is an upcoming stage for Your Countryside Park, your watershedThis project is now complete.
FAQs
- Are you sure that you will add ponds to this park? How big will the ponds be? Do you know where the ponds will be installed? Is that location set in stone?
- Will there be a fence and/or other safety measures around the pond?
- Are there examples of other stormwater facilities in Kitchener?
- What is the plan to control bugs and insects, like mosquitos?
- Will the stormwater facility attract ducks and geese? How will you prevent them from becoming a problem?
- Will the pond water be stagnant?
- Will this project impact the large mature trees?
- Are you taking away the walking trail? Will there be trail relocations?
- Will the stormwater facility add to the water table? I already experience basement flooding.
- Will I be able to use the park during construction? It is very important for my daily routine.
- Is the conceptual drawing from the Stormwater Master Plan representative of what will happen? Can I see it?
- How far do the conceptual drawings from the Stormwater Master Plan (2016) place the excavations and fencing from the neighbouring property lines?
- 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?
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 countrysidepark@kitchener.ca -
Phone 519-741-2345 Email countrysidepark@kitchener.ca -
Phone 519-741-2345 Email erin.eldridge@kitchener.ca