The University of Manitoba Smartpark, a subsidiary corporation to the University of Manitoba, is undergoing a multi-million dollar construction project to control runoff water distributed by future Smartpark projects.
The project of constructing a retention pond that will serve as a wildlife habitat as well as a storage facility for runoff water was part of the original design for Smartpark established in the early ‘90s. The first retention pond is used to accommodate the east 50 acres. Click here for more information about how to design a pond if you would like to attract flock of birds or other wildlife creatures.
According to Larry Paskaruk, director of property development management at Smartpark, the original plan of the park consisted of a 100-acre subdivision on U of M grounds. The second retention project is part of developing the west 50 acres, as the east 50 acres have already been developed.
“Smartpark’s 100 acre subdivision was designed for two [retention ponds] and we’re reaching the maximum engineering capacity of lake No. one with existing developments.
“With new developments coming forward [ . . . they] will be draining into lake No. two [ . . . ] so it’s in step with existing development now,” said Paskaruk.
The cost to construct the retention pond is $2.55 million, with funding coming from the federal government’s Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP). The University of Manitoba applied for funding through a number of projects at the U of M, and in total the U of M obtained a total of $32 million.
This program is part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan of $12 billion and plans to give up to $2 billion to “support infrastructure enhancement at universities and colleges,” says the KIP website.
A press release from the University of Manitoba stated that the retention pond would also serve as a natural habitat for wild life around the area.
“The pond development is taking place along the western fringe of, Innovation Drive and is intended to become a welcome visual and environmental addition to the Fort Garry campus,” said the release.
The release also stated, “The second retention pond on the grounds of Smartpark will not only help collect and move storm water away from the technology park’s growing number of developments, it will also develop into an urban eco-system.”
According to the director of public affairs at the U of M, John Danakas, a number of other projects also built up the $32 Million that was acquired through KIP. The U of M submitted a number of projects that were already “shovel-ready,” as that was one of the requirements to put forward a project for funding.
“Any construction project that we had that fit this criteria we submitted a proposal for,” said Danakas. “There were a number of proposals that were submitted [for KIP funding].”
As construction continues, the release from the U of M said, “Next spring, the second, or naturalization, phase will take place with re-vegetation of native plants in the pond and upland seeding of turf surrounding the pond.”
A number of other projects were funded with KIP money along with the Smartpark retention pond. Funding for renovations in regenerative medicine and the arts research technology lab also came from KIP applications, Danakas told the Manitoban.
The press release indicated that large infrastructure spending by the federal government would influence positive short-term economic stimulus for local communities.
