The Craik Sustainable Living Project

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The Craik Sustainable Living Project
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Setting

• Craik, SK Friendliest Place by a Dam Site
• Located approximately midway between Regina and
  Saskatoon on Louis Riel Trail (11 Highway), and
  a short drive from Moose Jaw
• Population of the
  town and surrounding
  rural area is about 800

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Community Background

• Long history of good Town and R.M. leadership
• Owned and operated local hospital
• Current ownership and operation of a town cable
  TV system
• Operated an early community internet access
  program (CAP)
• 1st example of public consultation about
  construction of new R.C.M.P. facility
• R.M. pilot project on roadside silaging
• District 15 ADDBoard GIS mapping project
• Lobbying for the long-term future of the Health
  Care Centre

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History of the CSLP

• Dr. Lynn Oliphant of the Prairie Institute for
  Human Ecology, at the request of Peter Farden,
  proposed an Eco-Village idea to the Mid-Lakes
  Community Coalition in 2001
• Subsequent meeting with Rod Haugerud, Mayor of
  Craik, and Hilton Spencer, R.M. of Craik Reeve
• Joint meeting of Town and R.M. councils
• Decisions made to put together a five year plan
  and construct a demonstration eco-centre
• Construction of the demonstration eco-centre, as
  a focus for the project, began in 2003 under the
  guidance of Cory Gordon

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History of the CSLP

• Cory Gordon of Sows Ear Natural Builders,
  Saskatoon, SK
• General contractor
• Researcher
• Building designer
• Skilled craftsman and
  builder

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Philosophy of the CSLP

• We believe we have a choice, exploitation or
  stewardship
• We choose to reduce the size of our ecological
  footprint and at the same time revitalize Rural
  Saskatchewan

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Goals of the CSLP

• Raise awareness about climate change and
  sustainable living options
• Advance the local use of ecologically sound
  technologies and ways of living
• Assist the community of Craik to become an
  eco-community, inspiring and enabling positive
  change in other communities

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 1. CSLP Eco-Centre
• Features innovative building design, energy
  efficiency and renewable energy systems
• Focal point for indoor and outdoor demonstration
  and educational programming on sustainability

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 1. CSLP Eco-Centre
• A multipurpose facility which consists of
• Craik and District Golf Clubhouse
• Solar Garden Restaurant
• Two Meeting Rooms
• Gift Shop

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 1. CSLP Eco-Centre
• Location
• Minutes outside of Craik
• Adjacent to the Craik and District Golf Course
• Overlooking the Arm River Valley
• Visible from Louis Riel Trail

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 1. CSLP Eco-Centre
• Features of the building
• Energy efficient building design
• Use of as few energy requirements as possible
• Use of renewable energy resources (solar and
  geothermal)
• Integrated heating, cooling and electrical
  systems
• Recycled and local materials used as much as
  possible
• Purchased materials meet socially sustainable and
  environmental criteria whenever possible

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 2. Outreach and Education for children, youth,
  and adults on climate change and sustainable
  living options
• Youth Forum for Sustainability
• Workshops in Craik, Davidson, Eyebrow Schools
• Student field trip to HELP International Centre
  in Weyburn
• Sustainable Rural Alternatives symposium
• Davidson Trade Fair and Swift Current
  Enviro-forum
• Public seminars
• Resource library located at Palliser Regional
  Library
• Articles in local newspapers

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 3. Community Action encouraging reduction of
  the ecological footprint of individuals and the
  community
• Implementation of the One-Tonne Challenge in the
  Mid-Lakes region
• Community members using more ecologically sound
  technologies (Examples compact fluorescent
  bulbs, low water use toilets)
• Idling Gets You Nowhere no idling policy
  outside the Town and R.M. of Craik Office

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 4. Eco-Village - Sustainable housing development
• R.M. of Craik has made available 51.4 ha (127
  acres) for Eco-Village
• Located south of the CSLP Eco-Centre
• Available for 10 12 families
• Interested people last met in the fall of 2004

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 4. Eco-Village
• Progress to date (June 2005)
• Lot size to be 30 m x 30 m (100 ft. x 100 ft.)
• Road construction started
• Some preliminary proposals have been submitted
• Another meeting will be called of interested
  parties (summer 2005)

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The Four Components of the CSLP

