FAQs

In 2015, we consulted the public about the Stormwater Management Master Plan. We consulted city-wide rather than taking a park-by-park approach. Since 2015 our approach to engagement has evolved and improved. We are committed to inclusive and equitable community engagement. 

In early August 2022, we sent postcards to people living next to the park and placed signs within the park. We aimed to inform park and trail users and immediate neighbours of this project well before the project's design phase. Our outreach will be more expansive as we begin our design process for the pond. As the project progresses, we will mail public meeting invitations within a broader neighbourhood area. We will seek neighbourhood input to better integrate the new stormwater pond into the park. We will use this Engage page, social media ads, and mailouts to share news about engagement opportunities.

Community feedback has a significant impact on the design of the stormwater pond. We acknowledge that we didn’t consult enough before announcing that we would add a large pond to Meadowlane Park. We've slowed down our design process to look for a way to add a stormwater facility and also meet the community's needs.

We shared the public's concerns with the engineering consultants. We asked the consultants to create at least one preliminary concept that leaves the hill in place. Next, we will hold many more public open houses through the design process. The public will be able to provide feedback on the preliminary design concepts. We are committed to ongoing engagement and collaboration with the community, and we want your input on this project.

We are committed to inclusive and equitable community engagement.  Our focus is on eliminating barriers from the participation process, ensuring those who are most affected are actively included, measuring our progress through demographic data collection, and committing to ongoing relationship-building and engagement.  We use a wide variety of approaches for engaging the broader community, selecting techniques based on the specifics of the issue or project at hand. For more information, please read our Community Engagement Policy.

We advertise engagement opportunities in a wide variety of ways depending on the project or initiative, using approaches that are appropriate and accessible for the residents most affected by the issue. Some projects, like construction or development projects, also have specific requirements they must follow (example: sending letters to affected residents). 

Here are some ways to stay informed about engagement opportunities:

• Register for a free Engage Kitchener account to get notifications of new opportunities on that site 
• If you have a free My Kitchener account, add the “Engagement opportunities” widget to get those same notifications 
• Subscribe to the public consultations newsfeed and the calendar on the City's website to get notifications about in-person or virtual public meetings

Stormwater ponds in parks are still fairly new to Kitchener, but there are a few examples that have similarities to this project. These are projects where we installed a stormwater pond in open park space:

• Forfar Park: 643 Manchester Rd, Kitchener ON
• Forest West Park: beside 34 Hoddle Cres, Kitchener ON

We have yet to confirm the location, size and design details of any stormwater measures. We will develop these details through the design process. We'll share design proposals with the public for review and comments at various stages. Plans may change considerably throughout the design process.  

Safety is a key factor in the way we design stormwater management ponds. We apply Provincial and Municipal safety standards. You can visit Jean Steckle Public School or WT Townshend Public School for examples of stormwater ponds near schools. 

We will work closely with the school board and nearby schools to address safety concerns. 

Some typical safety measures include:

• signage
• buffer zones
• railings, and
• natural planting barriers   

Mosquitoes

We design stormwater ponds to avoid creating pools of shallow, stagnant water where mosquitoes like to breed. We add native plants within and around ponds, too. These create habitat for natural predators such as bats, birds and frogs. The native plants also support pollinator insects like butterflies and native bees. 

Geese

The native plantings we use make it difficult for geese to enter stormwater ponds. We also use raptor poles to welcome birds like hawks who are natural predators of geese.  

The stormwater pond would not be accessible for swimming, fishing, or skating for safety reasons. Water is constantly flowing into and draining out of these ponds, and the stormwater carries road salts and other pollutants. For swimming and fishing, it means it affects the water quality and poses health risks. For skating, this means that ice could be safe one moment and completely unsafe another.

We understand the concerns about communication and apologize for any inconvenience. The City values all questions and feedback from residents. Unfortunately, we have limited capacity to respond to emails and online questionnaires. To address common questions, we will update this FAQ section. We encourage residents to meet or set up a call with a staff member for more in-depth discussions.

