A group of homeowners in Pitt Meadows with water-logged backyards will getting relief in the form of a ditch.
At a committee meeting Tuesday, Pitt Meadows council gave the parks department the green light to begin work on the $13,600 project, which will see culverts lowered and a shallow drainage channel constructed behind houses on Wildwood Crescent.
Although considerable additional drainage work was completed in this area, there is still potential to provide some enhancement that will have a minimum environmental impact and help to move standing water more efficiently than it does at the moment, said director of parks and facilities David Boag.
The Wildwood residents blame a paved waking and biking trail, built by TransLink, for trapping water behind their homes and have been lobbying the city for a solution since 2010.
The city has already spent more than $46,000 assessing drainage along the trail and digging another shallow ditch, which failed to dry the soggy backyards.
Residents wanted TransLink to foot the bill, but the project will be funded from the parks and facilities infrastructure fund. The ditch will be dug this year, while a stand of cherry and alder trees will be replaced with new saplings in 2014.
TransLink has also committed to replace a collapsed culvert under Airport Way, which will help draw water into the Katzie Slough.
City council will formally approve the Wildwood project at its next regular meeting.