Design Case Study:
Vancouver, BC, Canada
How the City of Vancouver, British Columbia Advanced Green Infrastructure by Fostering Cross-Disciplinary Coordination
| Region | Northwest | Principle | Define Portfolio Level Design Goals |
| City | Vancouver, B.C. | Best Practice | Build lasting agency partnerships and cross-disciplinary coordination |
| Population | 662,000 | ||
| Partners | St. George Rainway Community Group |
“St. George Rainway is now a destination amenity for the community, and we often get requests from citizens that want something similar in their neighborhoods.”
– Robb Lukes, Associate Director of Green Infrastructure
Project Description
Project Description
The St. George Rainway project in Vancouver, British Columbia shows how community vision and municipal coordination can align to deliver transformative green infrastructure. The Rainway reimagines a typical neighborhood street as a green corridor. Initiated by local residents, students, storytellers, designers, educators, business people, and artists – this project was further shaped through four phases of public engagement. The project tackles several challenges including sewer constraints, urban heat, removal of parking, and the need for public gathering space. Designed as a placemaking initiative, it reallocates road space to prioritize green infrastructure and active transportation. By meeting these needs, the Rainway reinforces the city’s broader goals around rainwater management, sustainability, transportation, and livability.
Aerial shot of St. George Rainway under construction.
Best Practices in Action
The St. George Rainway showcases how long-term agency partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration can deliver integrated, community-driven green infrastructure. The Green Infrastructure Implementation team focused first on building understanding and awareness. Staff reached out to different departments to share about their work, their skills, city goals around reducing impervious surfaces, and how green infrastructure could integrate with their work. As an early marker of success, the transportation team started considering green infrastructure on a project as an alternative to moving a catch basin. These early projects built trust and established relationships between transportation and green infrastructure staff, leading the transportation team to explore further collaborative opportunities and convene strategic initiatives. The transportation department identifies project opportunities and then invites green infrastructure experts and relevant teams to co-design infrastructure solutions that advance multiple objectives.
For the Rainway, teams across transportation, engineering, urban forestry, and green infrastructure teams worked together from early design through implementation. They found that involving specialists in street engineering, lighting, hydrology, public engagement, ethnobotany, public art, and horticulture could help to address technical constraints and community goals. These engagements were strengthened by ongoing consultation with a community group and advisory committee occurring in parallel. This interdisciplinary coordination paired with community advocacy made it possible to reallocate road space for green infrastructure while resolving site-specific challenges like water main conflicts and creating custom streetscape elements. The advocacy of the advisory committee pushed the team to reallocate more road to green space than might have happened otherwise.
Soliciting input and creating feedback loops at multiple levels, including with maintenance crews and a community advisory group, allowed the team to refine design and support the Rainway’s long-term success. The result is a model for how sustained partnerships and inclusive processes can create green infrastructure that serves environmental, infrastructure, and social needs.