Stratavault Overcomes Spatial Challenges to Enhance Downtown Grande Prairie
The City of Grande Prairie is located in Northwestern Alberta, Canada, in the heart of the Peace Region. The largest city north of Edmonton (Alberta’s capital), it’s a thriving young city full of growth and opportunity. With a population of 69,000, residents come from more than 80 different cultural and ethnic groups.
Wanting the city to reflect its vibrant population, the City Council embarked on a number of downtown rehabilitation projects, spanning from 2016 to 2018. Key to the success of these projects, both functionally and aesthetically, was the ability to incorporate trees into an urban environment with spatial challenges.
The City of Grande Prairie’s Project Sponsor for the assignments, Conor Coney, said, “Our Engineering Consultant and Landscape Architects (ISL Engineering) outlined that the only way that trees would successfully establish and grow in an urban downtown environment with spatial constraints would be to install them in a soil cell structure, whereby tree roots would have area to spread and grow and be able to have a secure supply of air and water.”
Jeff Schurek, Manager – Landscape Architecture + Urban Design at ISL Engineering, said, “Trees planted in tree pits without access to additional soil volumes tend to grow slowly and sometimes do not reach their full potential. Their root systems can disrupt adjacent infrastructure in their search for resources, causing degradation of adjacent walks, curbs and roadways. Soil cells with irrigation and aeration provide the tree with resources to last for many years, reducing or eliminating disruption of adjacent infrastructure.”
With these requirements in mind, Citygreen’s Stratavault system was selected and installed by contractor, Wapiti Grave Suppliers (A Division of N.P.A Ltd.). The Stratavault system incorporates soil cells for adequate soil volume and irrigation lines which allow the City’s Parks Department to monitor and control watering of the trees. Adding to the benefits, Jeff Schurek said, “Soil cells are significantly lower cost than alternatives like soil trenches bridged by structural slabs and contain growing medium which is superior to structural soils.”
Today, the results speak for themselves with beautiful Elm, Ash, Maple and Linden trees successfully established and providing cool shade and a beautiful leafy atmosphere for the city’s residents and visitors to enjoy.