The 2016 Stormwater Management Master Plan included the recommendation for a new pond in Meadowlane Park. This plan was presented to Council at that time and was approved so it will not be presented to Council again. The Ward Councilor receives ongoing updates on this project.

There are potential consequences of making no changes to the park. There is a greater potential for future flooding downstream due to climate change. There is also also a risk to human safety and private property. Finally, the consequences of low water quality in Sandrock Creek is lowered water quality in downstream creeks and the Grand River, which impacts drinking water, fishing, and recreation. 

Water Quality consequences

About 178 hectares of residential area drain stormwater into Sandrock Creek at Meadowlane Park. All this water is currently untreated. Pollutants such as road salt, oils and garbage run into the creek. The stormwater pond would aim to remove 80% of all suspended solids in the water. This would make the water in Sandrock Creek safer for people and animals. This also meets the highest Provincial standard.

Water Quantity consequences

We are also exploring ways to reduce future flood risks from climate change, which will cause increasing intensity of storms. A digital model simulated Kitchener's creeks and storm sewers in 2016 and 2020. These studies suggested solutions to the worst flooding areas. Meadowlane Park is not projected to flood but flooding will increase downstream of the park. The downstream flood risks will be reduced by stormwater measures in  Meadowlane Park.  Additionally, stormwater ponds reduce downstream erosion. Erosion can lead to loss of property, damage sanitary sewers, and destabilize trees.

The City of Kitchener first developed a plan to manage stormwater in 2016. Prior to this plan, the City did not have an overview of all of the stormwater needs in the City. 

The 2016 Integrated Stormwater Management Master Plan studied stormwater management facilities in Kitchener. This plan included digital modelling of the City’s stormwater system to find issues. This plan identified ways to improve water quality and mitigate flood risks all over the City. This study used information from:

• Floodplain mapping,
• Land use mapping,
• Flooding complaints,
• Computer models, and
• Site visits.

Many neighbourhoods like Forest Heights were built before modern stormwater management guidelines were in place. These areas have a higher risk of flooding, erosion, and poor water quality in local creeks.  The 2016 Master Plan looked for places where new stormwater measures would be workable. Meadowlane Park is one of these locations.

Because climate change brings more frequent and intense storms, more flooding is a serious risk across Kitchener. Flood risks are especially a concern for downstream neighbourhoods. 

A stormwater facility would also treat water quality issues. The storm sewer outlet at Sandrock Creek collects stormwater from more than 125 hectares of surface rainwater from local roads and the highway. This untreated rainwater carries pollution into Sandrock Creek.

Meadowlane Park was chosen partly to address the downstream impacts of stormwater. Meadowlane Park lies at the headwater of Sandrock Creek. This means that the park is at a high elevation and the main source of water is the rain, instead of another body of water like a creek or pond. In storms, erosion and flooding occur when fast-moving water runs downstream.

Sandrock Creek flows into Henry Sturm Creek to Victoria Park Lake. Victoria Park Lake then flows through Schneider Creek to the Grand River. This whole water system is downstream of Meadowlane Park.

Climate change will intensify storms. Neighbourhoods across Kitchener will experience increased flood risks because of more intense storms. Adding a stormwater pond in Meadowlane Park would reduce flood risk through the rest of the downstream water system.

Stormwater ponds improve water quality in several ways. Their main function is to allow suspended solids to settle at the bottom of the pond. Suspended solids from stormwater runoff contain particle-bound contaminants that impact water quality. These contaminants settle to the bottom of the pond until the City cleans it out. Plants can provide a secondary cleaning process. Plants can help improve water quality by removing some particle-bound and dissolved contaminants.

The major pollutants include but are not limited to:

• fine silt or dust
• oils and fuels from vehicles
• pesticides or fertilizers
• heavy metals
• larger debris like garbage
• pet and industrial waste
• calcium chloride from cement

The contaminants that would be removed by a pond are called "non-point source pollutants." It is not possible to find one or two sources of the pollutants and clean them up. This is because the pollutants come from too many sources, like cars, driveways, lawns, etc.