• 4. Eco-Village
• Criteria
• Energy efficient buildings
• Provisions for water treatment and waste
  management
• Use of small acreage for production will be
  encouraged
• Demonstrations of completed projects will be
  available

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Related Initiatives

• Hemptown
• Vancouver-based company planning to build a hemp
  processing plant
• Construction planned for 2007
• Production of a hemp fibreglass named Crailar
  after Craik
• Local production of hemp crop
• Store that will sell hemp products
• Test plot of 32 ha (80 acres) of hemp was planted
  (spring 2005) on the site of the proposed
  processing plant

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Related Initiatives

• HELP International, Weyburn, SK
• Focuses on contamination risk assessment and
  intensive use of green plants to absorb or break
  down contaminants in soil, sludge, sediment, and
  groundwater
• 1800 trees were planted around the Craik lagoon
  site in 2004
• Trees help dry the ground around the waste site
  to help lessen moisture that causes alkali
• Working towards making Craik a zero-waste
  community
• Provides school programming

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Related Initiatives

• One-Tonne Challenge
• The Craik Community Challenge Mid-Lakes Region
  is attempting to encourage individuals to take
  the One-Tonne Challenge
• Activities include
• Continuing to work on climate change and GHG
  reduction with students (K-12)
• Developing how-to conferences and workshops on
  GHG and energy use reduction topics
• Using the newly constructed CSLP Eco-Centre as a
  focal point of the Challenge
• Utilizing media

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Related Initiatives

• Outdoor Planting Plan
• Shelterbelts
• 10 groves of 856 trees and 1120 shrubs planted
  along Louis Riel Trail in June, 2004
• Plants provided by Sask. Environment/PFRA and
  EcoAction/SaskPower Shand Greenhouse
• Noise barrier and wind break for the Eco-Village
• Habitat for wildlife
• Carbon sequestration

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Related Initiatives

• Display Gardens
• Native Garden
• Demonstrate and educate public about native
  plants in landscaping and to support conservation
  of natural areas
• Consists of wildflower, grass, and shrub
  varieties
• Xeric Garden
• Drought-tolerant plants
• Exotic plants suitable for Saskatchewan growing
  conditions
• Arboretum
• Low maintenance is long term goal
• Broad range of trees and shrubs

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Related Initiatives

• Forest 2020 Plantation Demonstration and
  Assessment Initiative - National Research Council
  (Canadian Forest Services)
• Objectives
• Achieve a specific harvestable target yield
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Create wildlife habitat
• To date
• 64 000 fast-growing hybrid poplars have been
  planted on 40.5 ha (100 acres) near the CSLP
  Eco-Centre
• Project manager has been secured
• Maintenance ongoing

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Related Initiatives

• The Craik and District Golf Course
• Adjacent to the CSLP Eco-Centre, Arm Lake, and
  proposed Eco-Village
• Nine-hole course recently converted to irrigated
  fairways and grass greens
• Operated on green principles such as
• Composting of grass clippings
• Mulching around trees
• Use of commercial organic fertilizer
• Computerized strategic watering
• Future use of fertilizer from composting toilets

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Accomplishments

• Establishment of CSLP steering committee and
  subsidiary committees
• Completion of CSLP Eco-Centre
• Ongoing provision of seminars, educational
  programming, and tours
• Development of ecologically sensitive golf course
  and planting plan
• Success of restaurant operation and meeting room
  rental
• Partnerships Hemptown, HELP International,
  Forest 2020, One-Tonne Challenge
• Implementation of initial phase of Eco-Village
• Completion of a study on sustainable waste
  management options
• Awards FCM-CH2M Hill Sustainable Community
  Award
• - Royal Canadian Geographical Society Canadian
  Environment Award (won by Lynn Oliphant for
  inspiring the CSLP)
• Networking

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Challenges

• Securing sufficient funding for maintenance,
  promotion, additional initiatives
• Further community approval and education
• Growing dependence on current pool of local human
  resources
• Maintaining enthusiasm and momentum

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The Future Some Initiatives

• CSLP Eco-Centre
• Structural additions (roof deck, photovoltaic
  solar panels)
• Expansion of the gift shop inventory
• Improvement of parking area
• Development of new related initiatives
• Wind generation
• Biodiesel
• Zero-waste
• Completion of Eco-Village