Fire departments rely on water to help put out fires – and thanks to new water-efficient landscaping at the Courtenay Fire Hall, some of this precious resource is being conserved for where it’s needed most.
As a bonus, the project incorporates many other environmentally friendly features and will also cut down on maintenance by City parks staff.
“The fire hall used to be a problem area for us,” explained James Nixon, the City’s assistant manager, roads and parks. “There were issues with thistle and other invasive species which staff had to deal with on a weekly basis for a good part of the year.
“One of our Parks staff, Lani Glowach, spearheaded this new project. We’re really happy with the results; the design is attractive, but it’s also low-maintenance.”
The landscaping makes use of the property’s existing mature trees, and adds new trees, shrubs, and a dry creek bed. The project also incorporates a memorial to retired Courtenay fire chiefs, with granite boulders placed near the fire hall’s front entrance.
Less visible are the water-efficient innovations under the surface.
Large sections of landscaping have been converted to drip irrigation, reducing water loss due to evaporation. Other sections use new water-saving pop-up sprinklers. The system has been in place since the spring, and the reduction in water use has been dramatic.
“Now, even in hot weather, we only need to water every three or four days,” noted Nixon. “Also, when we are watering, we’re using 60 per cent less gallons per minute than before, even though we’ve increased the number of sprinkler heads.”
In addition to irrigation improvements, crews also installed an allnatural permeable barrier under the surface to keep weeds down.
Nutrients were added to the soil with compost from the City’s own composting facility, making use of leaves and other plant material recovered from parks and boulevards throughout Courtenay. On top, a layer of organic straw acts as mulch and helps keep water from evaporating.
The project, largely funded by a $17,000 water conservation grant from the Comox Valley Regional District, is still a work in progress. Parks staff will continue to work on improvements to the fire hall landscaping as part of their regular maintenance.
Don Bardonnex, Courtenay’s fire chief, said the project has transformed the fire hall property. “It’s a great addition to the fire hall,” said Bardonnex. “I’m not one who can envision what this type of project will look like before it’s done, but now that it’s nearly complete I think it looks great and is a big improvement over what we had before. It’s going to really help cut down on water use and maintenance too.”
For more information, contact the City of Courtenay Parks Department at 250-338-1525 or email parks@ courtenay.ca .
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