Rain stalls Burnside
expansion
By DAVID JACKSON
and AMY PUGSLEY FRASER
/ Staff Reporters
Record rainfall this month has led to a work stoppage at
the Burnside Park expansion.
The provincial Environment Department issued an emergency
order at 11 a.m. Tuesday because of concerns about soil
erosion and silt entering Lake Micmac.
Department spokeswoman Adele Poirier said landowner
Dartmouth Crossings Ltd. had taken steps to deal with run-off
but the recent rain has just been too much.
"They're getting to the point where the measures just
aren't doing enough, and so it's time for us to take the next
step," Ms. Poirier said.
The order, which is effective for 72 hours, gave the
company 24 hours to meet several conditions. Those included
installing silt fences to prevent silt from entering the lake,
having them checked by a certified diver, and having a
contingency plan in case the fences fail.
Other conditions included applying straw mulch to all the
exposed soil to prevent erosion, building siltation ponds, and
creating an engineer-approved erosion and siltation plan. Ms.
Poirier said that plan may take more than 24 hours to create.
She said she didn't know whether the company had met the
conditions by 11 a.m. Wednesday.
In a news release, the company said it has made substantial
progress in reducing the sediments entering the lake.
Despite record rainfall this month, flow control measures
have reduced the sediment running into Lake Micmac to one-10th
of last fall's levels, the release said.
"We are pleased with the progress we have made to date but
won't be satisfied until the problem is completely solved,"
said Glenn Munro, president of Dartmouth Crossings Ltd.
"We are committed to cleaning up the site in a manner that
will add value to the greater community."
The company is co-operating with the Environment Department
and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans in
redeveloping the site.
The land, which used to be the site of an asphalt quarry
and a dump, will soon be home to a cluster of stores, perhaps
including Ikea.
Coun. Andrew Younger (East Dartmouth-The Lakes) said he's
pleased the Environment Department issued the stop-work order.
"It's a positive step," he said. "I'm glad that the
minister is taking this seriously."
The councillor has been trying to get work halted at the
site since heavy spring rains six weeks ago resulted in the
lake water turning red.
Mr. Younger said the emergency order's requirement for an
erosion and siltation plan is important.
"That's a really big one," he said. "It will put
environmental restrictions on the development from here on
in."
He noted the company will have to continue testing during
the construction of the project.
"They are going to have to be responsible to the minister,
directly, for anything that happens at that site."
Environment Minister Kerry Morash could extend the work
stoppage past 72 hours with a ministerial order.
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