Businessman Clint Kimery wants an environmental review of an old oil refinery site in northeast Regina.
An outspoken Regina businessman is continuing to warn about the danger that serious environmental problems might exist on property in northeast Regina where an Imperial Oil refinery used to operate.
Clint Kimery, the president of Gunner Ltd., said there are reasons to believe the old Imperial Oil refinery site, at Winnipeg Street and 1st Avenue, was not fully cleaned up — at least not to modern standards — when the refinery was closed in 1975.
And the City of Regina, which purchased the land after the refinery closed and subsequently resold part of it to the Dairy Producers Co-operative Ltd., may not be overly eager to get to the bottom of any continuing environmental problems at the site, Kimery said.
“They don’t want to know there’s any problem,’’ Kimery said. “They’re sort of in a state of denial.’’
A thorough environmental review by an independent party (such as an engineering or environmental consulting firm) is needed, Kimery said.
An official from the City of Regina said the appropriate senior city official to respond to the concerns was out of town and unavailable for comment until next week.
It was also suggested that the city might be in a better position to discuss the situation when more information comes available next month.
A senior city official, who commented in an interview about a year ago, said the site presents the type of environmental issues that are typically experienced at an old refinery site, but the problems faced were not believed to be exceptional.
Regina Transit’s operations centre is among the buildings now located in the vicinity of the old refinery.
Dairy Producers Co-operative Ltd. moved out of the area several years ago and its old building is now used by the Regina and District Food Bank.
Several other offices and businesses are located on the property, including Gunner Ltd.
Kimery readily concedes that he and a number of other property owners in the area are currently involved in a property tax assessment fight with the city.
The basic argument put forward by Kimery and others is that the environmental problems on the property reduce the value of the property. They therefore argue the assessed value of their property, for tax purposes, should be reduced proportionally.
But Kimery said his concerns go well beyond property taxes and he is very concerned about the environmental and public dangers that exist at the site.
Referring to one engineering report, now more than 20 years old, Kimery expressed safety concerns, such as the possibility that gases trapped underground could be ignited or possibly explode.
He also expressed concerns about dangers to the Regina aquifer, and about the possible presence of lead, PCBs and other potentially dangerous substances.
Kimery, who has been raising concerns about the environmental issue for a number of years, said he has obtained additional information and documents over the past year that have added to his concern. He has also launched a new tax appeal, based on his 2008 assessment.
The oil refinery was originally built in 1916, Kimery noted. The environmental standards in 1916 — or even in 1975 when the refinery was closed — are different than those in force today, he said. There is a need to study the situation and make sure all appropriate environment protection measures have been taken, he said.