Sydney Tar Ponds Agency has a new president

Cape Breton Post
Sat., Aug. 23, 2008

Sydney - The director of engineering and public works with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is about to assume a new role as president of the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency.

The province announced Kevin MacDonald’s appointment to the position Friday. He replaces Frank Potter, who has moved to the position of special projects engineer with Nova Scotia Lands Incorporated. The

Sydney Tar Ponds cleanup is a $400-million project set to be completed in 2014. The first phase of the project focused on planning and environmental assessment. The project is moving into the second phase of engineering design and implementation. "Kevin MacDonald brings 14 years of experience providing solid leadership to the province’s second largest municipal public works department," David Darrow, deputy minister responsible for the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, said in a news release. "He has significant experience in implementing large scale infrastructure projects and will be a tremendous asset as the project moves from the planning to implementation stage."

While with the CBRM, MacDonald oversaw the implementation of several major municipal infrastructure projects, including a new water supply system for Sydney, the Glace Bay water treatment plant, the Sydney sewage treatment plant, and the development of a solid waste management strategy for the municipality. He is familiar with the tar ponds cleanup project, having represented the municipality on several tar ponds-related committees.

The first phase of the project focused on planning and environmental assessment. The project is moving into the second phase of engineering design and implementation.

The Sydney Tar Ponds Agency was established by the province in 2004 to implement the cleanup. In June, the province ordered an external review of the agency to ensure it has the expertise and resources necessary to complete the project. The review identified several issues that needed to be addressed to ensure it can be completed on time and on budget. Part of MacDonald’s mandate will be to address these issues.

Potter is joining Nova Scotia Lands Incorporated, a provincial Crown corporation established to manage the environmental cleanup of the former steel plant site and former Sysco-owned properties.

MacDonald could not be reached for comment Friday.