A dry storm pond opened in Saskatoon’s Churchill Park Thursday to ease flooding concerns for residents.
The pond is one of nine flood mitigation projects that the city is working on and will help prevent flooding at more than 50 properties around Ruth Street and Cairns Avenue, Bute Street and Munroe Avenue, Ruth Street and York Avenue, and Bute Street and Albert Avenue.
The next pond will be built in Weaver Park.
“Dry storm ponds provide tremendous value in preventing flooding in neighbourhoods that historically have been prone to floods,” said Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark.
“These ponds help to mitigate the damage from weather events and can provide peace of mind to residents. The Churchill Dry Storm Pond will provide this same reassurance to residents in the surrounding area.
“Thanks to continued funding partnerships, we’re able to build infrastructure that protects against more frequent extreme weather events.”
Saskatoon’s storm water utility manager Mitch McMann said that the remaining seven storm ponds will be built and functioning by 2027.
“With more severe and less predictable rain events, these projects are important to our residents. During a heavy rain event on June 3 of this year, storm water that would have previously flooded nearby intersections and properties, drained into this dry storm pond instead. The new project functioned very well and as it was intended to,” McMann said.
The Government of Canada has contributed $21.6 million towards Saskatoon’s Flood Control Strategy through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.
Comments