Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Government Dock is finally clean and clear and open to the public.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has finished cleaning up Government Dock. The city is still contemplating what to put there once it completes its negotiations with the department but it will likely be some sort of park space. - Svjetlana Mlinarevic/NNSL photo

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans completed its cleanup and remediation of the site on Nov. 9 according to Warren Ford, senior divestiture officer for Fisheries and Oceans Canada real property management branch.

"Approximately 250 cubic metres of impacted soil was removed from three pits on the site," said Ford. "What happened is that prior to this work beginning, there was sample testing done on site, and of course sample testing throughout the excavation, but the sample testing done prior to this indicated that those were the three places to concentrate on."

The contaminated soil contained high levels of copper and petroleum hydrocarbons from maintenance work and fuel spillages over the years. The soil has been shipped to Fort Nelson, B.C. for disposal.

Even though the site is clean, negotiations are still ongoing between the department and the city.

"So the DFO is awaiting the final report from their contractor who did the work and the city is waiting to see that report before we sign the lease," said Mayor Mark Heyck.

According to Ford, the contractor's report will take about a month before it's submitted to the city.

As to what council plans to do with the site, Heyck said he'll leave it up to the public. Residents have long used the area to park vehicles, boats and other items – some of them years – before the city ordered the property to be removed ahead of the cleanup.

"There weren't plans per say other than to create a public space out of it. The next step is that once the report is complete and the lease is signed, is to engage with the community and the neighbourhood to determine what people would like to see in that space."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.