The Lynas Lane works yard in west Richmond could be raised by three metres to protect it in the event of a disaster such as a dike breach or large flood.
The plan is to completely rebuild the works yard over the next seven to 10 years.
And this will include raising the entire property to 4.7 metres above sea level – this is the same height dikes are being raised to.
This height would meeting a post-disaster scenario in the event of a dike breach or a large flood, explained city staff in a report to Richmond city council.
The first phase of the project, at the corner of Lynas Lane and Westminster Highway, is coming to city council for approval next week. It includes confirmation of the phasing plan for the whole project, a new administration building and staff parkade.
The works yard is surrounded by mature trees, and city staff is recommending that these are retained.
During the redevelopment, the site will remain fully operational and the city has started preliminary work by consolidating its operations.
City council approved $70 million in its capital budget this year for the first phase of the site’s redevelopment.
Chemical-laden soil buried under works yard
The News recently reported how 115 cubic metres of soil from a ditch next to Later Chemicals, laden with DDT and arsenic, was buried in 1980 at the then-being built works yard.
A city report from 1980 outlines how soil in the municipal ditch next to the Later Chemicals decommissioned plant was contaminated with pesticides.
It was decided the city would take charge of cleaning the ditch.
The soil contained 22.2 parts per million of DDT and 80.5 parts per million of arsenic.
The report doesn’t state which area of the site the contaminated soil would be buried in, but it was to be buried two metres underground, encased in a clay layer and blacktopped.
Richmond city spokesperson Clay Adams told the News that the city is aware of stories about contaminants being buried at the works yard, and this will be looked at as part of the environmental assessment of phase one.
“A detailed site assessment will be done to determine if any possible contaminants are on site, and the city will follow all provincial guidelines to ensure human health and the environment is not compromised should any contaminated material be found,” he told the News.
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