Notice of Remediation Work at Penetanguishene Dog Park

The Town of Penetanguishene would like to inform residents/businesses that Public Works will be completing remediation work at the Dog Park, located in Rotary Champlain Wendat Park starting on October 12, 2021. 

This project will take approximately 2-3 weeks to complete, weather permitting.

During this time, access to the dog park will not be permitted. A full reopening of the park, including the current closed off section is expected once the project is complete. 

We would like to thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above, please contact the Public Works Department at 705-549-7992.

Bryan Murray, P.Eng

bmurray@penetanguishene.ca

Director of Public Works

Town of Penetanguishene

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Previous Notice: 

 

May 29, 2020 - This notice has been issued by the Public Works Department to inform the public that contaminated soil has been discovered in the vicinity of the southeast boundary of the Dog Park at 111 Robert Street West.

 

The impacted area, outlined within the map below, will be cordoned off to remove access to these areas until the area is remediated. The proposed remediation program will be conducted in the fall of 2021.

 1.     How was the contamination discovered?

The contamination was identified in early April 2020 by Bell Canada at the Ojibwa Landing (Dog Park). During this time, Bell Canada advanced several test pits to repair their underground infrastructure. As the soil was exposed, Bell Canada observed petroleum odour and staining.

 2.     Is an investigation under way to determine if the contamination has spread beyond the area of concern?

Yes.  A preliminary delineation program was conducted on behalf of the Town of Penetanguishene on May 13, 2020, using a hydrovac excavator. The purpose of the delineation program is to assess the extent of the impacts.

 3.     What is the soil contaminated with and what levels of contaminant have been found?

The soil is contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon related parameters and includes benzene, xylenes and petroleum hydrocarbon fractions F1 to F4. The maximum concentrations found for the contaminants are listed in Table 1.

 Table 1: Contaminant Concentrations in Soil

Parameter	Maximum Concentration	Table 1 Site Condition Standards1	Table 2 Site Condition Standards2
Benzene	0.03 µg/g	0.02 µg/g	0.21
Xylene	0.39 µg/g	0.05 µg/g	3.1
Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fraction F1	320 µg/g	25 µg/g	55
Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fraction F2	5300 µg/g	10 µg/g	98
Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fraction F3	2400 µg/g	240 µg/g	300
Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fraction F4	470 µg/g	120 µg/g	2800

¹Standard applicable to the Site and protective of sensitive ecological receptors

²Standard applicable to human receptors on-Site

4. What will remediation involve, and how long will it last?

A preliminary contaminant delineation program was undertaken on May 13, 2020. Although this program gave a good indication as to the level and depth of contamination, it was inconclusive in quantifying the full volume of soil that may requiring remediation. A supplemental delineation program is scheduled in the Fall of 2020. Following the complete delineation of the impacts, an assessment of the remedial options available to manage the soil impacts will be completed, which will include consideration to the cost and timeframe to remediate the impacts.

5. How did this contamination happen? What is it from?

It is believed that the petroleum-related contaminants were introduced by the British American Oil Co. Ltd., who owned the land where contaminated soil was identified from 1921 to 1968. As part of site operations, three (3) 12,000 gallon oil tanks were stored on-site in the 1940s.

6. Is this contamination dangerous to humans or animals?

The presence of contamination does not equate to unacceptable human and/or ecological risk.  Unacceptable risk is based on the depth and concentration of contamination and which human and/or ecological receptors frequent the Site.  Additional delineation data for risk characterization will be collected in the Fall of 2020.  In the short-term, the current owner has blocked off the Dog Park to block visitors from frequenting the Site.  To mitigate risk in the long-term, the Site is currently undergoing a Risk Assessment which will evaluate potential risks to site receptors and recommend risk management measures, as required.

7. This contamination is SO close to the bay – is there a concern that it is leaking into our water?

The detail delineation program is underway to determine the extent of the impacts and to verify the concentrations in the subsurface. Additional comments will be provided following the completion of the delineation program in the fall. It is not anticipated that the contaminants from this area have migrated to the lake.

In addition, the municipal well head for the Town of Penetanguishene is located around Payette Drive, approximately 2.35 kilometres upgradient of the park. Municipal drink water is also tested regularly following the provincial regulations to ensure the water quality meet the applicable standards.

8. What exactly is it contaminated with? (can we provide a layman’s description of what the chemical is?)

The petroleum hydrocarbon contaminants are associated with light to heavy petroleum, typically found in oil-based products ranging from gasoline and heating oil to lubricants and hydraulic oil