Meeting pleases
Frederick Street residents
BY TANYA COLLIER Cape Breton Post
September 21, 1998
Frederick Street residents have regained hope
following a meeting with three levels of government Saturday.
Juanita McKenzie, spokesperson for the group,
made the assertion during a 45-minute session as she outlined the health
concerns residents have had since locating yellow-colored goo in May and
black goo in August coming from a brook bank near their homes.
Tested soil samples showed elevated levels of
lead, poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and arsenic - which was found to
be 18.5 times higher than acceptable limits set by the Canadian Council
of Ministers of the Environment.
"What happened today (Saturday) was very special.
It's a moment I will always treasure," said McKenzie.
It was the first time since the group combined
their efforts to have their voices heard by government that they had federal
and provincial ministers and municipal representatives asking them for
information.
Included in the meeting were federal Environment
Minister Christine Stewart, federal Health Minister Allan Rock, provincial
Transportation and Public Works Minister Clifford Huskilson, and provincial
Environment Minister Don Downe.
The ministers were in Sydney to sign a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) between the three levels of government and the Joint
Action Group (JAG) regarding the remediation and clean-up of the Muggah
Creek Watershed.
During the signing ceremony, Rock said he was
"struck" byt he children he saw playing on the street adjacent to the coke
ovens site.
"When I think of my children and I see the kids
playing on the streets in the area, it brings home very powerfully and
very personally the obligation we have to contribute to this process and
to make sure it works.
"This is a community
in Canada, therefore it's my community too. This is a national isssue,
not just an issue for Sydney or Nova Scotia or Atlantic Canada."
MacLellan said the MOU signed Saturday "does
not deal" with the concerns of the Frederick Street residents.
"This is a long-term framework dealing with the
cleanup of the tar ponds, coke ovens, and all of the adjacent sites.
We are well aware of the problems witht he people of Frederick Street and
are dealing with those."
Stewart said the federal government is also aware
of the residents' concerns and is taking steps to assist them.
"We have only done initial studies and it's too
early to say what action is necessary at the present time."
"Each one (of the government representatives)
pledged they will take a closer look into the problem," said McKenzie.
A question the residents are often asked by those
concerned is why they purchased homes near one of Canada's largest toxic
waste sites. McKenzie said she was able to explain the reason during
the meeting.
"The coke ovens were to be torn down and a park,
with a walking track, was to be constructed.
"They were going to beautify the place."
McKenzie said the homeowners had no idea they
were moving into a toxic waste site.
"We have the demons of our fathers and forefathers
coming out at us. We need help."
Frederick Street borders the north side of the
former coke ovens site, part of the , which includes
the notorious Sydney tar ponds, containing 700,000 tonnes of toxic sludge
left behind from nearly a century of steel making.
The area is fenced in with posted signs of warning
of a human health hazard.
No promises on toxic woes - Chronicle Herald, Sept.29, 1998
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