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Edwina Richardson from Urban Waterways, Laura, Henry and Simon
Corbell and Jenny
Gillis from Urban Waterways inspect the plans for the Banksia
Street
wetland.
The City Chronicle Volume 30 No. 2 Tuesday January 19, 2010
Wetland work beginsBy Elliot Woods
Construction on the urban wetland on Banksia Street, OConnor is
nowunderway.
The highly anticipated project was celebrated by more than 1000
inner northresidents at a fair in September last year a good
indication that the wetlandshave been well received. The $370,000
project will filter water running into LakeBurley Griffin while
providing residents with an aesthetically pleasing spot to walkand
relax.
Minister for the Environment, Simon Corbell, joined Urban
Services staff EdwinaRichardson and Jenny Gillis at the site on
Friday morning to discuss the project
in depth. He said the ACT Government was thrilled to be involved
with such apositive project. I am pleased to see this project
underway, the filtration processwill see water quality improve
while the community will receive aestheticallypleasing amenities on
their doorsteps, Mr Corbell said. It really is a
win-winsituation.
During the last 10 years, blue green algae levels in Canberras
Lakes havebecome a point of concern. Closures have caused hassles
for thousands of
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Canberrans who use the lakes every day. The cause of the algae
has beenblamed largely on nutrient run off. Filtration wetlands,
like the one on BanksiaStreet, will help to stop this run off
before it gets to the lake.
As well as provided filtration for run off, the wetlands will
also work to support a
range of wildlife including fish, frogs, plants and birds.
Ms Gillis said the wetland had been well planned for times when
water wasscarce and in excess. Ephemeral plants will be planted in
areas where the waterwill dry up in the summer months while there
will be reeds, shrubs and a fewtrees in the other areas, Ms Gillis
said.
The generous budget for the wetland means around 50,000 plants
will be grownon the land, all planted by community members. The
original budget of $250,000was boosted by $120,000 to pay for some
public art to be placed near thewetland.
Ms Richardson said the wetland was to be a part of the
community. We wouldlike to see the community take ownership of
these wetlands and get involved withtheir upkeep and their
production, Ms Richardson said.
Note: copyright of the material in this clipping resides with
Fairfax Media. Usage
permitted in accordance with the Australian Copyright Act 1968,
Section 42: Fair
dealing for purpose of reporting news. Source: The City
Chronicle 19 January 2010
