Update: New Details about the Failed 'Gateway Site' Redevelopment Plans
This week, you can find an updated story in Sault This Week about the failed ‘Gateway site’ redevelopment plans that first emerged in 2019 (the Bawating Urban Indigenous Hub).
Two additional details are included in the update, along with a response to questions posed to a City official and commentary from a former local who’s conducted academic research on ‘brownfield’ redevelopment.
The first additional detail is the fact that Pinchin’s preliminary (‘Stage I’) environmental assessment process included asking whether or not the the ‘site building’ (i.e. the Mill Market) contains asbestos. Pinchin didn’t conduct its own analysis of the building, nor was it able to rely upon previously collected data.
Below, you can see the relevant section from the executive summary of Pinchin’s report (completed in 2020).
Credit: Pinchin, Phase I Environmental Assessment (for BUIC)
In the operative section of Pinchin’s report, there’s greater detail related to potential regulatory requirements. Below, you can see Pinchin’s assessment and subsequent recommendations for the potential presence of asbestos.
Credit: Pinchin, Phase I Environmental Assessment (for BUIC)
According to Pinchin’s report, those responsible for the Mill Market indicated that “no asbestos surveys have been previously conducted” and that “an Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) has not been developed for or implemented at the Site.”
I subsequently reached out to the Mill Market to see if they’d been informed of the results of Pinchin’s environmental assessment and/or already knew about the level of soil contamination and potential presence of asbestos in their building.
The Manager of the Mill Market, Robert Pryor, forwarded my inquiry to the Director of Community Services, Brent Lamming.
I never heard back.
Later reached via email, the Deputy CAO of Community Development and Enterprise Services, Tom Vair, provided some partial details.
He confirmed that the Mill Market building contains asbestos and said that appropriate measures have been developed in response. In his words:
“Yes, like many buildings in the community, the building does contain asbestos. We do regular inspections, reporting and ensure that the asbestos is not disturbed. This is communicated to the Mill Market Board annually.”
It’s still unclear whether the due diligence described here existed before Pinchin’s report (the Mill Market has been at the site since 2014).
Vair did not respond when asked if these features of the site (extensive soil contamination and presence of asbestos) motivated the City’s decision to relocate the Mill Market into the downtown proper.
The second additional detail is the fact that the proposed project attracted a letter (addressed to the City) from a Toronto lawyer representing the owner of the Machine Shop, Tony Porco. The stakeholders subsequently met to discuss legal strategy, but no other details are included in the records released by the City.
Multiple efforts to reach Porco for comment were unsuccessful.
Credit: The Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie
Based on applicable environmental regulations and planning best practices, the site will require significant remediation to safely accommodate residential housing (which may entail consistent exposure to contaminants for residents).
Asked if any of the stakeholders had considered approaching Algoma Steel to assist financially with the necessary remediation for redevelopment, Vair responded: “Not that I am aware of – the City has owned the site for decades.”
Algoma Steel’s Manager of Corporate Communications, Brenda Stenta, did not respond to an email asking if the company might consider assisting with future remediation and redevelopment efforts.
The company recently donated $1 million to the Sault Area Hospital Residential Withdrawal Management Facility.