Rain Smart Neighbourhoods

We are helping Kitchener residents beautify their yards and become more rain smart. You can play a big part in reducing community flood risk and improving water quality!

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What is Rain Smart Neighbourhoods?

In partnership with the City of Kitchener, we are working with residents to create beautiful and healthy yards that make a big impact on reducing flood risk and improving water quality.

Healthy yards lead to Rain Smart Neighbourhoods, where rain water soaks into the ground instead of falling on hard surfaces and turning into runoff.

We are currently offering in-person coaching and custom community events in neighbourhoods located within priority watersheds. Let us help you plan out landscaping that makes your yard more resilient to climate change!

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What can we help you with?

A downspout drains onto rocks leading into a rain garden

Rain Gardens

A shallow basin garden that holds rain water until it soaks into the ground.

Two rain barrels outside of a tan brick house.

Rain Water Harvesting

An efficient and low-cost way to collect water for reuse in your yard.

A black plastic cube inserted into the ground to assist in water infiltration.

Infiltration Galleries

An underground water storage solution that allows water to soak into the ground.

A downspout drains onto rocks leading into a rain garden

Rain
Gardens

A shallow basin garden that holds rain water until it soaks into the ground.

Two rain barrels outside of a tan brick house.

Rain Water Harvesting

An efficient and low-cost way to collect water for reuse in your yard.

A black plastic cube inserted into the ground to assist in water infiltration.

Infiltration Galleries

An underground water storage solution that allows water to soak into the ground.

Tree
Planting

Year-round beauty for your landscape that provides shade and absorbs rain water.

Orange flowers in bloom among grass in a garden.

Naturalized Landscapes

A beautiful alternative to lawn that boosts biodiversity and slows rain where it falls.

Reddish permeable paving stones on a driveway.

Permeable Paving

A hardscaping solution that allows water to soak through and into the ground.

Orange flowers in bloom among grass in a garden.

Naturalized Landscapes

A beautiful alternative to lawn that boosts biodiversity and slows rain where it falls.

Tree Planting

Year-round beauty for your landscape that provides shade and absorbs rain water.

Reddish permeable paving stones on a driveway.

Permeable Paving

A hardscaping solution that allows water to soak through and into the ground.

Healthy Yard Consultations

Check the map below to see if you are located in one of the areas where we are offering free, on-site consultations to learn more about making your property Rain Smart!
 

Submit the contact form below to request a Healthy Yards Consultation. We will be in touch within 1-2 business days to confirm your eligibility and schedule your consultation. One of our Healthy Yards Advisors will conduct the consultation to observe the flow of runoff from your property and guide you on which Rain Smart projects are best for you and how to install them.

Request a Consultation

Check out our weekly webinars!

Need help to create or maintain a beautiful and sustainable yard? We’ve got you covered. Each week our Healthy Yards Advisors will give a webinar to help you make your yard a healthy yard. Kitchener residents are welcome to attend these talks, get advice and ask questions about your yard.

The webinars are every Tuesday evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sign up below to receive a Zoom link for the webinars.

July topics

How to install a rain barrelTuesday, July 6, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Caring for trees under stress from the LDD moth – Tuesday, July 13, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

How to diagnose poor drainage in your yardTuesday, July 20, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Gardening in the heat – drought-resistant plants and general tipsTuesday, July 27, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

Workshops and Events

How can we work with your neighbourhood or community group?

Reducing community flood risk and improving watershed health can’t be achieved on any single property, but everyone has a role to play. We can work with your community group to educate neighbours and help create a practical plan of action that addresses multiple properties or a shared a public space. Contact us to learn more about the ways we can assist your community group!

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Healthy Yards Advisors

Becca Robinson

During her tenure with Reep Green Solutions, Becca has helped over 100 property owners in Kitchener make landscape changes that are more resilient to climate change.  Becca has a Masters in Landscape Architecture and a BS in Environmental Science.

Michael Albanese

Michael is a landscape consultant, designer, contractor, author, and public speaker operating under Avesi Stormwater & Landscape Solutions. His work focuses on helping people incorporate rainwater into their landscapes through ecological planting design. Currently working on the second edition to his book ‘The Modern Rain Garden’, Michael strives to be a positive influence on both the community and the environment.

Rain Smart Neighbours in Action

Residents across Kitchener are making landscape changes to reduce flood risk and improve the health of their watershed!

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Funders and Partners

Logo shows a clock tower and contains the word Kitchener
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