Since 1992, The Abilities Foundation has provided specialized vocational training to young people 16 - 21 with physical and intellectual disabilities. In 2018, the campus (along with several other neighbouring properties) experienced significant flooding and ponding after construction on the Constant Spring Road Improvement Project blocked on-campus drains. This rendered the only recreational space on campus unusable and created a seasonal nuisance and public health hazard for the entire campus community.

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Following several stakeholder engagements and an initial site assessment, a landscape masterplan for the campus was designed in collaboration with Day & Day Company. This project is rooted in principles of universal accessibility for the students and aims to mitigate the flooding experienced on campus by rethinking ‘green spaces’ as green infrastructure (GI).
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‍PHASE 1: This summer we will be working with local landscapers, and vocational students from Ebony Park HEART Academy to tackle Phase 1 of the campus masterplan. It includes the construction of two rain gardens (depressions designed to collect and infiltrate stormwater runoff), a system of bioswales (shallow vegetated linear depressions that moves runoff) tied together by an accessible walkway. We see the construction of this project as an opportunity for community learning and knowledge sharing.

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PHASE 2: In subsequent phases, we will be expanding the landscaping around the campus, de-paving parking lots to increase permeability while creating a green central courtyard. All these elements will be tied together with a universally accessible pathway, ensuring access for all regardless of ability.

Monitoring and evaluation is also a critical component of this project. We will be collecting data that verifies the performance of these green infrastructure systems, ensuring that our landscape designs are effectively holding and absorbing runoff and thus reducing the likelihood of flooding on campus.

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