Uncovering The Real Dirt In Windsor

What is it about "dirt" that so fascinates Windsorites.

THE ENGINEERED SLOPE

The most famous dirt issue in Windsor has to be the lack of dirt known as the "engineered slope" or Bill Docherty's hole downtown. This saga seems to have gone on forever and is still not finished:

• "City moves to fill hole at Docherty property; Jan 4, 2007
  
  The hole in the ground will remain a hole for a bit longer.
  
  The city has hired an engineer to inspect the site, next to the Radisson Hotel, and prepare a report on the work required to fill it.
  
  "We can't just bring trucks in and start dumping dirt in there," said city lawyer Mark Nazarewich."

INDIAN BURIAL GROUNDS

Then there was the archaeology dirt tempest in a teapot involving the new bridge

• "The local archeological society wants the city to halt expansion of the Ambassador Bridge because the company may be digging on historically sensitive lands that include First Nation burial grounds."

I never did understand the issue since the City's Heritage planner had said in relation to an item at Council a few days ago about lands at Huron road and Lambton that if the land was already "disturbed" no archaeological assessment was needed.

So why was there this big deal about the houses on Indian Road that had already "disturbed" the lands when houses were built or is it just because it is the Bridge Co. involved. Silly me, that is the answer.

FAHRI LANDS

Who can forget the extra $200K, so far, to clean up the mess where Mr.Fahri is to build his new condo on the river that the City is paying for.

"The city will have to pay up to $200,000 to remove a foundation left behind from an old brewery on the Riverside Drive site that is part of a land swap for the new arena development."

Now reduced to only $100K for a 2 year extension on taking ownership

SUPERMAN'S EYES NEEDED

The lack of X-ray eyes in Don Sadler's head means that the City's Peace Beacon costs have increased by $300K.

• "The soil conditions encountered when digging began included wood, woodpiles, large concrete foundations and organic fill. The materials had to be removed and shipped to the landfill, causing unforeseen costs of $104,000. The fill that was removed had to be replaced with engineered fill in order to hold the footings to support the new structure, Sadler said.
  
  "Soon as we got digging down a little bit deeper to place the footings, then we ran into a tremendous" problem."

ARENA LANDS

Then the arena. Thank goodness there are no dirt problems there right.

• "An environmental assessment has been completed and a clean bill of health given to the new east-end arena site."

I wonder actually if it was just like the same assurance that Don gave us at the same time that

• "An environmental assessment was also completed on land next to the Art Gallery of Windsor, which will be given to a London developer in exchange for the east-end site. The downtown property has also been cleared for environmental contaminants."

As the story above suggests, there may not have been environmental damage but other problems that might cost us dearly.

MORE MUD

Anyway, I would not be surprised if there will be a lot more dirt flying around Windsor in the very near future. It seems to be the Windsor way.