JOINT NEWS RELEASE – September 23, 2019
Town of Comox precedents are working examples of what “reconnecting hydrology and ecology” looks like in practice.
Comox experience shows what is possible when a local government has a strong working relationshipwith the stewardship sector, and leads by example to implement responsible water balance management. This is a key message in Town of Comox – A ‘Beacon of Hope’, a Watershed Case Profile document released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC at the meeting of Comox Council on September 11.
“The Town’s story comprises three building blocks. Over the past decade, experience gained and lessons learned through the Lower Brooklyn Creek channel enhancement project and Northeast Comox land development planning process have been integrated into the Draft Anderton Corridor Neighbourhood Concept Plan for Middle Brooklyn Creek,” observed Kim Stephens, Partnership Executive Director.
“Along the way, the Town of Comox has established three provincial firsts.
1) Changed engineering practice and implemented the Water Balance Methodology in Northeast Comox to reduce downhill risk.
2) Became the first demonstration application for testing EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, for valuation of the Brooklyn Creek corridor.
3) Changed the Draft Anderton Corridor Neighbourhood Concept Plan in mid-project to enhance the ‘Package of Ecological Services’,” he added.
“The ecological services within Brooklyn Creek are integral components of the Town’s core services of rainwater management, parks and fish habitat protection. Once the Town switched to viewing ecological services as core municipal services, we then asked ourselves: how can we do things better? “The Draft Anderton Corridor Neighbourhood Concept Plan is the result,” stated Mayor Russ Arnott.
“The Town is reconnecting hydrology and ecology by embarking on a systems approach on all levels. The approach includes amending bylaws, training staff, educating the development community and homeowners, creating new procedures, and formalizing roles and responsibilities.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
CONTACT: Partnership for Water Sustainability – Kim Stephens, Executive Director
or 604-817-4657
READ the accompanying Backgrounder_Comox-A Beacon of Hope_Sept-2019 (PDF)
CLICK on the link to download the WATERSHED CASE PROFILE:
https://waterbucket.ca/rm/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/09/Comox-Beacon-of-Hope_Sep2019.pdf