Turning Opposition into Supporters

MCKINLEY WATER VAULT

Turning Controversy into Long-Term Community & Environmental Protection

One of the more recent public engagement projects Lucy & Company managed for the City of Sacramento was for the McKinley Water Vault, an underground combined sewer storage facility built beneath McKinley Park, one of the city’s most treasured regional parks.

When we kicked off the outreach, there two clear camps: • Opposition to both the location and the idea of storing excess wastewater under the baseball field. • Support, primarily from residents who had experienced repeated flooding at their homes and properties.

The opposition was strong from the start. But meaningful, consistent engagement helped many residents reassess their views. Some came to understand the regulatory and engineering constraints. Others recognized the importance of stopping the neighborhood’s long-standing flooding issues. Several more shifted from opposition to strong, vocal support.

Support grew, one meeting at a time

• The City went far beyond “typical public education” and adapted to the community’s requests for more information, tours, additional meetings and public information materials and resources.
• Instead of relying on large meetings alone, we met with residents at their kitchen tables, in living rooms, and on buses during tours of other vault locations.
• Neighbors facing the park were invited to on-site meetings to discuss construction impacts, tree removals and replacements, park restoration activities, etc.
• While some residents remained firmly opposed throughout construction, a much larger majority shifted to understand the safety measures built into the design and to trust the City’s planning and engineering expertise.

Consistent and adaptive public education helped build trust & alleviate concerns

We deployed a wide mix of tools to help residents visualize the project and understand its purpose: whiteboard videos, infographics, park signage, e-newsletters, local advertising, media coverage, community workshops, site walks, small group meetings, and ongoing social media, mailings, and door-to-door outreach. Not everyone became a supporter—but many moved from opposition to neutral, or even support, once they felt informed and included. Proven, just 11 days after opening The Vault was designed for a six-hour, 10-year storm. But only 11 days after the ribbon cutting, Sacramento was hit with a 500-year storm. The new facility safely stored more than 80 million gallons of wastewater beneath the new multi-purpose field. Homes, streets and people in in East Sac were protected better than ever and so was the American River. A better park than before The project also delivered major park improvements: an improved running path, new shade structures, landscaping and restrooms, ADA upgrades and a new multi-purpose field. A tough project, a safer neighborhood and an improved regional park. All’s well that ends well.