Upcoming excavation and clean up of site on Dollarton Hwy

UPDATED: January 12, 2021

WATCH | How we're restoring and enhancing a former waste dump site

We are completing an environmental clean up of the former road construction waste dump on Dollarton Highway, the proposed location of the Maplewood Fire and Rescue Centre.

While we expect an update about the Fire and Rescue Centre development project later this year, we have made the decision to proceed with environmental clean up of this site.

About the site

Previously, the site served as a municipal operations dump for road construction materials from about 1960 until the late 1980s. Clean-up and environmental remediation of this District-owned site, located adjacent to sensitive ecological wetlands, are important steps in repairing past damage regardless of the site's future use.

Work we've completed 

In 2020, we removed some of the larger, surface waste materials, such as old culverts and telephone poles, as well as invasive plants.

We also salvaged native plant species, such as sword fern. Some have been replanted in other locations, and others are stored at our Parks nursery to be replanted later.

Work that is upcoming

Work crews will be on-site in January 2021 to excavate and clean up the entire site. This work includes tree removal and soil excavation to remove deposits of  concrete, gravel, asphalt, and waste materials hidden below the surface.

Environmental impact

The District has been working closely with environmental professionals on a rehabilitation plan with a focus on restoring and enhancing the ecology and hydrology conditions both on and adjacent to the site. The entire site will be restored to meet or exceed Ministry of Environment standards.

The trees on the site currently are generally unhealthy and in poor condition due to an inadequate soil layer and lack of nutrients as a result of construction waste. Large amounts of fill, including pockets of contaminated soil, will also be removed from the site to start to repair the environmental damage. 

We have also been working with the Wild Bird Trust to ensure their objectives for wetland protection and improvements can be achieved through this project.

Updates

The latest information on site clean up progress will be posted on this page. For more details about the future development of a new Fire and Rescue Centre, visit our project page.

Learn more about the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Centre development 

Questions?

Please contact:

Mathew Schofield
Facilities Project Manager
schofieldm@dnv.org
604.990.2326