Some pollutants like salt can be reduced at the source. Our partners at the Region of Waterloo run a program to help reduce salt use. Kitchener encourages people to follow the practices they recommend to help keep salt out of local creeks. You can find more information at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/living-here/salt-management.aspx

The Stormwater Master Plan data showed the projected future risks of flooding in different parts of Kitchener. The data also showed where water quality could be improved in local creeks through stormwater measures. It showed where new stormwater measures would be technically workable

The development of recommended alternatives for each project was completed as part of the City’s Integrated Stormwater Master Plan. That report is available on Kitchener’s website.

Our early communication about this project caused confusion and we apologize for that. The City of Kitchener has not already decided on a stormwater design. The concept from the Master Plan was created in 2016 to show what could be workable. As we start the design process for this site, we are considering a range of options and sizes. 

The 2016 Stormwater Management Master Plan did not propose an underground component due to costs. Our new approach will consider more options in response to public feedback.

We are currently waiting to hear from our engineering consultants on alternative designs. Our goal is to improve water quality and reduce flood risks while protecting current park uses. As such, we asked our consultants to show us what stormwater measures are feasible, based on the community feedback we received. Given the concerns, we asked for at least one preliminary concept that leaves the hill in place. We will have an open house to share options with the public. Thank you for your patience as we continue to navigate through these changes.

It is true that a meandering shape improves stormwater quality and quantity. In this case, other stormwater implementations are necessary as well. This is partly because of the large stormwater catchment area that flows into Sandrock Creek at Meadowlane Park.

We identified our current creek restoration projects in the 2016 Stormwater Master Plan. Since then, we've completed several projects to bring back the natural shape of creeks. This year, we're getting started with designing several more across Kitchener. 

Critical infrastructure such as water mains and trunk sanitary sewers often run near creeks. Our first priority is to restore creeks where erosion has exposed this infrastructure. Erosion happens when uncontrolled stormwaters rush into creeks during heavy storms. 

In 2014, we converted a large part of Sandrock Creek and Henry Sturm Creek into a meandering channel through Filsinger Park. To do this, we removed the aging concrete channel and re-naturalized the creek. Adding a stormwater pond to Meadowland Park would help protect the work completed downstream in Sandrock Creek. We have not identified Sandrock Creek for further restoration at this point.

The neighbourhood’s concerns about the hill have alerted us to the need to do more work to study the impacts and ensure that we have assessed all options for the design of stormwater measures. We commit to looking carefully at how we can meet community needs within the design.   

We will report back to the neighbourhood on what we find through the design process. We will consider options that include leaving the hill and moving the hill.   

A naturalized environment is a human-made space that mimics a naturally occurring landscape. This could include a forest, wetland, or meadow. Naturalized environments provide habitat for native species and need less maintenance to thrive. Native plants need less watering and fertilizer. A naturalized landscape also keeps more water on site. This causes less runoff and promotes infiltration that further filters the water and recharges our aquifer.

We are committed to mitigating the negative impact of the project on the Forest Heights Pollinator Patch in all ways we can.

If the Forest Heights Pollinator Patch needs to be moved, mitigation strategies include:

First, providing temporary storage of plants elsewhere or on-site: our natural areas project manager recommended a plan for temporary plant storage and care and our consultant will include this requirement in any construction contract. 

Second, we will provide replacement plants as needed, We  may source plants through Six Nations of the Grand River recommended native plant nursery. 

Third, we will move and reinstall the signs and large armour stones. 

Fourth, we will work with the Pollinator Patch coordinators to add additional amenities to the pollinator patch, if desired, such as accessible seating. 

The City is currently updating its 2010 Parks Strategic Plan. Our new plan is called Places and Spaces: Kitchener's park and open space strategy. This plan will help direct how we use and update parks in the future. The Places and Spaces strategy will address many themes in parks, such as:

• principles of design (e.g. equity, accessibility)
• environment & ecology (e.g. habitat, stormwater management, and climate change)
• specific infrastructure planning (e.g. playgrounds, sportsfields, pets in parks).

