TRICAR – 152 Macdonell Brownfield Redevelopment

When XCG arrived on site to complete a Phase One Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) at 152 Macdonell in late 2011, it was a vacant lot, zoned for commercial use. The property however had a history of uses including tire service/vulcanizing and repair shop (1930s to the early/mid- 1960s), a battery sales and service company (1930s to 1940s), and more recently an office building with a daycare. 

The Phase One ESA, and review of previous investigations identified several Areas of Potential Environmental Concern (APECs) including land uses on neighbouring properties and underground storage tanks on 152 Macdonell itself. The Phase Two ESA confirmed the presence of Petroleum Hydrocarbon (PHC) impacted soils on site, in the area of the historical underground storage tanks. Groundwater on the site was not impacted and was monitored throughout the project to ensure compliance with the regulations.  TRICAR knew there was a large demand for condominium living in the area and decided to undertake the remediation phase of the project simultaneously with construction as opposed to the more traditional route of securing the Record of Site Conditions (RSC) prior to construction. The aggressive schedule meant that once TRICAR broke ground, XCG would be on site for sampling contaminated soil, collecting confirmatory samples on remaining soil and groundwater, but also sampling soil brought to the site during the initial construction phase of the building. TRICAR began excavation of the site in June of 2012. XCG was on site to confirm the location of the impacted soil and delineate the extent of contamination. Once identified, the impacted soil was removed from the site and disposed of at a landfill licensed to receive PHC impacted soil. Confirmatory soil samples were collected from all sides of the excavation to ensure that all of the impacted soil was removed. As the excavation progressed for the installation of the building footings, XCG collected soil samples from around the site to ensure that no impacted soil remained.  

By the middle of December 2012, the underground parking structure was complete and no additional soil was required for the development. Subsequently, XCG could complete the Phase Two report and file the Record of Site Condition for the property. On December 19, 2012 the last confirmatory groundwater sample was collected and the Phase Two Report completed. In April of 2013, XCG received confirmation that the Record of Site Conditions had been accepted for the property. The property that started out as a vacant lot is now zoned residential and is occupied by an 18 storey condominium building.