Canadian Pacific's E&N Wellcox railway yard in Namaimo - Date unknown Bill Hooper.

15 December 2012

Land Purchase Deal Hinges on Key Environmental Review

Nanaimo Vancouver Island British Columbia - A deal that will see the City of Nanaimo acquire the 27-acre Wellcox Railway Lands downtown is contingent on an environmental review of the active industrial site.
 
The city is in the process of completing a purchase agreement to buy the waterfront property, adjacent to the new cruise ship terminal, from Canadian Pacific Railway, for $3.4 million, to help downtown's development.
 
Bill Corsan, manager of the city's real estate division, said an environmental review is currently being conducted to determine the level of contamination of the more than 100-year-old industrial site. If the city is content with its findings, the property will officially transfer to the city from CPR on 31 Mar 2012.
 
Despite the fact that much of the site was also once under water and had been filled in during Nanaimo's coal-mining days with coal waste, Corsan said there are no expectations that the review will identify enough contamination to stop the deal.
 
He said CPR had conducted numerous environmental studies of the site over the years and nothing was identified to cause concern.
 
"We don't believe there are any environmental show-stoppers with the property, but we must do our due diligence with this deal," Corsan said. "Once the property is subdivided for development, further environmental work will be conducted at the site."
 
While city council has yet to decide what it wants to do with the property, a deal is already in the works with the Regional District of Nanaimo to place a new transit exchange on a section of the site.
 
Much of the property is currently being used by SeaSpan and the Island Corridor Foundation, both of whom hold land tenure and perpetual rights-of-way.
 
Other tenants on the property include GADD Marine and Island Pallet Solutions.
 
City manager Al Kenning said the city will be arranging discussions with these organizations to determine encumbrances on title to ensure the property can be developed in the future.
 
Robert Barron.
 
Editor's Note:  Does this mean the E&N will still have access to the ferry slip to move cars on or off the Island?