Power To Be Basecamp

Located in Victoria, British Columbia, the Power To Be Basecamp serves as the operational and program centre for the nonprofit organization that works to remove barriers to participation in nature-based experiences. Designed by MDI Landscape Architects, the landscape surrounding the amenity buildings transforms a former golf course on the shore of Prospect Lake into a regenerative community hub that promotes social innovation through inclusive outdoor programming focused on wellbeing, learning, and connecting people with nature.

The Power To Be Basecamp is located on the unceded lands of the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations and the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) People. For 40 years, the site operated as the privately owned 87-acre Prospect Lake Golf Course, ceasing operations in 2015 following the owners’ retirement. At the time, 35 acres were developed for recreational use, with 45 acres of forested lands and the remaining eight acres dedicated as protected lands. 

The existing infrastructure remaining from the decommissioned golf course enabled a retrofit of the developed areas, while avoiding additional disturbance to the surrounding ecologically sensitive landscape. This provided Power To Be the opportunity to establish a permanent operational basecamp that supports expanded nature-based programming and advances both the organization’s social mission and the ecological protection and restoration of the site.

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Understanding and Assessing Impacts

The Power To Be Basecamp site is located on the shore of Prospect Lake, and encompasses a diversity of ecosystem types including wetlands, upland coastal Douglas fir forest, and historic Garry oak meadows. These ecosystems established the foundation for restoration efforts, which also aimed to improve ecosystem services. In advance of planning and design, MDI undertook a series of hydrological, environmental, and land-use assessments to identify the impacts on the land resulting from the previous use as a golf course. Watershed and other on-site water management studies were completed, to compare existing water conditions to historic patterns, and were used to inform grading strategies and earthwork. 

While the site had experienced ecological disruption from the past development, it also contained areas of intact forest that held significant natural value. Seasonal site explorations, mapping of ecological and microclimatic systems, and assessments of flora and fauna guided restoration efforts and nature-based educational programming opportunities. In addition to environmental impact assessments, social and accessibility studies were conducted to identify user needs and inform design requirements, with the project targeting Gold-level certification under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) program. Power To Be serves individuals with a wide range of physical and cognitive abilities, requiring early investigations to consider how people move through and experience space in ways that extend beyond typical ADA-based accessibility standards. Rather than focusing solely on universal comfort and access, MDI also explored opportunities to support progressive challenges — enabling people of varying abilities to engage with outdoor landscapes and activities that might otherwise be perceived as inaccessible. Collaboratively with Power To Be – incorporating additional input from their participants – these investigations helped define how the design of the landscape can provide inclusive participation in nature-based programming, such as camping, canoeing, backpacking, and outdoor play.

Use of climate information in decision-making

While detailed climate data was not directly applied during the design process, climate considerations informed several key decisions through broader observations of changing conditions, particularly increasing summer heat. For instance, MDI intentionally established a connected tree canopy along primary pathways linking the parking area to the main buildings to allow mature trees to eventually provide continuous shade and improve thermal comfort as temperature rises. Likewise, plant species selection was informed by expected climate conditions to support a regenerative and adaptive ecosystem. MDI considered both current ecological limits and anticipated changes to inform the planting strategy, prioritizing species expected to thrive under changing climatic conditions, which included species from Victoria’s historic Garry oak ecosystem. While these species currently exist near the northern limit of their range, they are expected to expand under future climate scenarios.

Stormwater management decisions were similarly informed by general projected precipitation trends, and were designed intentionally to mimic the site’s natural hydrology. Early planning assumptions suggested that runoff from the site flows directly toward Prospect Lake. Through analysis of GIS LiDAR data, watershed mapping, and stream datasets, MDI conducted a watershed flow analysis that identified a sub-watershed within the site boundaries, revealing that natural drainage flowed instead toward a small stream that feeds Bleathman Creek, before reaching Prospect Lake. With these insights, MDI, in collaboration with engineering partners, designed an integrated stormwater system to maintain the natural volume of water flow, where runoff is directed first through an extensive rain garden ‘treatment train’ and then is filtered and slowed before entering Bleathman Creek. Working with the natural capacity of the watershed to manage rainwater in this way will help to restore historic waterflow and support the health of the watershed, while also increasing resilience to fluctuating and projected stormwater volumes under future climate conditions.

Accessible camping platforms connected by trails designed to support inclusive participation and progressive levels of challenge
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Image of a sustainable urban rainwater management project in the City of Vancouver. The schematic includes incorporation of greenscaping as a way of not only beautifying the streetscape, but also to provide functional purposes such as rainwater management and small areas of habitat refugia. The image shows the integration of sustainable design with climate adaptation actions. Specific foci are on the inclusion of more city street trees, native plants, areas for pollinators, rain gardens, and the creation of common spaces for gathering.

Identifying Actions

MDI, along with the project collaborators, adopted a design approach that seeks to establish symbiotic relationships between the land, its history, and the infrastructure. During early project scoping, principles of biomimicry helped to inform sustainable design approaches grounded in the (re)creation of natural systems and processes. The design considered low-carbon materials, regenerative energy, waste, and water systems across all aspects of the project, while minimizing impact on intact natural areas.

