Make sure Pleasantville free of toxic waste: councillors

Two councillors in St. John's want reassurances that the site of a former U.S. military base is safe for a massive residential development planned for the area.

The Pleasantville neighbourhood was developed as Fort Pepperrell in the early years of the Second World War, with much of the land eventually turned over to become a Canadian Forces station. Other surplus buildings from Fort Pepperrell were used as Canadian government offices.

Canada Lands Corp., a federal Crown corporation, unveiled a plan last fall to build a range of properties in the area, including single-family and multi-unit homes, hundreds of condominiums and two 10-storey towers.

Canadian Forces Station St. John's, meanwhile, will be located on a much smaller space by Quidi Vidi Lake.

At a council meeting Monday night, Coun. Art Puddister said he wants proof that any toxic mess left behind will be cleaned up.

"All these military buildings in Pleasantville have oil tanks and asbestos and so on," said Puddister, adding he wants to know what "guarantees we're going to have that these properties and the land itself will be basically acceptable for development."

Coun. Gerry Colbert said residents in the area suspect there are dozens of oil tanks buried around Pleasantville.

"Does Canada Lands or somebody know where all these tanks are?" Colbert wondered.

"How big are they? Have they been inspected? Is there any possibility that there could be an issue, a larger issue, or any issue for that matter, when we start tearing them down?"

Staff told council that such a study has been done, but there is uncertainty about whether the city has a copy. Staff also expressed confidence that the federal government will conduct any cleanup necessary.