In 2005, MDI developed the landscape plans for the Victoria International Airport Phase 1 parking lot expansion. The  parking lot area drains into Ten-Ten Creek and Reay Creek - both fish bearing systems. As such, it was critical that surface drainage patterns be respected in the design, and that pollution loads and volumes be managed.

 

As part of the ‘Garden City’ theme design, extensive landscaped areas were added that surround the new parking lot and visually soften the entrance to the airport. In addition, the parking lot design included integrated rain water management features, and the daylighting of a large stormdrain to create a significant amount of riparian habitat that is presently used by local wildlife. The creation of bioswales and rain gardens has resulted in new microhabitats also being colonized by site adaptive plant material and native wildlife species, such as killdeer, red-winged blackbirds, cattails, sedges, rushes, and wetland woody plant species.

 

Positive outcomes for this project included good site planning that achieved targets for parking stall numbers while retaining all landscape elements, integration of successful wayfinding tools for pedestrians and drivers, and treatment of pollutants in runoff from the entire parking lot surface.