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Future environmental preserve alongside Bow River in Quarry Park

Quarry Park

Size & Type of Project:
314-acre mixed-use community; Brownfield development.

Location:
Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

Budget:
Site work was 30 percent total budget / Landscaping was 10 percent of total budget

Project Phase:

In construction phase. Targeted completion 2011.

Project Overview

Quarry Park is a 314-acre development that operated largely as a gravel extraction and wash site since the mid-1950s. In 2006, redevelopment of the site began, and is considered one of the largest and most ambitious Brownfield reclamation projects in North America. During the six-phase plan, the gravel quarry will be transformed into an active, sustainable community and one of the largest mixed-use communities in the city.

Developing with human well-being in mind is the crux of the strategies used at Quarry Park. The area was strategically designed to be pedestrian-friendly and to reduce vehicular congestion. A series of interconnected pathways and riverwalks will encourage bicycle and foot traffic. At the heart of the community is The Market at Quarry Park, adapted from the market-centric focus in Europe. A 16-acre park, 50-acre environmental reserve, an innovative stormwater management system, and a commercial development are components that will set new standards in environmentally-focused design. The Quarry Park development plan incorporates three particularly innovative solutions to the site's environmental challenges: methane management, stormwater management and river flood protection.

Site Context

The Montana Valley and Foothill Grasslands ecoregions occupies high valleys and foothill regions in the central Rocky Mountains of Montana and Alberta. The Canadian component of this ecoregion is characterized by undulating to rolling topography, and surface deposits are composed of loamy glacial till and clayey lacustrine deposits.

Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the eastern foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, at the junction of the Bow and Elbow Rivers. Calgary has a semi-arid, highland continental climate with long, dry, but highly variable winters and short, moderately warm summers. Calgary is a city of extreme temperatures. The average temperature ranges from a January daily average of 14F (-10°C) to a July daily average of 63F (17C). The city receives an average of 17.5 inches (445.5 mm) of precipitation annually, with approximately 13 inches (339 mm) of that occurring in the form of rain, and the remaining 4.5 inches (106.5 cm) as snow.

Quarry Park is located in the southeast quadrant of Calgary. Bordered by the Bow River to the west and 24th Street S.E. to the east, Quarry Park encompasses more than 314 acres, making it Calgary's largest live-work development. Quarry Park's previous use as an intensive gravel extraction site left the area with the markings of open-pit mining. The site meets the EPA and the City of Calgary's definition of brownfield. Though there is no true contamination in Quarry Park the previous use and the presence of methane contribute to a perception of contamination.


Rendering of Quarry Park development

Sustainable Practices

Select brownfields or greyfields for redevelopment: Quarry Park is a brownfield development. Gravel extraction on the site began prior to 1958 and has continued under the management of several companies over the past five decades. This intensive extraction left the site mine scarred and with a stigma of contamination. Today the site is surrounded by residential housing that has overlooked the barren, unattractive site for years. Quarry Park will transform this area into a vibrant space filled with recreation, spacious parks, bridges and canals.

Reuse of excess soil from local construction sites: The site accepted, accommodated and re-used more than 105 million cubic feet (three million cubic meters) of fill from other local construction sites, which, as a result, will not end up in a municipal landfill.

Restore soils disturbed by previous development: Soil health has become an important issue within Quarry Park prompting the project team to develop an integrative strategy. Elevated levels of methane were found on site and were addressed despite the fact that methane is not a contaminant. The methane levels were linked to the placement of organic materials from the previous years at the site. Residential uses cannot be placed on sites with elevated levels of methane in the City of Calgary without the installation of methane venting system. The project team worked closely with the City of Calgary's Environmental Management group, the Calgary Health Region, and Alberta Environment to develop a comprehensive methane management plan. In addition to the incorporation of new fill, a trench was constructed to prevent potential methane from migrating from office/commercial sites to residential areas and committed to ongoing testing. Excavated fill was treated and a majority of the fill was reintegrated into other areas of the site.

