Month: September 2013

Workshop Oct. 5: Harvest Rain and Soak Up Overflow

Published on by cfna

REEP & Central Frederick Community Garden present…

IMG_00000454

RAIN Hands-On Workshop: Harvest Rain and Soak Up Overflow

Presenters:

  • Jeff Thompson, Thompson Environmental Community Garden tomateos
  • Cheryl Evans, Manager of Community Engagement (RAIN), REEP Green Solutions

Date & Time: Saturday October 5, 1 pm to 3 pm
Location: Central Frederick Community Garden, Weber Park, Kitchener (Corner of Frederick and Edna)
Parking: Free parking at Frederick Mall across the street
Cost: Free (Charitable donations are welcome, but not required)

FREE! Please use ONLINE REGISTRATION

Workshop Summary

The Central Frederick Neighbourhood Association created a community garden to connect local residents through the growing of fruits and vegetables. Their challenge was that there was no convenient water supply available for the garden.This workshop provides a unique opportunity for participants to speak with the community garden members who are leading the project, and to learn from a landscape professional about how to harvest rainwater and install infiltration galleries.

Harvest Rain (1 pm to 2 pm): Talk to the rainwater harvesting experts who set up cisterns to collect rainwater to service the irrigation needs of the Central Frederick Community Garden. Learn how to best use cisterns like these in the context of your own home or community garden.

Soak Up Overflow (2 pm to 3 pm): Then the experts will explain the solution to prevent water ponding from the cisterns overflowing. A simple underground storage area called an infiltration gallery (aka soakaway pit) will be installed. This will allow the water to soak into the ground and solve any drainage problems.
Workshop includes:

  • Introduction to the RAIN program
  • Explanation of City of Kitchener and Waterloo stormwater utility credits
  • RAIN Service Providers and Suppliers list
  • Rainwater harvesting and infiltration gallery fact sheets
  • Presentation about how to site, estimate cost, install, maintain and winterize rainwater harvesting systems and infiltration galleries
  • Interactive site tour featuring rainwater harvesting and infiltration gallery technologies
  • Opportunity to assemble and install infiltration gallery boxes

Get involved, get inspired and get green!
Contact REEP Green Solutions
http://www.reepgreen.ca
info@reepgreen.ca
519-744-9799

Funder and partner acknowledgement

RAIN: An ecological approach to stormwater management is a Green Communities Canada program, delivered locally by REEP Green Solutions in partnership with the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo.

The Launch of The Little Library of Brubacher Green – Sept. 26

Published on by cfna

Photos of the Launch!

We’d like to invite everyone to come, learn more about our little library in Brubacher Green and take part in it’s launch.

Thursday, September 26th at 6:30

origin_4470545900

What’s a Little Library?

According to the Little Free Library website, “It’s a “take a book, return a book” gathering place where neighbors share their favorite literature and stories. In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another book to share.”

There are now a number of them across Waterloo Region. Learn more at Little Libraries of KW

photo credit: Patrick Hoesly via photopin cc

The future of the Margaret Avenue bridge

Published on by cfna

Margaret Avenue bridge

by James Howe

The Margaret Avenue bridge has been closed to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians since the city received a report indicating that the bridge was at risk of collapsing.

Since that time, the city with the help of consultants have been figuring out how to proceed.

On Monday afternoon, the Council’s Community and Infrastructure Services Committee meets to consider this staff report on the future of the Margaret Avenue bridge. You may also be interested in some media reports on the future of the bridge from the local CBC radio station and the Waterloo Region Record.

The preferred option is to tear down the bridge as soon as possible and then begin planning for a replacement. So I doubt you’d see a replacement in 2014.

The staff report also considers temporary repairs that could reopen the bridge in 2014 but it’ll eventually need to be be torn down and replaced two years later. A benefit of this second option is that it’d reopen the bridge while Weber Street and King Street have major reconstructions over the next few years. Personally, I think that may be the better solution.

But no decisions have been made yet. The report goes to a council committee on Monday afternoon and later goes to a Council meeting. There is time to let Council and staff know what you think.

[Sept. 10 Note: There was a special council meeting to deal with this issue after the committee meeting on Sept. 9. The decision at both was to remove bridge as soon as possible and rebuild sooner than later.]

What do you think?

Do you prefer one option over the other? Is there another option the city should be considering?