In this edition of Where it Stands, CollingwoodToday reviews the facts and motions that came forward this year regarding the Collingwood Terminals building.
The Terminals
Collingwood’s grain terminals were built in 1929. The town purchased the site in 1997, but the building is unused. The terminals were used for grain service for 64 years, which ended in 1993. Collingwood was involved in the grain trade for 123 years. Over the years there have been some proposals for converting the grain elevators into other usable space including for a mushroom farm.
The Engineer’s report
In January 2017, the town’s director of engineering and public works, Brian Brian MacDonald provided an overview of the building’s history and suggested a plan of action would first require an engineer to study the structural integrity of the building.
Collingwood council commissioned an engineer’s study the same year.
Will Teron, an engineer with Tacoma Engineers out of Guelph, presented his findings to council on June 25. He said the building was structurally sound, but did not investigate the state of the 4,000 piles that form the foundation underwater. And he noted some environmental safety hazards, including more than two-feet of bird poop in one of the towers.
Teron estimated $8 million to $9.7 million in costs if the town were to complete full remediation and repair of the building over the next five years. That’s including $2 million for environmental clean up, $3.5 million for the roof repair, $3 million for concrete restoration, $500,000 for windows and doors, $300,000 for interior systems, and $400,000 for waterproofing and drainage.
Where it stands
On Dec. 17, the newly elected council heard a plan from staff to include a plan for the Terminals building in the 2020 budget. Council voted to have staff prepare a report for early 2019 that outlines base information on the terminals, a strategy for public consultation and a timeline for decision making by the end of 2019.
CollingwoodToday will continue to follow this matter and report on any developments.