Control and retain construction pollutants: Contractors are required to follow guidelines to reduce dust pollution as a result of construction activities. The project team recognizes that on particularly windy days, in spite of their efforts, there is still dust in air. However, numerous precautions have been taken to reduce dust such as:

An Erosion and Sediment Control Report (ESC Report) has been completed for each phase of this development and submitted to approving authorities. This thorough examination of our practices ensures that water quality in Quarry Park will be protected.

Engage users and other stakeholders in meaningful participation in site design: RDC has consulted with Calgary's mayor, the area's Aldermanic representative and has worked closely with the City's planning department administration to formulate a design that best meets the needs of the area. In addition to the weekly meetings with the approving authorities which are ongoing, the initial Quarry Park concept was presented to each of the bordering communities for input. Two open houses were held with each community association and the project team met with community executives numerous times. The project team regularly updates the community associations and attends their meetings when requested, having presented at two community meetings this past year. The outcome of working with adjacent property owners has facilitated infrastructure improvements in the area as well as construction concerns. The inclusion of the regional pathway that borders the northern edge of the project was completed as an amenity to residents of the bordering communities even though this was not a requirement for development. Community input on the form of Municipal Reserve also informed the decision to dedicate Rugby Fields. In addition, Quarry Park has an active website that provides information about the project, concept plans, renderings and contact information. A point person was assigned to address community concerns about the design and construction of Quarry Park and regularly fields calls from the community.

Connect site to surrounding resources, amenities, and services: The expansive park and pathway system provides connectivity both within the development and to the City of Calgary. The 4.7 miles (7.65 km) of pathways in Quarry Park serve as recreational activity areas and as connectors to other amenities while promoting non-vehicular transportation. With approximately 12,000 people projected to work and live in the area, amenities have been located within a convenient 0.37 mile (600 meter) radius. A medical building, daycare, boutique merchants, numerous services, restaurants and cafés will all be easily accessible to employees and residents. All commercial sites provide secured and open bicycle parking at rates above and beyond the City of Calgary requirements. In addition to the provision of amenities within the site, Quarry Park is located next to a future Light Rail Transit (LRT) station linking the site to amenities throughout the city. In the short term there will be a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line that connects Quarry Park to the Downtown as well as permanent bus routes that are already operating within the development. It will be convenient to use public transit to travel to, from and through the community.

Provide opportunities for outdoor physical activity and social interaction: Human needs are considered the root of the community's design and were made the core of Quarry Park's vision. Quarry Park strives to be a livable community that provides public space to augment the social realm and promote physical activity and recreation. These spaces are part of the public domain and serve as venues for cycling, walking and access to the Bow River.
Quarry Park will contain 80 acres of parks and pathways, including a 50-acre natural area alongside the Bow River that will be a riverside environmental reserve. Viewing promenades provide scenic rest areas equipped with benches and luscious landscaping. Quarry Park's open canals, stone bridges and waterfall feature will offer the optimum environment for restorative experiences. The Market in Quarry Park has intricate landscaping, wide sidewalks and site furnishings that encourage users to break for lunch at a table or bench and admire one of several public art pieces. This space is intended to function as the public hub. The proximity to the Bow River provides for many sporting activities including kayaking and fishing, while the proposed Quarry Park Recreation Facility will be a recreational destination. Families and individuals in these neighborhoods have been waiting for a recreation facility like this for more than 20 years and Quarry Park is the ideal location.

Restore riparian buffers to improve flood control services: Quarry Park's proximity to Calgary's Bow River required attention to river flood protection. The highly effective ‘polder' method that protects the below-sea-level areas of Holland is integrated into the design of Quarry Park's river flood protection. Shoreline landscaping forms part of a bio-engineered system at the edge of the floodway; contributing to a system strong enough to withstand the forces of river flow during high flood conditions. This river edge treatment incorporates solid engineering principles, consistent with land use planning principles, which protects and restores the Bow River shoreline environment. The restoration efforts to the floodway area include the planting of naturalized grasses and willows along the river's edge and preserving the vegetation that is currently in place. Riprap and vegetative armoring will be utilized in this area to reduce river scouring. The areas adjacent to the Bow River will be dedicated as Environment Reserve.