Accessibility served as the primary foundation for the design process and informed project decisions. Considerations extended beyond building interiors to include meaningful access in transitionary spaces and across outdoor areas. Ongoing engagement with Power To Be participants, in addition to comprehensive research, ensured that inclusivity strategies reflected diverse lived experiences and accessibility needs. Feedback directly informed materials and layout to support comfortable navigation for users with diverse accessibility needs, provide tactile and auditory cues for visually impaired visitors, and facilitate progressive levels of challenge. The route from the parking lot to the building entrances was designed with smooth, continuous asphalt or concrete that supports easier navigation, while surfaces further away from main buildings transition to wide, hard-packed gravel trails (selected for their local availability, lower carbon footprint, and water-infiltration benefits; however its use required careful consideration for mobility devices with small wheels). Trails progressively narrow, steepen, and become less firm, creating a series of loops that allow users to determine how far they wish to challenge themselves, while still enabling participants using wheelchairs and mobility scooters to access key amenities (e.g., raised camping platforms, recreational facilities, and gathering spaces) and ultimately experience the accomplishment of completing a hike.

Meaningful engagement with First Nations also represented a critical component of identifying actions, ensuring that planning and design decisions would acknowledge and respect the site’s history and significance to Indigenous Peoples and culture.  Establishing circular geometries in the landscape was of particular importance to support gathering and community, while also referencing Indigenous cultural significance. Indigenous plant species such as beaked sedge (Carex obnupta), hardhack (Spiraea douglasii), and native willow (Salix spp.) were planted in wetter zones based on Indigenous ecosystems, and were complemented with species such as trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the entry rain gardens to enhance auditory experiences. Funding was allocated to support the installation of three totem poles, which establish a cultural presence visible upon entering and reinforce connections to Indigenous heritage and traditions. Surrounding the totem poles are culturally important plant species including Garry oak (Quercus garryana), common yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum). 

Summary of design intentions: 

  • Restore and regenerate native ecological systems to enhance ecological functioning on site, and support natural hydrology, biodiversity recovery, and long-term environmental resilience
  • Embed universal accessibility and inclusion throughout the site to ensure equitable access to nature-based experiences
  • Integrate architectural and environmental features so infrastructure and landscapes work together seamlessly and strengthen connections between people, place, and the surrounding ecosystem
  • Honour Indigenous presence and knowledge through meaningful engagement, cultural visibility, and design elements that acknowledge the land’s history and significance
  • Create flexible, educational, and community-oriented spaces for outdoor learning, recreation, environmental stewardship, and overall wellbeing
Context site plan illustrating overall spatial circulation and vegetation
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Image of a sustainable urban rainwater management project in the City of Vancouver. The schematic includes incorporation of greenscaping as a way of not only beautifying the streetscape, but also to provide functional purposes such as rainwater management and small areas of habitat refugia. The image shows the integration of sustainable design with climate adaptation actions. Specific foci are on the inclusion of more city street trees, native plants, areas for pollinators, rain gardens, and the creation of common spaces for gathering.

Implementation

The Power to Be Basecamp project is pursuing Living Building Challenge certification. While the Materials Petal (one of the performance categories) was not formally pursued, design decisions met many of the requirements. The implementation and construction process for the project prioritized reducing material waste, supporting ecological restoration, and minimizing overall land disturbance. 

Subsurface conditions with poor bearing capacity required unexpected and significant excavation and soil replacement during construction. In alignment with Living Building Challenge principles, excavated soils were retained on site. As a result, waste materials were temporarily stockpiled during early construction, and were later reshaped into berms and mounds that introduce new topography and experiential qualities, avoiding unnecessary environmental and financial costs associated with removal. Excess materials also supported the daylighting of a previously piped drainage system, restoring sections of stream channel to more natural conditions.

Material selection prioritized environmental performance and regional sourcing, with new materials chosen based on their ability to be produced locally, sequester carbon, and attenuate noise. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and other Living Building Challenge “Red List” materials were used only where necessary, primarily for irrigation components where suitable alternatives were not available. Untreated wood was used for site structures, and soils, boulders, logs, and plant materials were sourced locally wherever possible — prioritizing local, simple, natural materials that reinforce connections to the land. Finally, new construction was confined to approximately 1.8 acres, equal to approximately 8 percent of the area previously developed as part of the former golf course. The remaining 92 percent of the disturbed landscape has been left undeveloped, to enable woodland, wetland riparian, and freshwater ecosystems to recover and rewild over time.

Outcomes and Monitoring Progress

In 2024, the Landscape Architecture Foundation conducted a performance series on the Power To Be Basecamp to evaluate the economic, social, and environmental outcomes of the project. The study found that the ecological functioning of the landscape has improved significantly, documenting measurable increases in ecosystem services as well as wildlife observations, including both endangered species and species not previously recorded on site. In addition to improved ecological performance and beneficial social outcomes, hydrological system and water-management improvements – which also contribute to overall economic efficiency – were documented. According to the performance series report, the site’s upgrades and restoration prevents approximately 787,000 gallons of wastewater from entering the city’s sewer system annually, saving an estimated $2,361 to $7,870 per year. 