The Places and Spaces strategy is scheduled to be brought forward in 2024.

Off-Leash Dog Areas

Once the Places and Spaces strategy is adopted, we will look for opportunities to add new features in parks across Kitchener. These features could include off-leash dog areas. We will explore opportunities in all neighbourhoods. We will engage with local communities around any future park updates.

Splash Pads

The City usually puts splash pads at community centres and legacy parks, like Victoria Park. These locations have the infrastructure to support a splash pad, such as parking, washrooms, and servicing.

The city is participating in a program administered by the Government of Canada called the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF). The city is receiving funding to install stormwater measures in Kitchener. If one of the projects is withheld or withdrawn, the funding contributions for the program will not be granted by the federal government to our city. There is a risk that 100% of the funding would be lost if we fail to meet the objectives of one of our sub projects.

We understand this is a valuable space for the community. Our aim is to improve water quality and reduce flood risks in a way that fits into the current park uses. The 2016 Integrated Stormwater Management Plan analyzed opportunities for new stormwater facilities. The main factors in identifying a good location were:

• Available space was more than 1 hectare;
• Land was not privately owned;
• The storm sewer was more than 450mm in diameter;
• The catchment area was large enough;
• The site was not too steep;
• The site was not a woodland or wetland; and
• It was possible to meet the City's water quality criteria at that site.

No other viable sites were found within the drainage area, aside from Meadowlane Park. Any sites upstream were too small or had other constraints, such as hydro easements or being in a GRCA regulated area.

Hydro One requires continuous, uninterrupted access to all infrastructure within the hydro corridor. A large structure like a pond could block access, so it would not be allowed. Even if there was no hydro corridor, we could not construct a pond near Highway 7/8 because there are not enough pipes carrying stormwater in that location.

In Fall 2022 we conducted drilling at the park to assess the groundwater table and the soil conditions on site. Pond design will take into account current condition information. The pond will not negatively impact groundwater levels.

Yes, the pond and creek will have a constant flow of water throughout the year. Sandrock Creek will keep moving as it does now, increasing its flow in the wetter seasons, like spring and fall and slowing down during the drier periods of summer and winter. When it rains, the pond takes in excess water from the storm sewers. This happens thanks to a flow splitter installed upstream of the creek's outlet.

Thank you for this feedback on the team’s presentation materials. We will work to incorporate this feedback in future meetings and surveys.

An underground task could consist of concrete or plastic tanks. There are several kinds of underground tanks that could be used. Their purpose is to help improve water quality. The location depends on which option is chosen.

The cost depends on which option is chosen. It will likely cost between $6.5 million and $7.5 million.

Construction will likely take about 2 years.

The Stormwater Management Master Plan was completed in 2016. This study evaluated several options based on the following: 

• Cost 
• Environmental benefits 
• Technical difficulties  

This kind of evaluation lets us consider more than just the costs. 

Meadowlane Park is considered to be a Neighbourhood Park. Neighbourhood Parks are typically accessed by walking or cycling. Parking will not be added to Meadowlane Park.

Flood mitigation projects align with the stormwater master plan, receiving dedicated funding. Ensuring community safety, these projects are top priority for the sanitary and stormwater utilities.

New trails, seating, lookout areas, and pollinator plantings will be part of the improvements at Meadowlane Park. Further opportunities for nature play and exploration at Meadowlane Park will be through the placement of tree stumps, logs or low rocks. These will provide new opportunities for children to interact with nature. A natural playground is not proposed for the park.  

The trail that connects Royal Orchard Drive and McGarry Drive will be upgraded to a 3m wide asphalt multi-use trail. This trail will be cleared in the winter. The pond will not require winter maintenance. To see why stormwater ponds are not safe for recreational activity, check out this video on stormwater pond safety