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Victoria Airport Authority Honoured With 2013 Environmental Achievement Award
Sep 3, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) recently announced the winners of the Environmental Achievement Awards. Each year ACI-NA recognizes outstanding achievements in the categories of Environmental Management, Mitigation, Innovative/Special Projects and Outreach, Education and Community.
Victoria Airport Authority was selected as the winner under the Mitigation category for its Reay Creek Restoration Project.
The other three winners included: San Francisco International Airport (Environmental Management Award category), Vancouver Airport Authority (Outreach, Education and Community Involvement Award category) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (Special/Innovative Projects Award category). Winners will be recognized at the 2013 ACI-NA Annual Conference in San Jose, California on September 25, 2013, during the Chairman’s Honors Lunch.
ACI-NA receives many submissions for consideration from both Canada and the United States, presenting a challenging selection process for the panel of judges. The winning airports must demonstrate the environmental benefit of their project and its innovative approach, effective implementation, applicability and cost-effectiveness.
About the Reay Creek Remediation Project:
Reay Creek is a fish-bearing stream that flows through Victoria International Airport to the ocean near Sidney, BC. The creek has suffered from pollution pre-dating the Second World War. As part of the VAA’s ongoing environmental stewardship, the project saw the construction of a 200-metre long diversion channel to divert storm water drainage around historically contaminated areas of the creek.
This self-funded $232,000 project included the addition of a spill gate system and incorporation of aquatic habitat features such as rocks and riparian plantings, transforming it into a bio-remediation wetland.
“The Victoria Airport Authority is very pleased to receive international recognition for this important environmental project,” said Geoff Dickson, President and CEO of the Victoria Airport Authority. “Since construction was completed, water samples indicated reduced contaminant levels and the elimination of heavy metals. We expect that over time as the wetland matures, we will see continued improvement.”
The Reay Creek Remediation project included the involvement and support of a number of stakeholders including the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Town of Sidney, Peninsula Streams Society and Sidney Anglers Association.
The project is an excellent example of a comprehensive integrated stream rehabilitation plan that identified potential sources of contamination, removed those sources within the storm water network and isolated contaminated sediments within the original creek channel.
About Victoria International Airport
Victoria International Airport (Airport Code: YYJ) is the 10th busiest airport in Canada with over 1.5 million passengers per year. Victoria is well served with more than 120 daily flights throughout North America and was most recently rated among one of the top ten most-loved airports in the world by CNNGo and named the 2012 named Best Small Airport in North America serving up to 2 million passengers by Airports Council International.
Victoria International Airport Media Contact
Geoff Dickson, President and CEO
(250) 953-7501
geoff.dickson@victoriaairport.com
