Part of the St Marys Drainage Strategy
The St Mary’s Community Accessibility Project is an initiative to enhance the accessibility of blue-green infrastructure in the St Mary’s area of Dundee. The project focuses on integrating sustainable water management, such as rain gardens, water butts and downpipe planters, to improve the local environment and community understanding. The St Mary’s Community Engagement project is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by ‘Water Resilient Dundee’ supported by Abertay University and Optimised Environments Ltd. The project is for 3-years (2024-2026).
The project supports practical interventions for blue-green urban spaces, which differ from traditional grey (concrete) spaces that quickly drain rainwater into pipes. Blue-green spaces manage rainwater where it falls, using parks and gardens to create a sustainable water cycle and spaces for people and nature. These spaces slow storm water, allowing it to soak into the ground and vegetation, improving habitats and biodiversity. Retrofitting blue-green infrastructure helps manage rain storms by mimicking the natural water cycle.
The community engagement sessions in the first year of the project have been varied and interactive.
At the St Mary’s Community Centre:
- Mindful Craft Morning with ScrapAntics, we delivered activities including painting with water-bubble art.
- Coffee and Croissants at the St Mary’s Community Centre with the volunteers.
- Posters on the walls for sharing designs for a new rain garden, water butts and guttering at the Community Centre
At St Andrews Primary School and Craigowl Primary School:
- Schools Engagement included a visiting class group from Nursery, P1, P2, and P2 for practical activities and educational sessions with our ‘rain garden dolls house’ and watering can to see where the rain flows. Feedback from the 310 teachers and pupils we asked was that 308 (99%) of them would like to see more rain gardens in their school and community.
- Educational Resources will be given to the schools. Each school will get their own weather station and a ‘rain garden dolls house’ to support STEM learning.
These sessions have been instrumental in engaging with the community about sustainable water management.