The qathet Regional District was recognized for the management of its assets with an award from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM).
The award was given to the district because of its solution for stormwater runoff at the Resource Recovery Centre, where they used a rock apron instead of piping and ditches to dissipate runoff into the surrounding forest.
They say the project saved around 0.4 hectares of second-growth forest from being cleared and $750,000 in cost.
qRD chief administrative officer Al Radke says that keeping natural infrastructure is a challenge but cuts costs and requires less maintenance.
“Local governments are challenged with maintaining infrastructure to ensure that services can be delivered sustainably well into the future,” said Radke.
“Integrating natural assets whenever possible is cost-effective, as they typically require less maintenance, have the ability to adapt to changing conditions and do not have the same replacement requirements as engineered infrastructure.”
The qRD says they are pleased to receive the award and hope the area becomes a “valued regional asset.”
The award ceremony was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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