Lafayette To Dedicate First Street Rain Garden Saturday

LAFAYETTE, CA — A dedication ceremony is planned for Saturday morning at the First Street Rain Garden in downtown Lafayette.

The City of Lafayette Creeks Committee is hosting the event, which is from 10 a.m until 11 a.m. April 15 at the corner of First Street and Golden Gate Way.

Beyond its beautiful setting, the First Street Rain Garden also has an important function, city officials said. It captures rainwater runoff from storm drains on Golden Gate Way, then removes pollutants as the water slowly percolates through native vegetation, and layers of compost, sand and soil. The filtered water then helps recharge the groundwater along Lafayette Creek. This process protects aquatic habitats and improves our quality of life.

Several regional and local officials were invited to speak during Saturday's ceremony. Will Elder, chair of the Lafayette Creeks Committee, will emcee the event which includes a ribbon cutting. There will also be a Land Acknowledgment statement recognizing the Saclan people.

The First Street Rain Garden project is one component of the Downtown Creeks Preservation, Restoration and Development Plan, which was adopted by the city in 2017.

The East Bay Regional Park District provided a $190,000 grant for the project. Another $100,000 for the project came from the City’s Parks Facilities Fund.

Find more information here about the First Street Rain Garden.