SeferianDesign

Category: Ecological

  • FWR Dickson Trail

    FWR Dickson Trail

    Ayr, ON.

    RECREATIONAL  //  ECOLOGICAL  //  TRAIL PLANNING  

    To many in Waterloo Region and Brant County, a trip to the FWR Dickson Wilderness Area means a chance to feed the chickadees along the boardwalk and explore the rolling native grasslands that fill the heart of this area just south of Cambridge. Many feet have walked and hiked these trails. Skis, snowshoes, and bicycles have traversed the terrain, but with any well-explored natural area, Dickson needed improvements. SDG was retained by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) to provide design development and contract administration for boardwalk improvements and trail improvements.  The GRCA has received a $93,500 grant from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program to support the rehabilitation of the trails network. This funding formed part of the larger $187,000 campaign to help restore the area and re-establish a trail link between the FWR Dickson Wilderness Area and Bannister Lake natural area.The wooden boardwalk is an important stopping point within the area.

    School classes from nearby Wrigley’s Corners Outdoor Education Centre and families out for a walk, often spend time with the chickadees that call this area home. Accessing these chickadees has become increasingly more challenging in recent years though, as age and heavy traffic has worn out the existing 150 metre boardwalk.  The existing boardwalk was replaced to be comply with AODA requirements and installed on helical piers.  We believe nature should be accessible to everyone. The Dickson Wilderness Area rehabilitation project helped established an accessible section of the boardwalk trail to provide improved access to those with restricted mobility. FWR Dickson Wilderness Area and neighbouring Bannister Lake Conservation Area are both spectacular spaces with a diverse range of natural assets. An informal trail has linked these two areas for years. This project re-established the trail link and supported the development of the trail network between these two areas.  As part of Phase 1, the stone dust trail was improved from the parking lot to the boardwalk, which included armour stone retailing walls to achieve accessible slopes.

  • Appleby College
















    Appleby College

    Oakville, ON.

    PRIVATE INSTITUTIONAL  //  RECREATIONAL  //  SHORELINE RESTORATION 

    SDG was retained by Appleby College as part of a multi-disciplinary team to prepare a Master Campus Plan and Athletic/Performing Arts Complex Master Plan.  The College envisioned a master campus planning exercise that targeted issues related to the new building complex, along with other potential campus changes and long-term projects. The scope of work included a functional program analysis, site assessment, schematic design, phasing options, and cost estimates for the new building space and related reconfigured spaces. The master plan included sustainable landscape initiatives, plantings, and provisions for food production and urban agriculture. The implementation plan will include educational opportunities for students, staff, and potentially the community to become involved in the construction process.

    SDG along with a multi-disciplinary team worked together to stabilize the Appleby College shoreline while maintaining its natural appearance as much as possible. The scope of work encompasses the entire length of the Appleby College shoreline (500m), from the west property line to the east property line as well as the proposed enhancements to Lower McCraney Creek and groyne and breakwater structures. The riparian plantings along McCraney Creek have been specifically designed to enhance aquatic habit conditions by enhancing riparian functions such as overhanging cover, shading, detritus influx, woody instream cover production and bank stabilization. Additionally, plantings are being proposed in the three-metre-wide no-mow zone to mitigate surface erosion and stabilize the banks. The planting for the shoreline restoration will be comprised of deciduous tree species, deciduous shrubs and live stakes. The native seed mixes will include perennials and grasses to further enhance biodiversity and attract pollinators.  A Halton Custom Meadow seed mixture will be used in the no-mow zone, and a bank seed mixture will be used along the restoration slopes. Only native plant species have been used in the restoration plans. Plant species and sizes have been selected to increase the structure and diversity of the shoreline vegetation communities. Generally, plantings are arranged in clusters to create nuclei that, through the process of succession, will expand, colonize and modify the landscape naturally. The riparian corridor and shoreline experienced significant erosion which created steep slopes that became unsafe to students, staff and users of Appleby College. Restoring aquatic habitat, including American Eel, was critical in the design. Approvals included Conservation Halton, Transportation Canada, DFO, and MNRF. The project includes a four-year monitoring as part of the DFO permit. The project has been published in Landscape Architecture Magazine (publication of the American Society of Landscape Architects) and Landscape Pays ages (publication of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects).

    SDG was retained by Appleby College to undertake some feasibility studies on the installation of an outdoor running track in the campus. Concurrently, SDG coordinated with RK and Associates. The renovation of the artificial turf field that is used all year long. As a dynamic institution, Appleby College is always looking for opportunities to develop their campus and provide the students with upgraded facilities. SDG has extensively explored different location options for a track on site and alternatives to official size and shape tracks and is currently moving into material selection and details.

  • Wilmot Trails

    Wilmot Trails

    Wilmot Township, ON.

