North Shore community casts a critical eye on whether development group can clean up and repurpose the former Norampac paper mill site
Paul Veldman knows there is some fence-mending to be done with the folks in Red Rock.
This spring, Veldman, his BMI Group, and their consultants, rolled out a highly conceptualized vision to revitalize the cleared 360-acre waterfront site on Nipigon Bay where the Norampac linerboard mill once stood. There remain lingering doubts from residents about the developer almost a decade after BMI, then known as Riversedge Developments, acquired the mill property through a municipal tax sale in 2014.
The frosty relationship between developer and municipality didn’t improve when the township took Riversedge to court for unpaid property taxes in 2020. The matter was settled to the tune of $2.18 million. They hope to persuade, and get buy-in, from locals to reimagine how the property could be transformed for the “betterment” of the community.
Blatz urged Red Rock to adopt an ethos of “embracing bold ideas, innovative solutions and emerging clean technologies” in differentiating themselves from other communities.There's a market and government push on in northwestern Ontario to mine critical minerals and develop the Ring of Fire. BMI wants to position Red Rock as a port that brings mining machinery in, and ships mineral product out.
Firmly in BMI’s corner is the Red Rock Indian Band. The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding over the winter to establish a multimodal hub. His band is involved in developing a local biochar business and would like to establish it at the site. But Veldman told Red Rock council they intended to do “significant capital works” there this spring and summer.A Rotterdam-area shipyard, Neptune Marine, is building them a customized barge to haul freight into Red Rock. Veldman said he was travelling to the yard at the end of April to view its construction.
Dealing with the environmental legacies up front is a priority. The Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks will have a big say on what gets built. They’ll be reviewing BMI’s development plans. “Our primary concern is the lake,” Veldman told council, “and any leachate that might or might not over the past have spilled into the lake."
She points to a large fuel tank, still standing but damaged, that contains bunker C fuel oil that must be removed and all the contaminated soil within a berm area surrounding the tank.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Shane Bieber leads Cleveland Guardians over Boston Red Sox | TSNShane Bieber won for just the second time in six starts this season, allowing two runs and four hits over seven innings to lead the Cleveland Guardians over the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Friday night.
Read more »
Star Spotting: Lukas Gage And Chris Appleton Make Red Carpet Debut As NewlywedsLukasGage and ChrisAppleton make red carpet debut as newlyweds while stepping out at an ArmaniBeauty event 😍
Read more »
Wranglers' Matthew Phillips back for Game 2 after ejection in openerAfter a Game 1 ejections, Matthew Phillips is ready to rock in Game 3 for the Calgary Wranglers against the Abbotsford Canucks at the Dome.
Read more »
Hit the road Jack: The Stampeders are full steam ahead on 70-stop tourThere will come a time when the Stampeders have to close the book on their rock ‘n’ roll odyssey, but that time isn’t now.
Read more »
‘There was tragedy, but it’s also a story of survival’: Marking 120 years since the Frank SlideAt 4:10 a.m. on April 29th, 1903, a giant and deadly rock slide covered parts of Frank, Alta. while most residents slept.
Read more »
SIMMONS ON MAPLE LEAFS: Firing Kyle Dubas and Sheldon Keefe? Not anymoreSuddenly all those years of answering all those questions and dealing with so many doubts — many of them legitimate — were temporarily over. SIMMONS ON MAPLE LEAFS: Firing Kyle Dubas and Sheldon Keefe? Not anymore Via simmonssteve
Read more »