Posted with permission:
Folks,
Following a knee-jerk response to a question from Chris Ballard this weekend, the subject has bubbled on the back burner.
Without exhaustive supporting numbers, I see it this way through a triple-bottom-line perspective.
Environmental: marginal if any benefit.
A Catch Basin removes floater and sinkers (petroleum products and lighter than water debris plus road sand).
Salt is dissolved in the water therefore out-flows with the water.
In the current situation, most (or all) of the floaters and sinkers stay on the parking lot, not entering the river.
I believe that the existing parking lot and the proposed one should be viewed as equally hard, im-permeable surfaces.
Most of the snow-melt stays on the surface until it hits the grass or a sewer entrance.
Social: medium benefit.
The addition space will provide about 15 more parking places - an increase of 30-35% over existing.
Financial: As a taxpayer - federal, provincial and municipal - it seems very poor Return on Investment.
If it is an Infrastructure project, we may be committed to the agreement or suffer penalties on withdrawal.
If it is mandated - rather than suggested - by the Province or LSRCA, then there is no choice.
This TBL stool has but one short leg.
The Arboretum concern is for the 5 Ginkgo trees, planted by the Town and ACA in the spillway. The ACA requested and received drawings of the area. We commented on the increased saline into the area and suggested that continuing the out-flow pipe to the Nokiidaa Trail culvert would remedy the situation for the trees. It should be noted that the existing drain in the parking lot directs the outflow into the same spillway - where the trees are - as the proposed project. The capacity will increase by about 30% in area so the contaminant load would be expected to similarly increase.
These are are slow-growing trees, but they do not appear to have been adversely effected by the previous annual saline influx.
If further reflection is of value, please let me know.
Cheers <<gb
Go for a virtual nature walk www.auroraarboretum.ca
Go for a virtual nature walk www.auroraarboretum.ca
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