Tempe is trading concrete for native shade and rainwater harvesting with the start of its latest shade and green stormwater infrastructure project at Tempe’s YMCA, 7070 S. Rural Road. 

The project will replace selected areas of asphalt near the YMCA parking lot, Rural Road and Divot Drive with low water use trees, native bushes and groundcover to save water and cool the area, a city release explained.

Coordinated by Tempe’s Sustainability and Resilience Division, this sustainable project demonstrates Tempe’s commitment to reinvesting in the community while improving resilience to extreme heat. 

It is one of three Refresh Tempe projects scheduled for this year that aim to advance the city’s sustainable priorities by increasing shade canopy and implementing Green Stormwater Infrastructure.

The project will install a new basin along Rural Road and Divot Drive filled with native plants like yellow bells and hop bushes. Instead of funneling stormwater away like the area’s prior stormwater system, the new basin will incorporate GSI to capture stormwater for the plants’ use, the release detailed. 

Islands in the YMCA parking lot will double in size, allowing trees to have the adequate root space to grow to full canopy. Islands will receive woodchip mulch, which releases daytime heat and encourages healthy plant growth. 

Construction began March 24 and the project is estimated to finish in September, according to the release.

Sustainability Supervisor Brianne Fisher said in the release that instead of looking at stormwater as a problem, Tempe views it as a solution by designing basins and channeling the water to support 64 new low water use trees to the site and lowering the amount of potable water use.

“Removing select areas of hardscape like asphalt and concrete also help cool the site down quicker in those peak summer temperatures,” Fisher said. “We’re looking forward to seeing the area benefit from the cooling effect and we thank YMCA for their partnership in this effort.” 

Two more Refresh Tempe projects related to shade and GSI are scheduled for this year. A Wendler Drive Right-of-Way Refresh, which starts this month, will improve paths and plant native shade along South Wendler Drive between West Garden Drive and Desiree Lane; and Miller Road from McKellips to Curry will receive shade, safety and traffic-calming improvements later this summer. 

Read more about these projects here.