Your Meadowlane Park, your watershed

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We are looking for ways to improve water quality and reduce flood risks through stormwater measures at Meadowlane Park. We thank the community for your participation – and your patience – 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
  • fits within the project budget

Stay Informed

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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 stormwaters to collect will reduce flooding during future storms.

A large stormwater pipe discharges into Sandrock Creek where it flows through Meadowlane Park. This outlet receives runoff from a 1.25-square-kilometre area of the neighbourhood. By adding stormwater storage to the neighbourhood, we would:

  • Intercept runoff before it rushes into Sandrock creek
  • Filter the stormwaters before they re-enter the creek
  • Slowly release these filtered waters into the creek to prevent erosion
  • Reduce the risk of flooding in nearby streets and downstream neighbourhoods

For more information on this project, please read the project background.

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.

We are looking for ways to improve water quality and reduce flood risks through stormwater measures at Meadowlane Park. We thank the community for your participation – and your patience – 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
  • fits within the project budget

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’.

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 stormwaters to collect will reduce flooding during future storms.

A large stormwater pipe discharges into Sandrock Creek where it flows through Meadowlane Park. This outlet receives runoff from a 1.25-square-kilometre area of the neighbourhood. By adding stormwater storage to the neighbourhood, we would:

  • Intercept runoff before it rushes into Sandrock creek
  • Filter the stormwaters before they re-enter the creek
  • Slowly release these filtered waters into the creek to prevent erosion
  • Reduce the risk of flooding in nearby streets and downstream neighbourhoods

For more information on this project, please read the project background.

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.

  • What’s Next for Meadowlane Park?

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    Thank you for your patience as we slow down our design process to better listen to your feedback. We are organizing several events over the next few months to hear more from the community about stormwater in Meadowlane Park.


    Park Drop-Ins

    We want to hear how the park could better support the community into the future. We need your input to help generate design ideas as we balance new stormwater features with park improvements.

    Join us at our upcoming park drop-ins on:

    • Wednesday, July 26 from 2 to 7 p.m.
    • Tuesday, August 22 from 2 to 7 p.m.


    We will meet along the path near the hill. Learn about stormwater and tell us about the park experiences you want to have. There will be ice cream, refreshments, and children’s activities!


    Apply to join the Meadowlane Park Community Resource Group

    We are creating a Community Resource Group (CRG) to help shape the design of the Meadowlane Park project. The CRG will collaborate with the design team to review and discuss the park's stormwater system at each step of the design process. The CRG will also inform the direction of new park amenities. We are seeking participation from people who love and use the park.

    If you are interested in joining, please complete the application form.

    Please note:

    • Participation in the CRG will involve at least three meetings.
    • CRG members will be chosen to represent a diversity of park users. The City of Kitchener is committed to an equity-driven, inclusive, accessible, and barrier-free selection process. We welcome applications from Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ persons and other equity-deserving groups.


    November Open House

    This fall, we will host the first project open house on November 8, 2023 [Please note the date change. The open house will not be on November 1]. We will share design alternatives and ask for your feedback. Stay tuned for an announcement with the time and location.


  • What we heard from the winter 2023 Meadowlane Park survey and park events

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    supporting image

    In Winter 2023, we organized a survey and stormwater conversations in the park. We wanted to respond to your questions and concerns. We also wanted to understand better how the community uses the park. Thank you to all who participated and gave their input.

    For a detailed report on what we heard through the survey and park visits, please read the Winter 2023 What We Heard report.

    Below are some highlights of what we heard:

    Stormwater conversations in the park

    We hosted stormwater conversations on January 28 and 31, 2023, at Meadowlane Park. Thank you to everyone who showed up in the cold to share your questions, ideas, and concerns.

    Here are some common themes we heard in conversations with you:

    • Safety and Accessibility: Many residents were worried about a new pond and its proximity to the school.

    • Activity and Significance of the Hill: The hill, named Mt. Frederick, is highly valued by the community and is commonly used for running, biking, sledding, and gathering.

    • Importance of the Park: The park is centrally located and accessible to several neighbourhoods.

    • Communication and Inclusivity: Many were unaware of the project and wanted more transparent communication.

    • Why do we need stormwater management? People wanted more information on why stormwater infrastructure is required in the park. We are preparing presentation materials to share at future events and on Engage.

    Survey

    In January, we invited you to complete a survey to help us understand park use and what the park means to the community.

    We received 304 surveys. Thanks for sharing your input! Here are some responses you shared:

    You described the park as a:

    • “Large open green space”

    • “Tobogganing/sledding hill”

    • “Place with family and child-friendly activities and sports”

    • “Place that connects neighbourhoods”

    You feel comfortable and safe in the park:

    • “The park is in a safe and friendly community, surrounded by homes, schools, and families.”

    • “Many visitors have grown up in the area and have fond memories and a strong emotional connection to the park.”

    Though some of you don’t want the park to change, others have ideas for changes:

    • “No changes needed- do not remove the hill.”

    • “Improved drainage to make the area more usable year-round.”

    • “Planting more trees and greenery for added experience and shading.”

    • “More benches along the trail, near the playground, and at the tobogganing areas.”

    Next steps

    We have slowed this project down because we want to get it right. Thanks for your patience. We are planning more opportunities to work closely with the community to find a design solution to reduce flood risk, improve water quality, and meet the community's needs. We will share updates about Summer and Fall 2023 engagement opportunities for Meadowlane Park soon.

