Progressive, part of the Trow Group of Companies, led the engineering design and construction management for the East Village Storm Pond in downtown Calgary, which is located within the 100 year floodplain of the Bow River. This represents the first phase of the infrastructure upgrades needed for the redevelopment of the East Village area. Given the area's prime location at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, the ultimate wetland is intended to serve as both a public amenity. Complete with pathways, lookout points and interpretive features, as well as a functioning stormwater treatment facility that will improve environmental conditions in the Bow River.
The pond incorporates a separate settling forebay and a constructed wetland pond which is intended to operate as a bypass facility with frequent flows being diverted for treatment. The facility uses both wetland plantings and retention time to treat stormwater runoff from the redevelopment area, prior to its ultimate discharge into the Bow River through a new open channel outfall. The outfall design is based on a natural creek with a bridge constructed overtop to allow for continued access along the Bow River pathway system. The aquatic plants help to remove nutrients, metals, and toxins from the water and provide shelter for microorganisms that also breakdown petrochemicals and other elements found in urban stormwater runoff.
Innovation in the landscaping included the use of cut willows along the water's edge to protect newly planted aquatics from ducks and geese. Through October 2008, construction of the East Village Stormwater Wetland is substantially complete with initial wetland planting finished and final landscaping of the site underway.
Due to the site's past industrial uses, detailed environmental assessment and remediation (soil and groundwater management) were undertaken as part of the project. This provided a unique environmental opportunity to "retrofit" a stormwater treatment wetland into an existing urban area without sacrificing lands that could be redeveloped for residential and/or commercial uses.
