The cost to remediate the old LB Warner lot on Main St in Smithers has gone up.
Town council agreed to increase the budget by $200,000 for environmental consulting fees related to that site at the Sept. 9 regular meeting of council. This is on top of the $800,000 the town has already spent on the job to clean up that corner lot. It was paid for through the Northern Capital and Planning Grant and the overage will also come from that fund.
“We all know this has been difficult,” said Mayor Gladys Atrill. “We're just in a position where we're going to have to go forward with things. I know that this has been an effort for staff as well.”
Over two years ago, the town demolished the old buildings on the site and cleaned up the contaminated soil left behind from when the B.C. Ministry of Transportation works yard was previously located there.
Last April, the town received the Certificate of Compliance, and shortly after Yellowridge Construction Ltd. began construction of the Dze L K’ant 37-unit Affordable Indigenous Housing project.
The community celebrated the beginning of the construction phase of the project at the Dze L K'ant Friendship Centre Hall on July 31. But in August, additional excavation for the building foundation was required to reach acceptable subgrade, and as per the Certificate of Compliance all excavated material was required to stay on site until a qualified environmental professional could assess it.
The development is located on the town-owned 2.4-acre site on Main Street, near Tenth Avenue.
The project is funded by BC Housing and is being developed in partnership with the Town of Smithers through a long-term lease agreement
