Water Square: une bonne mesure d'atténuation des impacts pour les pluies intenses en milieu urbain québécois?

The borough of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal will conduct a feasibility study for the adaptation to the impacts of climate change, including flooding.Given the increase in rainfall intensity and the need for cities to store stormwater to protect people, property and the environment, the study will assess the feasibility of a water square. This concept involves building a public plaza and/or recreational infrastructure that can be flooded. Rather than investing in two dedicated infrastructures, the same investment will provide both functions. The targeted gain is therefore technical and financial. Moreover, water becomes a central, attractive and playful element in the development project. This approach is especially interesting for large cities where there are few opportunities to build traditional retention ponds. Providing retention capacity for 1-in-100 year events at no additional cost would be an important step in reducing vulnerability to climate change.The project has environmental, economic, and social components.Environmental component:- Reducing flows and volumes sent to the sewer, as well as backups and overflows.- The volume that will not transit through the sewer system will reduce its GHG emissions.- The project will aim to reuse excavated material.- The presence of water, having a beneficial impact on fauna and flora, will improve greening and thermal regulation.Economic component:- A multifunctional structure is less expensive than two monofunctional structures, in addition to the positive impact of the water square on the property value of the neighborhood.Social component:- The use of a new public space that promotes socializing, physical activities and gatherings.Ultimately, the project will raise public awareness about sound water management through information signs, educational workshops and works of art.