Location
West Catholic High School

Speaker: Cara Decker, Stormwater Program Coordinator, LGROW

Location for PARKING and LOADING the bus:
West Catholic High School, 1801 Bristol Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

The Rapid bus seating capacity: 30 Participants (Others may carpool to stops)

Bus sign-up TBA

Building on the introductory Green Infrastructure (GI) Program given in 2020, a GI bus tour will show different examples of Green Infrastructure that has been completed in the Grand Rapids area. The focus will be on GI in the Lower Grand River Watershed, as well as demonstrate the results of a successful partnership with The Rapid, City of Grand Rapids, and Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW). Examples of GI on the tour include a green roof, a rain garden, a bioswale, pervious pavement, storm water reuse as well as a living wall all found in the Grand Rapids area.

BUS TOUR SITES: The first stop on the tour will be at the West Catholic High School raingarden, which was installed in June 2018. This 600 sq ft rain garden captures, stores, and filters stormwater from the driveway and road, reducing the overall runoff volume and pollution entering Indian Mill Creek. A variety of native plants that were chosen for this site will be discussed before we move on to see other GI practices throughout the City of Grand Rapids that include: bioswales, permeable pavers, curb cuts, a live wall and much more. Other tour stops will not be confirmed until closer to the tour.

Wear comfortable walking shoes (walking will be minimal, but we will be on and off the bus at multiple stops), filled water bottle (stops usually do not have drinking fountains or public restrooms).