Canandaigua Main Street Streetscape
Tour
We
will meet at Commons
Park for a guided tour by
Andrew Spencer (BME Associates Landscape
Architect) and
Berna Ticonchuk (FLCC Conservation Technician and
. Canandaigua Tree Advisory Board member).
Learn about how the ‘rain
gardens’work and why
specific species were selected for the planting sites along Main Street. The
Canandaigua Farmers Market will be open 8:30-12:30 behind
the east side of Main Street.Berna Ticonchuk (FLCC Conservation Technician and
. Canandaigua Tree Advisory Board member).
Thanks to BIB Director, Lisa Marie Thompson, for this Press Release:
CANANDAIGUA BOTANICAL SOCIETY WALKING TOUR TO
FEATURE DOWNTOWN CANANDAIGUA STREETSCAPE AND RAIN GARDENS ON
AUGUST 16
CANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK – Community
members are invited to learn more about how Canandaigua’s downtown Streetscape
rain gardens work and why specific species were selected for planting as part
of an upcoming walk sponsored by the Canandaigua Botanical Society. The
walking tour, which is free and open to the public, begins at Commons Park
on North Main Street
at 10 a.m. on
Saturday, August 16.
Leading the tour are Andrew Spencer, Landscape Architect, BME
Associates; Berna Ticonchuk, Finger Lakes Community College Conservation
Technician and Canandaigua Tree Advisory Member; and Laura Ouimette, secretary
and treasurer of the Canandaigua Botanical Society. The tour coincides with the
popular Canandaigua Farmer’s Market. Open on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m., the Farmer’s Market takes place behind Main Street on the east side.
“The walking tour of downtown Canandaigua will be
informative, educational, and a great way for people to learn more about our
rain gardens and Streetscape project,” said Lisa Thompson, Downtown Manager,
Canandaigua Business Improvement District. “The project’s unique
statewide because we’ve embraced green infrastructure practices and a
commitment to lake water quality in an active, downtown environment.”
“We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with
the City of Canandaigua
to see this project through from the initial concept, funding and grant
procurement, design, and ultimately construction. This project is a great
example of an innovative approach that provides water quality improvements as
well as streetscape beautification for the City of Canandaigua,” said Andrew Spencer, Landscape
Architect, BME Associates.
The Streetscape Project
The $1.6
million Streetscape project was completed last year in collaboration with the
City of Canandaigua
and government agencies. In addition to new sidewalks and concrete pavers, the
project incorporates green infrastructure, including bio-retention and
filtration methods. Nine rain gardens and eight raised plant beds with 40
street trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plantings are situated along Main Street from
Antis to Chapin Street.
New sidewalks and permeable concrete pavers were also installed. The project
represents a total investment of $1.6 million in downtown Canandaigua.
While many of
gardens look ordinary at first glance, they serve an important role in the
filtration of storm water and pollutants. Storm water runoff can include
pollutants that are harmful to Canandaigua Lake.
During the planning stages, project engineers focused on ways to protect Canandaigua Lake by relying on an infrastructure that
includes bio-retention filtration methods. The plant materials and irrigation
system filters storm water through bio-retention areas, which include soil and
plant materials, before it returns to the lake watershed.
About Canandaigua’s Business Improvement District
The Canandaigua Business Improvement District (also known as
“the BID”) is a not-for-profit organization created under Article 19A of the
New York General Municipal Law to promote, beautify, and improve historical
downtown Canandaigua. More than 100 businesses and 700 employees operate
within the BID. Canandaigua’s downtown is a popular destination for
tourists and community members who want to shop, dine, and explore the
historical business district. For more information, visit www.downtownCanandaigua.com.
About the Canandaigua Botanical Society
This walk is one of 21 events scheduled to celebrate the
140th year of the Canandaigua Botanical Society; the second oldest botanical
society in the USA.
The Botanical Society maintains a pictorial journal of events on its
website/blog at http://