28 AVENUES WINTER 2019 REHABILITATION PROFILE I f the original operators of the Vinemount Quarry could see how it’s being rehabili- tated – and take a peek at future plans, complete with a snake hibernaculum – they might be quite surprised. And delighted. If you’re like most people, you’re likely wondering what a snake hibernaculum is. It’s an area where snakes hibernate over the winter, a space with specific characteristics that is critical to their survival. It was the discovery of such a site at the Vinemount Quarry that created one of the more notable challenges in its rehabilitation. “Every pit or quarry application is challenging – certainly the biggest or most unusual twist to this application was dealing with the snake hibernacula,” says David Sisco, associate senior planner with IBI Group and the main planner involved in the project. The snake hibernacula were first observed in the Vinemount Quarry Extension, primarily in a small, shallow area that was home to the Garter Snake. “In the 1930s, there had been some quarrying activity Snake hibernacula, and more The award-winning rehabilitation of Vinemount Quarries includes the creation of a special space for snakes where they can over-winter safely By Treena Hein