According to the City of Pointe-Claire, it plans to build a parking lot at Public Works whose infrastructure will limit heat islands; spikes in temperature in urban areas caused by human activity. The lot will foster trees and plants while also facilitating the natural management of rainwater.
The new parking area will feature ample greenery and major planting areas. Some 60 trees will be positioned in the parking lot to create maximum shade, replacing 13 trees that will be cut down, many of which are sick. One tree will be relocated. An additional 2000 plants will contribute to greening the space as well as creating a plant screen.
In order to reduce the heat islands emanating from large urban areas, pale-colored paving stones were chosen alternately with asphalt, which aims to reduce heat retention. Four parking spots with charging stations will be reserved for electric cars, and four additional spots and charging stations are in the works. Four spaces will also be reserved for people with reduced mobility and a pedestrian path will travel across the lot.
Five small rain gardens will be built in order to collect and filter water so as to avoid dirty surface water from the parking lot to flow directly into nearby sewers. In addition, the garden vegetation will help transform this zone into an ecological environment. Nest boxes to house American Robins will be installed.
By making eco-conscious choices for this new parking lot, Pointe-Claire is creating a new reference point for the potential integration of more eco-responsible elements into its future projects. These practices are part of the city's determination to encourage sustainable practices to increase the resilience of the community. Work on the project will begin in May and will conclude with the planting of gardens in September.
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