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Location
255 Woolwich St, next to the First Baptist Church
What is a rain garden?
Rain gardens are designed to collect and absorb rainwater. They reduce stormwater runoff—rain that runs off hard surfaces and into storm drains—which helps prevent flooding, and protects our rivers, streams and wildlife habitat.
Learn more about stormwater, rain gardens and rebates
About the First Baptist Church Rain Gardens
Two different types of rain gardens were installed on the First Baptist Church property.
- The north garden is a simple, ‘typical’ rain garden basin with a berm and plants. Surface area is roughly 12 metres sq.
- The south garden has a regular perennial and shrub garden before the deeper river bed style rain garden to factor in the church sign and Norway Maple tree that put constraints on the area where digging could occur.
- Downspouts were diverted from the main parking lot into the gardens to help alleviate the large amount of stormwater that was emptying into the parking lot and the storm drain system. The grass areas in the front yard were transformed into two beautiful, functional rain gardens with plants that were functional and pollinator friendly.
- The gardens are designed to capture a 25 millimetre rain event (which currently should capture about 90% of the rain events in Guelph).
- Funders of the project include: RBC Blue Water Fund, Elora Environment Centre, The city of Guelph’s Engineering Department and Healthy Landscapes program.
Creating a rain garden at home
This garden was designed to provide an example of a functional rain garden that is aesthetically pleasing and provides habitat for pollinators, to inspire residents to create similar gardens at home. Come check it out and get inspired!