Power To Be continues to respond to environmental changes, leading various environmentally-focused educational activities that provide opportunities for participants to engage in restoration efforts and learn about species and biodiversity recovery. This approach of continued stewardship helps strengthen the site’s overall climate resilience. Since irrigation from the former golf courses has ended, stress among mature trees — notably cedar trees (Thuja plicata) — has been observed, and has created an unanticipated increased demand for shade. Rather than removing these shallow-rooted trees, they were retained to provide wildlife habitat, shelter, and continued carbon storage. Clusters of native, fast-growing trees that are better adapted to future conditions have been planted to offset the lost trees. The project’s stewardship approach to landscape tending has also directly resulted in the return of native plants that have seeded and spread naturally, with many unexpected small native species now successfully establishing across the site.

The balancing of environmental objectives with accessibility requirements represents a key lesson of the project, where project material choices had to deviate from those that would advance sustainability targets to achieve more inclusive access. This reconciliation between the two primary objectives — enhanced ecological functioning and accessibility — underscored the necessity of embedding accessibility and inclusion strategies from the outset of the design process to prioritize proactive and universal design, and required continuous coordination between design and construction teams to maintain a shared understanding of inclusivity throughout project delivery. 

Highlights of the landscape architect

As the landscape architects for the Power To Be Basecamp, MDI identified strategies to integrate the project infrastructure with the landscape, retain and restore site ecological values, and assist with managing rainwater. MDI’s desire to strengthen Power To Be’s mandate, ‘Everyone Belongs in Nature,’ allowed the organization to make full use of the Prospect Lake site while also restoring, celebrating and connecting with the landscape’s natural features and attributes. In this role, MDI led the landscape analyses and investigations on existing flora and fauna, topography, site circulation and hydrology. As a landscape-driven, experience-focused project, the early involvement of the landscape profession was critical for fully integrating landscape considerations into the design to provide barrier-free access to nature-based activities. 

MDI also provided design expertise in close collaboration with the project architects (Christine Lintott Architects) and engineers to integrate environmental systems with site infrastructure. Early coordination allowed landscape planning to guide decisions around amenities, assess site conditions, and inform architectural interventions and circulation. This approach positioned the landscape as a seamless extension of the built environment, creating continuous opportunities for gathering, recreation, and integration between indoor and outdoor spaces. For example, the buildings on site are oriented to optimize solar energy potential, while rainwater from roofs and parking areas is directed into the surrounding 21 rain gardens of varying sizes, planted with native species such as sword fern (Polystichum munitum), salal (Gaultheria shallon), Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), and hardhack (Spiraea douglasii). Through this integrated process, the buildings and landscape together respond directly to the site’s context and native ecosystem.

Entry rain gardens treating site runoff
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Image of a sustainable urban rainwater management project in the City of Vancouver. The schematic includes incorporation of greenscaping as a way of not only beautifying the streetscape, but also to provide functional purposes such as rainwater management and small areas of habitat refugia. The image shows the integration of sustainable design with climate adaptation actions. Specific foci are on the inclusion of more city street trees, native plants, areas for pollinators, rain gardens, and the creation of common spaces for gathering.

Next Steps

Next steps and long-term visioning for the project focus on expanded nature-based programming, and ongoing planting and ecological succession to allow the land to gradually transition from open, manicured grasses to more mature forested and riparian ecosystems. The landscape architectural work provided by MDI established the foundation for Power To Be’s ongoing landscape stewardship program, which will guide future ecological restoration initiatives. Throughout the project, vegetation was arranged intentionally to frame potential areas for new outdoor amenity spaces as programming evolved – some of which is currently underway – and the path network was designed to accommodate potential future connections.

To help guide landscape stewardship, MDI collaborated with the organization to also develop long-term vegetation management strategies that reduce carbon-intensive maintenance and enhance the site’s natural capacity to store carbon in soils and plant material. The planting strategy was designed for long-term implementation by Power To Be and its volunteers, supporting ecological restoration alongside manageable maintenance practices, while also enabling new outdoor programming opportunities for team building and nature-based play and learning. Recommended maintenance strategies provided by MDI include activities such as selective mowing, planting clusters of fast-growing pioneer and understory trees, and willow staking. These activities complement the stewardship and harvesting workshops led by Indigenous Elders, organized by Power To Be.

Rainwater is directed into a network of 21 rain gardens planted with a variety of native species
Download

Image of a sustainable urban rainwater management project in the City of Vancouver. The schematic includes incorporation of greenscaping as a way of not only beautifying the streetscape, but also to provide functional purposes such as rainwater management and small areas of habitat refugia. The image shows the integration of sustainable design with climate adaptation actions. Specific foci are on the inclusion of more city street trees, native plants, areas for pollinators, rain gardens, and the creation of common spaces for gathering.

Resources

 

This case study was prepared and authored by Sabrina Careri (Design Communications) on behalf of the CSLA. It forms part of the landADAPT Case Study Series, an educational resource and advocacy tool developed by the CSLA with the support of Natural Resources Canada’s Climate Change Adaptation Program.