  • New Frequently Asked Questions posted

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    Thank you for all your questions and feedback. We apologize for not being able to respond very quickly. We want to let you know that we are overwhelmed with responses from residents, and we want to give each contact the attention it deserves.

    Based on your contact with us we have updated the Frequently Asked Questions page with common questions and concerns. The page is organized by theme. We will continue to update this in the future.

  • Survey extended to February 12, 2023

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    Thank you to everyone who answered our survey so far. For those who have not yet had the chance to answer it, we have just extended the deadline to February 12, 2023.

    Answer the survey

  • January 2023 update on Meadowlane Park

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    Changes to our decision-making process

    In the fall and summer of 2022, we shared initial communications about stormwater management measures for the park. We are grateful for the community feedback received so far.

    The community's response showed us that we hadn't realized the importance of the hill to the neighbourhood. The neighbourhood's concerns about the proposed Meadowlane Park stormwater pond alerted us to the importance of consulting the neighbourhood directly before making such significant changes to the park space.

    We acknowledge that we didn’t consult enough before announcing that we would add a large pond to Meadowlane Park. Because of the community’s concerns, we asked our engineering consultants to slow things down and determine whether other stormwater measures are feasible.

    We are responding to community concerns by slowing down our approach. Thanks for your patience as we take time to consider a wider range of stormwater measures for the park. For more information, please read about our current consultation process.

    New project description

    The project description on the Meadowlane Park Engage page has been updated to reflect the current direction. We also added another consultation phase to the project lifecycle. Thanks for your patience as we update the FAQ section to reflect these changes.

    If you would like us to send you a copy of the old project description for comparison, please reach out to Bart Mazan, Design and Construction Project Manager (Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities) at bart.mazan@kitchener.ca or 519-503-1641

    Update on field assessments

    Our field assessments from the fall of 2022 will show us the depth of the water table and soil types at the park. This information informs our assessment of what stormwater designs are feasible at the park. We expect a technical report from engineering consultants on the feasibility of various design options in winter 2023.

  • Current consultation process overview

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    Here is a current overview of our consultation process:

    Winter 2023

    We will host informal park conversations to share project information and hear the community’s concerns. Where feasible, we will incorporate those concerns into concept designs and present them to the community as options.

    Spring 2023

    We will host the first open house to seek the community’s feedback on design concepts. The community’s feedback will influence design decisions.

    2023 or 2024

    We will host the second open house to seek the community’s feedback on a final design. The community’s input will influence design details related to the landscaping and the plans to incorporate Pollinator Patch plants.

    Before construction

    We will host a third open house to share construction plans and answer questions about construction.

  • Let's talk stormwater at Meadowlane Park: January 28 and 31

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    We invite the Meadowlane Park neighbourhood to drop by to learn more about the Meadowlane Park stormwater project.

    Have a hot chocolate and learn about the proposed park changes. Share your thoughts and concerns. We will share information about how the community's concerns are impacting our decision-making process for this project so far. We will also have surveys available for you to complete.

    We will be at Meadowlane Park on:

    • Saturday, January 28, 10 am to 11:30 am
    • Tuesday, January 31, 3:15 pm to 5 pm

    Kids are welcome! Drop by anytime.

    Please share the event flyer with your neighbour networks.


  • First survey now open

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    Thank you for subscribing for updates about the Your Meadowlane Park, your watershed project.

    Our first survey is now open. Help us understand how you use Meadowlane 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 later in 2023. The survey is open until Jan. 30, 2023.

    Answer the survey

  • Wrapping up field assessment phase

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    Thank 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 Meadowlane Park. Stay tuned for updates in 2023.

  • Responding to hill concerns & Preliminary concept

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    Preliminary concept from the 2016 Stormwater Masterplan

    We added an image file to the document library that shows early ideas for the stormwater management pond in Meadowlane Park, developed in 2016. This preliminary concept was proposed through the Stormwater Master Plan, approved by Council in 2016.

    If you need an accessible version of this document, please get in touch with Chris Nechacov Chris.Nechacov@kitchener.ca, 519-741-2200 x 7148 Chris.Nechacov@kitchener.ca, 519-741-2200 x 7148

    Responding to hill removal concerns



    Thank you for the many comments we have received about the community use of the hill. We have heard that this hill acts as a space for year-round play, fitness, and community gathering. It's helpful to know how important these activities are to this neighbourhood. We will not begin to develop the pond design until the site investigations are complete.

    Adding a large pond to a space used as a park is new for us. The neighbourhood’s response has alerted us to the need to do more work to study the impacts and ensure that we have assessed all options for the pond design.

    It appears that the pond area required will take a large part of the green space, including the hill. We commit to looking carefully at how community needs can be met within the design. We will report back on what we find.

    If we have to remove the hill, it will be because the large pond size is necessary to achieve the objectives set out for this pond in the 2016 Stormwater Management Master Plan approved by Council:

    • Improve the water quality of Sandrock Creek
    • Improve aquatic habitat in Sandrock Creek
    • Mitigate the severity of future flooding caused by climate change
    As we move through the design process, we will actively look for opportunities to meet community needs within the project budget. We will ensure safety measures are put in place regardless of the pond design. We will develop preliminary designs for the pond and park in the coming months. We will share these designs with the community and seek your feedback. In total, there will be three opportunities during the design process for the community to review the designs in person.


    If you have any questions, please contact Chris Nechacov, Design and Construction Project Manager, Chris.Nechacov@kitchener.ca, 519-741-2200 x 7148.

Page last updated: 29 Apr 2024, 02:25 PM