Left: beautiful riparian creek corridor will be restored. Right: the facility goes in the strip that's right of the trail.
Have you heard about the proposed Bear Creek Wetland Facility behind Safeway? The facility will treat and clean the dirty stormwater running from the Bear Creek Plaza parking lots and roof-tops (eight acres). Currently, the filthy stormwater is virtually untreated and piped directly into the Creek! This trashy, warm water is loaded with toxic heavy metals, asbestos, oils, and chemicals. The creek's endangered salmon are bothered, to say the least.
When the location of the stormwater facility site was pointed out by a city stormwater manager I felt instant relief. The facility is long and skinny strip of land, like a sliver, and only three feet deep. Best of all, it's west of the blacktop 'trail' nowhere near the creek or it's beautiful riparian vegetation!
The new stormwater facility will function like a wetland as it treats run-off by filtration! It won't be smelly or full of weeds. It will probably be dry in the summer and most of the year. The city natural resources dept. (DNR) will enhance and restore the area with plant and trees. If you drive behind Safeway you'll see a row of large Ceder trees. DNR has found a way to keep all those trees! They're not hitting home runs on this project. They're hitting a Grand Slams!
But there's more! What's the good of a beautiful urban salmon stream habitat if the public can't enjoy and learn from it? Upon recommendation from Park/Trails commissioners (new and old), a barked foot-trail looped to a large salmon-viewing boulder is planned. Bear Creek Plaza shoppers can take a break on the trails and learn about the local habitat.
My only regret? The city didn't involve the public in this environmentally friendly project from the start. A decent map delineating the Safeway store, parking lots and hard surface trail would have gone a long way towards understanding the site location. A statement in the Notice or a flyer explaining the use and value of a wetland facility would help. This DNR project is something to be proud of, not hide from. I hope public education will come earlier on future high visibility City stormwater treatment projects.
In the end, the city was extremely informative and accommodating and I am most thankful! Our Department of Natural Resources is great! DNR, thank you for improving Bear Creek water quality! Does a reader want to comment? by Bob Yoder
1 comment:
I walked that path earlier this year, but it is a shame that it doesn't really go anywhere to the north and just wraps around to a sidewalk.
Still, it is pleasant enough.
I'd like to see a better crosswalk across Redmond Way though. Cars don't pay attention to pedestrians at the crossing intersection. Some flashing lights on the road might help.
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