Help shape the future of Country Hills Park

Some of you have asked, “What more can be done in our neighbourhood to reduce the amount of runoff that reaches the park/creek?”

As you know, we are working to better manage runoff in Balzer Creek with a stormwater project in Country Hills Park. Meanwhile, our partner Reep Green Solutions, can help residents who live upstream from the project manage rain and reduce runoff that reaches the park.

The Rain Smart Neighbourhoods Project helps you plan projects for your yard that will help reduce flood risk in the neighbourhood by planting more trees, building rain gardens, soaking up rain in permeable paving, and more.

This spring, join Reep’s Healthy Yard Webinar Series to learn how you can make changes in your yard that will improve the nature in your neighbourhood and extend the benefits of this project! You can also learn more about Healthy Yard Consultations, available to residents who want to help reduce flood risk for the neighbourhood with actions in their own yard.

Register for the webinar series at reepgreen.ca/events

Webinars include:

• Healthy Yards: Nurture Nature in Your Neighbourhood - March 28, 2024 from 7 to 8 p.m.
• Healthy Yards: Rain Garden Design and Construction - April 3, 2024 from 7 to 8 p.m.
• Healthy Yards: Nurture Nature in Your Neighbourhood - April 10, 2024 from 7 to 8 p.m.

November 22, 2023

5 to 8 p.m.

Country Hills Public School in the gym (195 Country Hill Drive, Kitchener)

Please register

We are looking for ways to improve water quality and reduce flood risks through stormwater measures. We are also planning upgrades to the park so that it better serves your neighbourhood. After consultation with the community this winter, we have prepared concept designs for the stormwater measures.

About the open house:

• Learn more about the project and review design options. We will share several designs based on the community's input throughout 2023.
• Drop in anytime. Staff and consultants will be available to receive your feedback and answer questions. There will be short presentations at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
• Reep Green Solutions will host a workshop on changes you can make in your yard to nurture nature. Join them from 7:15–8:15 p.m. and learn how to make Country Hills a Rain Smart Neighbourhood. Indicate your interest in the workshop when you register!
• We will have children’s activities and child-minding.
• Free vegetarian chili bar provided by Aandanjige Café.

If you can't attend this in-person event, you can participate virtually. We will post materials on this webpage for you to review and comment on close to the event.

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.

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

Answer the survey

We invite the Country Hills Park neighbourhood to drop by to share your ideas on how to balance park improvements with a new stormwater facility at Country Hills Park.

Have a hot chocolate and learn about the park improvement process. We will have surveys available for you to complete.

We will be at Country Hills Park on:

• Saturday, January 28, 1 pm to 2:30 pm
• Thursday, February 2, 3 pm to 5 pm

Kids are welcome! Drop by anytime.

Please share the event flyer with your neighbour networks.

Our first survey is now open. Help us understand how you use Country Hills Park 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