CBRH defends itself against claims that it wants town to pay engineering expenses

The Corporation de la bordure riveraine de Hawkesbury (CBRH) is defending itself against claims that it expects taxpayers to pay for $32,000 in engineering fees it claims to have incurred while investigating the possibility of a full decontamination of the CIP lagoon site.

President Pierre-Yves Séguin sent out a press release defending the CBRH's request and stating it is "completely false" to let the citizens of Hawkesbury believe that the CBRH is expecting taxpayers to foot the bill for those costs, which he says amount to only $10,440.

Séguin maintains that the town has a reserve dedicated to the development of its riverfront and the CBRH is simply asking that some of that money be used to offset the costs of consulting with engineers, architects, planners and others to "guide the town in its development choices" pertaining to the CIP lagoon site.

CAO Normand Beaulieu said there is a reserve, but the purpose of that reserve is not to pay fees incurred by the CBRH. It was noted the CBRH proceeded with its investigation into a full site cleanup on its own accord and did not receive approval from the town to do so.

"There is a $70,000 reserve on our books for the corporation," Beaulieu explained. "This reserve does not belong to the organization. It belongs to the town and council decides how it will be spent. It is not up to members of the organization to spend this money or advise how it should be spent."

The CPRH, along with councillors Gilles Roch Greffe, Gilbert Cyr, Sylvain Dubé and Michel Beaulne, have long disputed the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resource's (MNR) plan to clean up the CIP lagoon site. All have maintained, and continue to maintain, that a full site cleanup would cost the same amount as the current plan.

"We have received guarantees on that," Séguin said in the press release.

The land is owned by the MNR, which has stated it will foot the bill for the $21-million cleanup. The cost estimate has since jumped to about $28 million.

Ottawa-based engineering firm Conestoga-Rovers and Associates was awarded the provincial tender for the design and oversight of the CIP lagoon redevelopment.

The firm is calling for complete removal and excavation of all the waste material from the lagoon. The waste material will be relocated and buried on the western part of the site. The waste material, which is 90 per cent water, will be drained and tested prior to being relocated, in order to "quantify the emissions," according to the firm.

The engineers and the MNR say that most of the contaminants are found in the water itself, and its treatment will rid most of them.

The MNR has assured the town that, despite objections from the CBRH and council, it will not deviate from its current plan for the site.

"The CBRH and its supporters do not want to see a toxic waste depository here in Hawkesbury," Séguin said. "Even if it disguised as a park, it's still a toxic waste dump."

Séguin concluded by asking people "to stop believing people who start rumours... my colleagues are all volunteers and none of us will profit from the complete decontamination of this site."