City looks to residents as it prepares to improve Mill Creek

The city is looking into ways to improve water quality and erosion in Mill Creek.

A public information meeting was held Thursday night to listen to residents’ concerns and explain which options the city is looking at.

The Mill Creek Water Quality Study is focused on the north section of the creek with boundaries at Argyll Road and Connors Road.

“Anybody who has walked down through the creek recently will see areas where the creek has eroded to compromise trails and bridges,” city engineer Kerri Robinson said.

Those options include oil and grit separators, stormwater ponds, wetlands and sewer diversions.

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Stacey Drysdale has lived in Bonnie Doon for 18 years and uses the ravine every day to walk her dog or walk the trails.

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However, she has some concerns about the ravine.

“You see the erosion anyways naturally but lately I’m seeing – when we have these big rainfalls – how it’s bringing down some really big trees, really cutting out some of the banks, cutting some of the trails off,” she said.

Denise Jochimsen also uses the ravine every day with her daughter and her dog. She has lived in the Ritchie neighbourhood for 10 years.

“We’re losing a lot of the trails right now, a lot of the places we used to go we can’t go anymore. It’s not safe for the dog,” she said.

Jochimsen is concerned about water flows in the creek and said it can sometimes be scary when there is a significant rainfall or snow melt.

“The erosion was significant. There are a number of trails that aren’t safe. There’s a number of areas where trees have fallen over. It really cuts down on the space,” she said.

Tague Chisholm was at the meeting to see what the options for Mill Creek may be.

The Argyll resident uses the ravine several times a day as he bikes, runs and walks his dog. He has noticed some changes in the years he has used the ravine.

“Definitely during the spring runoff and during rainfall events, it gets pretty silty and really gross,” he said.

Robinson said no cost has been allocated towards the project yet.

There will be another open house in the fall. Then the project moves into the design and construction phase. There is no timeline on when work will actually begin.

The city is collecting feedback in a survey that is open until June 20.