Colliery Dams Update

Council passes motion to select Auxiliary Spillway

Summary

At its meeting held July 20, Nanaimo City Council unanimously voted in favour of a motion to proceed with the construction of an Auxiliary Spillway adjacent to the Lower Colliery Dam. The Auxiliary Spillway option was chosen from one of three options identified by the Province of British Columbia's Dam Safety Section's April 29th 'revised' Order requesting remediation of the Lower Dam.

Through the Monday night's passed motion, Council has directed City staff to:

  • Prepare a design report and construction plan for an Auxiliary Spillway, which will be provided to the Comptroller on or before July 24.
  • Re-establish the Technical Committee as a Select Committee, whose membership will include two Councillors.
  • Develop terms of reference for an independent investigation and report on the Colliery Dam process.
  • Abandon all legal proceedings before the Environmental Appeal Board.

Link to Strategic Plan: N/A

Key Points

  • With the passing of Council's motion selecting the Auxiliary Spillway as the desired remediation option, staff will now proceed with the required next steps. New information will be communicated to the public as additional details become available.
  • Members of the public seeking previous information updates concerning the Colliery Dams are encouraged to visit the Colliery Dam Information page located on the City's website.

Quotes

"It goes without saying that last night's decision at Council was a long time in the making. From the start, agreeing on a solution that could bring closure to this divisive and complex issue has been a significant challenge for this and past Councils. However, with last night's motion passed, Council has not only agreed on a set of next steps leading towards a solution, they are moving forward united in their decision to act. I am very pleased with both the solution chosen and Council's unanimous support of it."

Mayor
City of Nanaimo
-30-

Contact:

Toby Seward
Acting GM, Community Development and Protective Services
City of Nanaimo
250-755-4424

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