Closure of CIL 1985 + Nobel Beach

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.