Fst lands on the North Shere waterfront near Lions Gate
Ps the federal government $4.4 million a year while they strive to develop
t first, an environmental cleanup needs io be done.

NEWS Photo Brad Ledwicga
Bridge (above) are

NEWS pheto Cindy Goodman ~

FOREMAN Jim ara (right) oversees work at

: Vancouver Wherves. The sheds hold zinc and lead.
YancouverWharves uses 10 acres of 55 acres the feds
have rented from the Squamish Band.

as fashioned an intrigu-
istorical legacy for the.
‘ont, it’s also prolong-
witimillion-doliar
Sache for the feds.
deawa has been trying to move
ith-a private-sector develop-
the east of Lions Gate Bridge
goftload rent payments that have
more than $20 million over the
years.
they can’t get the green light
Slopment until the contaminat-
; site undergoes a million-
pvironmental cleanup.
ada’s taxpayers now fork over
idion per year in lease payments
amish Indian Band for vacant

land.

In the early 1970s, West Vancouver
MP Jack Davis was the driving force
behind getting an environmental cen-
tre built on the North Shore, said John
Westwood, the project director for the
Pacific Environmental Centre site. The
lease for the centre was signed.in 1974.

“It’s been a sad story ever since,”
said Westwood.

Davis lost his seat, Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau cancelled plans for the
centre and the federal government had
an albatross around its neck.

In the spring of 1995, the feds said
they hoped to have the sod turned on
a private-sector development that fall
to help defray some of the costs of the
rental obligation, but the need for a
clean-up has stalled the process.

Before the federal government
signed the lease for the land, the site

was used for industrial purposes, The
residual metals are not acceptable
under present environmental standards
and must be removed.

Michael Nassichuk, the manager of
the pollution prevention and assess-
ment division of Environment Canada,
said ground water under the site con-
tains elevated levels of heavy metals
such as copper and zinc. More work is
planned to help fully understand the
metal contamination, he said. A reme-
dial plan to clean up the site is being
developed and the clean-up may start
svon, said Nassichuk.

“T would expeer the total cost to
exeved $1 million based upon experi-
ence with other sites across Canada,”
he said.

Not only is the federal government
on the hook tor the clean-up, it will also
have to pay an estimated $15 million

pou

.- Contaminated waterfront site major roadblock to Fed plan

in infrastructure improvements such as
bridges, sewers and roads before a
developer can start building.

Currently, three private-sector
development bids are before the fed-
eral goverament, Westwood said the
successful bidder could be chosen as
early as October.

Environment Canada has asked
bidders for proposals thar inchide a
small office building for Environment
Canada and other federal tenants and
a 20,000-square-foot warchouse.

Westwood expects the develop-
ment to cost about $20 million.

The government pays rent to the
band based ona complex formula that
includes uses such as hotel, commer-

cial, retail and office space. But the only.

permitted uses include an environmen-
tal centre, environmental studies and
holding international conferences, said

sae

Wesrwoad.

Therefore, he doesn’t expect the
development will ger the total cost of
the rent payments off the government’s
back. To say how much of the payment
will be mitigated would be “erystal-
balling,” he added. The feds want the
developer to sell the developed prop-
erty to the government for $1 at the
end ofa 25-year deal. The feds have 50
years left on the lease with the band.

Meanwhile, the site will be reftenced
and warning signs put up, said
Westwood.

Ten acres of the property are dl
ro Vancouver Wharves, so 45 acres are
available for the development.

Westvood explained a private
developer is being sought because the
federal government docs not have the
money to make the improvements and
there is a perception the private sector
can build it less expensively.

The earliest construction would
start is next spring, he said.