TRACK 2, DAY 1
Guichon Creek Daylighting: How Emergency Response Became Creek Restoration
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. | Hall F
ABSTRACT
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is located in an urban area, surrounded by roads, and underlain by Guichon Creek, which flows culverted underground through the campus.
When a large sinkhole formed on campus, directly overlaying the creek, Campus Facilities took a unique approach to emergency response. Rather than continue to patch-repair the CSP, they would remove a portion of culvert and replace it with a daylit creek and fishway – embracing part of a long-term campus strategy to daylight Guichon Creek and support creek restoration and natural asset management.
The design team developed a solution, working within the constraints of the campus’ urban environment, which provided a unique, integrated solution.
The daylighting through campus is part of BCIT’s commitment to climate and infrastructure resiliency.
The response showcases BCIT’s innovative asset management approach, which embraces the use of natural systems to provide improved flood capacity and contribute to restoration of ecological features.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Caroline Charbonneau, Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd.
Caroline has over nine years of design and consulting experience in stormwater management, green infrastructure, and civil infrastructure. She has worked to develop concept plans for various watershed health and improvement projects including creek daylighting, enhancement, and green infrastructure implementation.
She has extensive experience with stormwater management, servicing plans, and hydrologic / hydraulic modelling for different scales of development from individual sites to municipal-level development.
Caroline has a specific interest in detailed design and construction and extensive experience with detailed design, selection, sizing, and modelling of stormwater management infrastructure , green infrastructure, and creek daylighting / riparian area restoration.
She is well-versed in the delivery of detailed design and subsequent contract preparation, tender evaluation, and construction services such as contract administration and inspections.