    TRAIL DEVELOPMENT  //  COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING

    The Township of Wilmot approved the Wilmot Trails Master Plan (WTMP) on November 18, 2013.  The Master Plan is intended to guide trail development in the Township as well as municipal projects having trail implications. SDG was retained to prepare an Implementation Plan for WTMP.  The Implementation Plan included: 

    • Detailed design and construction standards for trail types discussed in the WTMP
    • Estimated unit costs for these construction standards including surface types and trail structures (ie. boardwalks and bridges), rural and urban road cross-sections, and signage
    • Trail signage standards (ie. frequency, location, purpose etc.)
    • Trail maintenance standards
    • AODA requirements for trail development and maintenance as applicable
    • An analysis of staff recourses and budget requirements to implement the plan
    • An analysis of the mission and key participants of a Wilmot Trails Advisory Committee and recommendations with respect to its establishment

    The implementation of recommendations in the WTMP over the next 10+ years will see the Township of Wilmot begin to keep pace with growing public demand for high quality, connected trail systems that connect neighbourhoods with places of recreation, shopping and employment.  The Implementation Plan builds upon past and current trail development efforts, and is intended as a blueprint to guide the development, operation, and maintenance of trails throughout the Township of Wilmot in the short, medium, and long term.

    Learn more:

  • Groff Mill Creek Restoration

    Groff Mill Creek Restoration

    Cambridge, ON.

    WETLAND RESTORATION  //  ECOLOGICAL DESIGN

    Located along Coronation Boulevard in Cambridge, this project was based on the outcome of a watershed master plan study commissioned by the City of Cambridge. The strategy included an earthen flood control berm in Dumfries Conservation Area, upgrading of the culvert crossing Coronation Boulevard and re-design of the channel crossing through the Galt Country Club.

    SDG was involved in all three portions of the flood control strategy to aid in the preparation of various reports as well as preparing detailed planting plans, tree inventories and tree protection plans.

    For the realignment of the creek through the golf course, the maintenance needs of the golf course had to be taken into account while ensuring that all planting was native.

    Working closely with the golf course architect and the golf course superintendent, planting was selected that helped to stabilize the banks while enhancing the aesthetic of the corridor and maintaining sight lines and playing conditions within the golf course.

  • King Road Channel Realignment






















    King Road Channel Realignment

    Aldershot, ON.

    ECOLOGICAL  //  CLIMATE RESILIENCY + ADAPTATION

    Grand Award | American Council of Engineering Companies

    Gold Award | American Council of Engineering Companies (Massachusetts)

    Hamilton Halton Project of the Year (Transportation)

    Award of Merit | Consulting Engineers of Ontario

    OPWA Project of the Year | Ontario Public Works Association

    The King Road Grade Separation at the CN rail lines in Burlington is one of the largest road improvement projects in Burlington, with a construction budget of over $24 million.  One of the key challenges to this project was construction of a creek bridge, or aqueduct, to allow a tributary of Indian Creek to flow over the realigned roadway on the north side of the railway. 

    Working in conjunction with Conservation Halton and the City of Burlington, SDG developed a landscape restoration plan for 450m of realigned Indian Creek that included, native plantings, restorative seed mixtures, live staking, aquatic plugs, erosion control measures, and woody debris and root wads.  All landscape restoration measures were fully coordinated with the Environmental Assessment.  SDG provided full landscape architectural services, from conceptual design through to contract administration.  The project scope also included several public consultation events.  The King Road grade separation was officially opened in December 2013, with the completion of the creek restoration works completed in 2014.

    Learn more:

  • Woodland Manor Creek Restoration

    Woodland Manor Creek Restoration

    Burlington, ON.

    ECOLOGICAL // CLIMATE RESILIENCY AND ADAPTATION

  • West Sheldon Creek Realignment

    West Sheldon Creek Realignment

    West Sheldon Creek Realignment

    Description

    Seferian Design Group was retained by the City of Burlington to create a vegetation rehabilitation plan for the West Sheldon Creek realignment. The project involved a natural channel design and implementation of a complex series of wetlands to restore and naturalize a drainage valley system and improve its ecological function to support both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.

    Our team worked with the teams engineers, fluvial geo-morphologists and aquatic biologists designed a natural channel flowing through a residential neighbourhood to restore a valley altered through extensive grading.

    Extensive planting of woody and herbaceous materials were used to both naturalize the valley, provide shelter, habitat and food source for local wildlife populations, and to screen the valley from encroaching urbanization. The project required Conservation Authority, MNR and DFO approvals.

    Details

    Location: Burlington, ON

    Size:

    Client: City of Burlington

    Project Team:
    SDG, Landscape Architects
    Krpan Group for Multinational Five Investments
    Cambridge Landscaping, General Contractor
    Urbantech
    Suburban Fence systems Ltd.,

    Services Provided:
    Detailed Design, Tender/Specifications, Contract Administration, Vegetation Monitoring

    Publications

    TBA

  • Pineberry East and West

    Pineberry East and West

    Description

    This project is located along Colonel William Parkway in Oakville within the master planned community of Bronte Creek.

    Details

    Location: Oakville, ON

    Size:

    Client: KRPAN Group

    Project Team:
    SDG, Landscape Architecture
    Llewellyn & Associates
    David Faye & Associates Inc.,
    Let’s Landscape Together

    Services Provided: Concept design, Detailed design and Contract administration

    Publications

    TBA