3. Stakeholder Engagement

SPONGE COLLABORATIVE + WEAVING WITH WATER Team

MULLASSERY CANAL FRAMEWORK AND CANAL EDGE MASTERPLAN

facilitated the discharge of treated water into the river and also for fresh water needs. A 3.6km circular scenic bicycle path and sidewalk along the Laojie River was constructed to promote green transit within the city. ● Community: Integration of green leisure spaces on either bank to recreate the blue and green belt landscape of the Laojie River and offer more recreational opportunities for the community. Establishment of River Education Center provided the opportunity for the community to know the history of the Laojie

River as well as be aware of restoration and environmental studies specific to the river.

Figure 97: The components that supports integrated water-driven approach

Outcomes / impact

The project was a larger rejuvenation strategy for the entire city which brought in the values of resilience, liveability, and also triggered economic growth. Some of the key impacts of the project are 1. The present value of land along the remediated river is 14% higher than it was before the improvement process began. 2. In addition to decontaminating the river and creating absorptive green spaces, the project ended illegal wastewater discharge and improved environmental education. 3. The flood carrying capacity of the river was increased which reduces flood risk for 192,500 sq m area within the urban fabric. 4. Improvement of the river is leading to a spike in tourism, as visits per month have risen steadily after 2012. The usage of open spaces by city residents has also increased.

The Rochor canal project, Singapore

Introduction

Year: 2013 Site area: 1.2 km Client: Public Utilities Board, Singapore under the ‘Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters)’ programme. Climate: Warm & Tropical Project type: Canal restoration & design Project scope: Urban renewal

SPONGE COLLABORATIVE + WEAVING WITH WATER Team

MULLASSERY CANAL FRAMEWORK AND CANAL EDGE MASTERPLAN

Figure 98: Rochor canal project, Singapore

Rochor River is an urban stormwater canal which flows from Bukit Timah all the way down to Marina Barrage. The canal flows mostly through a dense urban fabric and flows along stretches of heavy trac roads. The new role of the Canal is to create a ‘tie’ connecting the segregated enclaves together, and give a stronger sense of the Marina, the City and its water edge. The design embraces an integrated approach that caters to multiple perspectives through - parallel pedestrian boulevards from the surroundings - Rochor Promenade, a waterscape which combines both green, blue and orange (human) elements - bursting with activities and life. At the same time, the green belt offers a green corridor for fauna along the canal, enabling residents an opportunity to appreciate the wildlife at their doorstep. The design of the new Rochor Promenade is intended to bring people closer to the water edge. A layering system for the different city infrastructures of green, vehicular, pedestrian, culture, etc is adopted so that the design can react flexibly to the current conditions and programs while still being united as a whole.

Deciphering the layers:

Ecology: Along with seating and decks, rain gardens punctuate the length of the route and filter rainwater runoff before it enters the Rochor Canal, which eventually flows into the Marina Reservoir. Mobility & Amenities: A 1.1km-long stretch of the canal (between Sim Lim Tower in Bugis and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority building in Lavender) has been transformed with an urban promenade, benches, lookout decks, new pedestrian bridges, and a seamless route for evening strolls. Community: The canal has been widened and deepened, but also transformed into an attractive zone that stitches together neighbourhoods along its route, connects seamlessly with existing HDB garden amenities, and provides new gathering spaces.

SPONGE COLLABORATIVE + WEAVING WITH WATER Team

MULLASSERY CANAL FRAMEWORK AND CANAL EDGE MASTERPLAN

Figure 99: The components that supports integrated water-driven approach

References

Emerson, K., Nabatchi, T., & Balogh, S. (2012). An integrative framework for collaborative governance. Journal of public administration research and theory, 22(1), 1-29.

Ramboll. (2017). CLOUDBURST RESILIENCY PLANNING STUDY.New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Web. https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dep/downloads/pdf/climate-resiliency/nyc-cloudburst-study.pdf

3. Stakeholder Engagement

The consultant teams visited Kochi from the 27th of January till the 30th of January, and met withe following list of stakeholders:

27th January 2021

1. Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Kochi - He recommended that the teams present a version of the

Mullassery Canal Precinct plan to the High Court as an alternative proposal for flood mitigation. 2. Meeting with KMC Engineers - The teams presented the Sponge Framework and blue-green infrastructure concepts to the KMC Engineers. They mentioned that most of the flooding during the 2018 floods in Kochi occurred to the north and south, and the Mullassery Canal area generally does not get flooded except for localised waterlogging during heavy rains. They questioned the possibility of changing the road camber as all roads are designed as per IRC standards.

28th January 2021

3. Meeting with Karikkamuri Residents Welfare Association President - Team 1 and 2 presented their ideas which were welcomed by the president. She also approved of the idea of opening up the canal at various possible intervals within the sub-site A.