Over 1,700 Vancouverites have 'adopted' storm drains

When it comes to teaching a child how to give back to the community, EmilyLefebvrethinks it's best to start early.

That's whythe 37-year-old enlisted in Vancouver's Adopt a Catch Basin a city-sponsored communityprogram that encourages residents to keep a storm drain unclogged.

"We thought it would be something fun to do with our three-year-old daughter just teach her a little bit about community spirit,"Lefebvretold CBC News.

There are over 45,000 catch basins across Vancouver. Drainage can be particularly problematic for city workers in the fall, when fallen leaves clog up storm drains and cause flooding.

In an effort to curb flooding in October2017,the city launched the adoption program. Itquickly amassed 1,000 participants.

The program was modelled onsimilar adoption campaigns in Oakland and San Francisco.

Enrolment grows

According to the city, Adopt a Catch Basin has already surpassed its American counterparts in terms of participants.In fact, hundreds morehave joined over the last two months.

As of Oct.31 in the midst of a stormy weather system sweeping through the B.C. coast there are 1,765 catch basins in Vancouverthat have been adopted. The city is urging more people to get involved as the wet weather continues.

An interactive map highlightswhich drains are available and which have been adopted. An added perk: parents get to name each adoptee (Grates of Wrath,Draino McDrainface andGrate Expectations are among the most popular drains).

For EmilyLefebvre, coming up with a name for her family's catch basin wasn't hard. She named it Ida's Basin after her daughter.

"It's important to get to them young, to encourage this sort of spirit about the community, to want to maketheir city or their country a better place," saidLefebvre.