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Parry Sound Project Report

Closure of CIL 1985 + Nobel Beach

written by Anna Martin May 29, 2017

In 1983, CIL stopped producing nitroglycerine and laid off 173 workers1. In 1985, CIL announced they were closing their operations and the slurry manufacturing plant in Nobel. According to a CIL manager, the demand for explosives had fallen as new technology became available to miners. The picturesque train station was demolished, and the CPR, although still operating, no longer had a train rolling through Nobel every twenty minutes.

CIL Explosives General Manager, Yvon Lafontaine suggested, “a committee or task force be created which would include community leaders such as the MP, MPP, local reeves and mayors, as well as CIL representatives to consider both the section of land to be donated and its use2.”

CIL was sold to Imperial Chemical Industries in 1988. However, according to the land registry titles, the property did not change ownership from CIL to ICI until 2009, which is curious. What action was taking place at that time that finally prompted them to update the land registry title?

In 1993,

“ICI donates 600 feet of the waterfront property adjacent to the present Grandview Estates area park to the Township of McDougall: A united effort between McDougall Township Council, Nobel’s Concerned Citizen Committee (CCC), and CIL. Reeve Peter Spadzinski negotiated the deal with the company. Peter refers to the long process with a number of items to be resolved but nice to “see a happy ending for a change.” This agreement was “undoubtedly bolstered by the actions and petition of the CCC.” When the Grandview Estates Parkland Development Master Plan was completed and combined with ICI, the park will have over 1,000ft of Georgian Bay shoreline3.”

Below is an image taken from CBRE’s CIL Nobel Lands flyer, which has been marked to show the McDougall waterfront property; Nobel Beach.

For the full CBRE Nobel Lands flyer, visit the section Retained Nobel Lands.

There is limited knowledge about the actions or purpose of the CCC, although it was clear they were concerned about how the property was being divided and wanted the shoreline property (Nobel Beach) to become a public beach. Once the CCC reminded the Reeve, Peter Spadzinski, about CIL’s verbal agreement, he began lobbying the company in Toronto. What else was the CCC concerned about? Were they concerned about the environment and the health of residents?

As previously mentioned, in the section entitled: Trimac: CIL’s transportation company, according to a former public servant within the Municipality of McDougall, the MOE required some form of decommissioning on CIL’s land between the closure of the property in 1985 and the transfer of land in either 1990 or 1993. 

I had been informed that CIL told the Municipality that the MOE had assured them that there were no issues on the Nobel Beach property (Lot 25 Concession C), where one of the burning grounds was located.

However, it was also said that CIL was reluctant to give Nobel Beach to the municipality following their testing as they were concerned about pollution. Of course, this is contrary information to what CIL had previously (and supposedly) claimed.

This seemed curious to the former McDougall public servant; why was CIL demonstrating hesitation? Was someone, perhaps, at the board level of CIL concerned about the public’s exposure to pollution?

This same individual stated that the municipality, at that time, never saw the comprehensive tests or records that the MOE had required CIL to do. This is an unpleasant reminder that different branches of government sometimes do not communicate with each other.

If the Ministry of Environment did indeed request this information and have the results, this information should be publicly available through FIPPA.

Today, Nobel Beach is complete with children’s swings and a new public change room.

It is about 100 metres away from CIL’s old fences and signs that warn residents: “No Trespassing. Explosives. No matches,” and about 100 metres or so away from a sign that says Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve. 

According to the Swim Guide by the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Nobel Beach is not sampled4.

Closure of CIL 1985 + Nobel Beach was last modified: June 6th, 2017 by Anna Martin
  1. Toronto Star, February 11/1985.
  2. Parry Sound North Star, November 24, 1993.
  3. Parry Sound North Star, November 24, 1993.
  4. Nobel Beach, Swim Guide, last modified July 3, 2014, https://www.theswimguide.org/beach/511?set_language=en.
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parry sound project (sections in order)

  • Executive Summary

    June 6, 2017
  • Dedications + Acknowledgements

    June 5, 2017
  • Anna Martin’s Testimonial

    June 4, 2017
  • Parry Sound Project Introduction

    June 3, 2017
  • Brief History of Nobel

    June 2, 2017
  • Other Possible Sources of Environmental Contamination

    June 1, 2017
  • MOE Certifications for Landfills and Hazardous Incineration Sites

    May 30, 2017
  • Closure of CIL 1985 + Nobel Beach

    May 29, 2017
  • The Department of Defence in Parry Sound

    May 28, 2017
  • History of Nobel’s Water Treatment Plants

    May 27, 2017
  • CIL/DIL Lands 2005-Present

    May 26, 2017
  • Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)

    May 25, 2017
  • Cancer Care Ontario Statistics

    May 24, 2017
  • Moving Forward: Further Research + Legal Options

    May 23, 2017

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