Purpose
The City is initiating a stormwater management improvement project in the Van Kirk area near Bovaird Drive and Mclaughlin Road. The retrofit project will provide water quality control of stormwater to the Van Kirk outfall.
Background
The Van Kirk outfall, constructed in 2004, currently receives stormwater runoff from a 133-hectare catchment area with approximately 74% impervious surface. This runoff drains directly into Fletcher’s Creek, a tributary of the Credit River.
As part of the City’s Stormwater Pond Retrofit and Enhancement Study (Completed in 2003 and updated in 2015), the Van Kirk outfall was identified as a key location for retrofit improvements to enhance stormwater quality and address erosion concerns.
In 2021, Van Kirk Outfall Retrofit Alternatives Conceptual Design Report presented three design options to improve the site by reducing the amount of sediment and pollutants being carried into the creek, aiming to remove up to 80% of these particles from stormwater before it reaches the natural environment. These designs accounted for site constraints such as limited City-owned land, Redside Dace habitat, nearby sanitary infrastructure, and the proximity of the Fletcher’s Creek Recreational Trail. The design approach emphasizes water quality improvement, erosion control and ecological protection.
Project Overview
The City is working with Aquafor Beech Limited to carry out a multi-phase stormwater retrofit design project at the Van Kirk outfall.
Key components of the project include:
- Evaluating retrofit alternatives based on technical, natural, social, cultural and economic factors
- Hosting two Public Information Centres (PICs) to engage the community and gather feedback
- Developing both preliminary and detailed design for the preferred solution
- Securing required permits from agencies such as the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF)
- Preparing construction-ready drawings and tender documents
This initiative supports the City’s ongoing efforts to improve stormwater quality, minimize erosion, and protect the health of Fletcher’s Creek and the broader Credit River watershed.