Manage and cleanse water on site: The stormwater management system for Quarry Park is also modeled after a Dutch concept, one that uses linear systems for flat lands. Quarry Park stormwater will be collected on the surface of the land, rather than in the more typical underground pipes, and then flows through a series of attractive canals back to the Bow River. The canals' purpose is twofold; they manage the stormwater runoff, and add to the overall aesthetic appeal of the area, contributing to the form and function. Technically, the stormwater management method uses a linear, open-channel system, with the upper portion, on the east side of the development, resembling a dry creek bed. The center and west portions are integrated into a linear (wet) pond system for storing runoff from the Quarry lands. For most runoff periods, Quarry Park's stormwater management will be a gravity system, with controlled release rates. In times of higher flood levels, the development will be protected by an automatic flap gate and secondary sluice gate built into the outfall structure.
Water quality measures are being incorporated into the design of the linear pond system to ensure current targets for Total Suspended Solids are met. Furthermore, the last water body in the treatment train process, the wetland unit, will further enhance the quality of the water before it is discharged into the Bow in an effort to protect the river's vital ecosystem. Together, the two water management systems will protect Quarry Park from the catastrophic damage of a 100-year flood as well as controlling stormwater runoff by means of an above-ground series of canals and ponds. As a direct result of the water management methods, some 75 acres of new riverside green space, parks, wetlands, and pathways will be ‘built' in Quarry Park. They add much to the aesthetics and appeal of the development, while providing new recreational, parkland and open spaces to be enjoyed by residents of both Quarry Park and the greater city of Calgary.

Construction Cost

Construction costs for the residential, commercial and office projects are projected to be more than $1.5 billion. Methane management costs have contributed to both land development costs and commercial and office construction costs as the cost of importing new fill and the design and construction of appropriate sub-slabs for methane management are significant. The methane trench itself cost approximately $1.5 million to design and construct, a substantial amount for a precautionary measure. Stormwater management costs are estimated anywhere from $4 to $6 million. Though the cost is substantial, the project team considers these solutions to be responsible and integral to the Quarry Park project.

Monitoring Information

Systems have been put in place to monitor the quality of the site including the formation of the Quarry Park Home Owner's Association, which is responsible for monitoring many aspects of the site. The surface stormwater system will be tested regularly to ensure water quality and under the terms of the Methane Management Plan methane testing will occur for a period of no less than five years. Methane monitoring stations will measure methane on both sides of the methane impermeable trench to detect migration from the commercial side to the residential side. If such migration is detected it will be addressed by methane management on a site-per-site basis. Stormwater must also be monitored for quality using Total Suspended Solids as a measure of water quality for the pond systems. As Remington Development Corporation's head offices will be located in Quarry Park we anticipate everyday experiences within the site will garner valuable insights into the successfulness of the concept.

Maintenance

Quarry Park's Home Owner's Association (HOA) has been established to maintain the quality and integrity of Quarry Park's vision. Maintenance and replacement of any landscaping or amenities (including the waterfall feature, viewpoints, parks and ponds) will be the primary function of the HOA.


Local and regional pathways in Quarry Park

Issues/Constraints of the Site

Two of Quarry Park's management systems are direct responses to the unique constraints of the site. The site's location adjacent to Calgary's Bow River provided an asset in terms of amenity potential and a challenge in terms of river flood protection. Methane levels on the site spurred the introduction of a methane management system that included: the import of new fill, the construction of a methane impermeable trench, and the installation of monitoring stations to gauge the success of the system (see Monitoring section for more details).

Lessons Learned

More project details

www.quarrypark.ca

Project Consultants

Jamie Cooper
General Manager of Construction
Remington Development Corporation

Sandy Menzies
Vice President of Land Development
Remington Development Corporation

Gillian Lawrence                                                 
Director of Planning
Remington Development Corporation