Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Colliery Dams Saga Continues

Does the latest motion have a snowballs chance?
History would say it does not.

The following resolution of Council passed by all of  Council with the exception of Councillor Brennan and Councillor Fuller (who was in hospital) accomplished nothing.

Had the Mayor and Council been united by the intent of this motion we may not be in the current situation we are today with the Water Comptroller. However, it seems that there are far too many voices singing from different song sheets when it comes to this whole dam affair. There is some wisdom in the old saying about too many cooks spoiling the broth. This applies here with so many different cooks thinking they know what they are talking about vis a vis the Colliery Dams.

There is yet to come a clear, concise, credible message from the dam proponents to support their claims the current process has been flawed.

The resolution of City Council passed on Feb. 2/15. But not acted upon or supported by Mayor McKay or senior city staff.

03615 Whereas engineering reports have indicated that the Colliery Dams are in much better condition than previously considered; 

The risk assessment indicates significantly less consequence to downstream residents; 

The Dams have now been re-classified and are no longer extreme consequence; 

It was moved and seconded that Council receive the Colliery Dams Update report and direct Staff to:

(a) not proceed with any design work or expenditure for the alternate drainage course/swale for the Lower Colliery Dam; 

(b) consult with and engage other primary stakeholders including Snuneymuxw First Nation, the Colliery Dam Park Preservation Society, and the general public in order to revise as deemed necessary the Dam Safety Management Program (latest version February 2013) which revision will reflect the recent change in classification and in addition to revise the emergency plan and measures, including signage and monitoring measures; 

(c) report on the revisions determined from the above and to seek Council’s further direction at that time; 

(d) consult and engage the primary stakeholders named above in any and all future process and planning, including any proposed remedial measures regarding the Colliery Dams Park; and, 

(e) amend the Schedule for Remediation to reflect the current lowered classification to permit more time to investigate and prepare a revised plan for any required remediation when determined and to inform the Dam Safety Section of the above direction by Council.

The motion carried. Opposed: Councillor Brennan

allvoices

1 comment:

  1. According to the information that I have gathered, the City proposes the installation of a labyrinth and a swale, that will run from the waters edge of the dam to the Harewood creek, which is 80 meters, as per the plan that they have prepared, with an estimated cost of construction of 2.5 to 5 million dollars, resulting in the destruction of 5000 sq.m. of forested land, the foot print of the labyrinth and swale.

    This estimate of the forested land lost is a gross under estimate of what will be the actual land require for the construction of the facility.

    This plan has not made mention of their plans for after reaching the creek or the costs associated with it, nor have they disclosed any provisions for access roads to the site, or the need for further clearing of the wooded areas for the operation of equipment during the construction of the project, which would logically add a further 10,000+sq. m. to the land required for this project.

    In other words, the City has failed to disclose at least 2/3's of the actual cost.

    The City has also failed to disclose that there will be a need for the construction of a bridge across the Harewood Creek, for access to the work site which would be very tricky without it.

    I can only assume that the City is intending to tell us about these minor extras, after they have put us on their baited sucker hook.

    ReplyDelete

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