Residents of Townsite continue to question the future location of Powell River’s multimillion-dollar wastewater treatment plant and express fears about the impact of the facility on their neighbourhood.
A contingent of concerned community members appeared before City of Powell River’s committee of the whole on January 16. The group was permitted to give statements echoing adamant opposition to the $30-million plant being located in their neighbourhood because a proper planning process has not taken place for the proposed location.
“There is a sentiment that, yes, the decision on exactly where it's going to be has probably already been made,” said Townsite Ratepayers Association chair Willem Van Delft, “although the approval said ‘in the vicinity of the Townsite area.’ How do we interpret vicinity?”
City councillor Rob Southcott has been meeting with Delft and the ratepayers association and said he knows people still wish the plant could be located somewhere else, but BC Ministry of Environment’s approval of the wastewater treatment plant is specific to site.
“I'm 99 per cent sure there's no chance of the location being changed,” said Southcott.
The plant will convey and consolidate sewage for Tla’amin Nation, Wildwood, Westview and Townsite at a facility on the old golf course lands below Larch and Laburnum avenues.
Concerns raised by residents include landscaping to preserve trees and wild space, odour, social impacts on the historic community, effect on real estate values and the overall environmental impact of the project.
“Environment-impact assessments need to be completed by some other party than the current engineering proponent,” said Van Delft.
The proposed conveyance pipeline from Westview and along Willingdon Beach Trail to the facility also concerns the ratepayers association.
“Our first bottom line is we want that pipeline to go through Marine Avenue and not through the park,” said Van Delft. “That’s a non-starter for us.”
Questions about landscaping and an environmental assessment cannot be answered until Associated Engineering, the consultant hired by the city, appears before the committee with its recommendation and council makes its decision on the system that will determine the plant’s look and footprint on the environment.
“The part that usually frustrates me is when questions have been asked and answered before in a different context or environment,” said city councillor Russell Brewer. “Some of that is on us to make sure we get enough information out on a regular basis.”
Associated Engineering is expected to appear before council at a future meeting to advise on which of three proposed wastewater systems and designs is best. AE and city staff will recommend the committee approves the high-efficiency biological treatment facility, which will address the issue of odour.
“Modern treatment plants built to today's standards really can't have any significant odour issues with them; we simply wouldn't offer a process that would smell,” said Associated Engineering project manager Tom Robinson. “We know where those odours are coming from and put measures in place to contain them and treat them.”
A final design process begins once the system is selected, and residents will have an opportunity to express their views on things such as appearance, according to Southcott.
“Now it's a matter of managing it or influencing the design, placement and landscaping, and incorporating it into an environment that gives people what they're asking for,” he said. “That's entirely achievable.”
Brewer said the city needs a final design and engineered drawings for federal infrastructure funding and going to tender.
“People have to have confidence that we're going to design these things properly,” said Brewer. “We have the same concerns and thoughts that residents do.”
