Risk reduction is priority number one before Collis site is redeveloped

October 1, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

Minimizing risk to the nearby neighbours and the surrounding environment will be a top priority before work begins to redevelop the former site of Collis Leather, according to the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA).

The LSRCA, the main conservation body for lands within the Lake Simcoe watershed, has been closely monitoring progress on the Tyler Street site, which has been under mounting scrutiny in recent years for the long-standing soil contamination left over from leather production in the decades Collis was operational.

Before work truly gets underway, however, the land will be subject to an extensive pre-consultation process with the LSRCA.

“We want to reduce the potential risk and shrink the potential floodplain where possible through redevelopment and activities such as this,” said Rob Baldwin of the LSRCA, explaining his group’s position on the development last week. “This is an early stage of the process the proponents are going to undertake and there is still work to do as this process develops, which would be even more thoroughly vetted as they work with more detailed designs and more detailed aspects of the future.”

Mr. Baldwin said reducing the area of floodplain would be better than the status quo, and redevelopment of the site would also give them opportunity to restore the nearby creek to what it once was.

According to background information presented along with the application to demolish the structure, work on the creek was carried out in the 1930s, moving the stream to the east to allow for a significant expansion of the existing facility.

What lies under the building, however, is of primary concern. Developers plan to knock down the building to get to and remove the contaminated soil that is underneath the building, but whether this would have any adverse impact of the surrounding community was a primary concern when Council had the opportunity to quiz Mr. Baldwin last week.

Recommendations coming forward from the developers call for a cut and fill operation to remove any contaminants. Councillor Michael Thompson questioned how bringing in fill and raising the level of the site would fit in with LSRCA standards. Mr. Baldwin said importing fill would be an issue for Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment but in similar cases fill is often taken from elsewhere on the same site and used to do the job.

With an objective to reduce the area floodplain, Councillors then questioned what this would do to potential flooding in the surrounding area.

“My concern is if we are expanding the area that can be developed, we’re reducing the area that is currently there to accommodate floods,” said Councillor John Gallo, questioning the impact that would happen in the event of a significant storm.

According to Mr. Baldwin, the viability of the project will be subject to further review.

“The long-term is predicated on whatever the final design,” he said. “I can’t speculate on what that might be until we actually get to that point in time. Our authority when we do these reviews, and working with the Town and proponents such as this is to reduce that floodplain through the redevelopment of that small creek valley adjacent to the property, increase storage for floodwaters to actually then shrink the floodplain on the margins or in the centre.

“It really comes down to the end product of the design and you evaluate that. We strive to work through the site plan process with Town staff and proponents so that we don’t get into a situation down the road when it gets to the permit stage there is a surprise. We don’t like that, it is not a good approach, and we want to make sure it is resolved through that process.”