Neighbourhoods in three Chatham-Kent communities will be getting an environmental update thanks to a recently awarded provincial grant.
The municipality’s Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP) project has been selected by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks to receive $385,000 in grant funding.
The SNAP project is a voluntary and collaborative approach to enhancing climate resiliency in existing urban residential neighbourhoods. The municipality plans to implement the project in Wheatley, Thamesville, and an area in Wallaceburg south of the Sydenham River, which were chosen following a rigorous evaluation process.
“This included analyzing existing stormwater infrastructure and planned infrastructure investments, tree canopy and urban heat island data, flood-prone areas, and access to resources information,” said Gabriel Clarke, CK’s manager of Growth & Sustainability, in a news release. “Our analysis included every primary and secondary Urban Centre in Chatham-Kent. The selected communities most closely aligned with the criteria, and we are excited to start collaborating with area residents.”
Throughout the summer months, municipal staff will be working with local residents to identify environmental improvements on both municipal and private properties, with support from the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority Urban Stewardship program.
