The redevelopment of Pier 22 at Port of Hamilton has been named as one of four finalists in the “Excellence in Project Development at the Neighbourhood Scale” category for the Canadian Urban Institute’s Brownie Awards, a national award program that recognizes leadership and innovation in brownfield redevelopment. “This nomination is a rewarding conclusion to the six years of hard work, time and funds that have been invested into this project,” said Bruce Wood, Hamilton Port Authority (HPA) President & CEO.
HPA purchased the 103-acre industrial property from Stelco in 2006. At that time, Pier 22 was largely unserviced, housing a vacant former steel rod mill, and was contaminated with a number of substances, including lead, six types of asbestos-containing material, and 45,000 litres of PCB transformer oil.
A comprehensive plan for the property was implemented, creating multimodal access (marine, rail, truck and pipeline) to accommodate a variety of customers. Improvements to the site included:
• A 330 metre dock wall on the North face of the pier, and dredging the water lot to Seaway draft;
• Extensions and upgrades to Hobson Road, including water/wastewater services and street lighting;
• An overhead pipeline rack, which allows ships to deliver liquid cargo directly to off-dock tenants.
Pier 22 is now home to Port tenants Lafarge and Aecon-Dufferin, which have each made multi-million dollar facility investments on the property, reflecting both the location’s strategic value and the companies’ commitment to a long-term presence in Hamilton. The new pipeline gives marine access to tenants Ruetgers, Aecon-Dufferin and Westway Terminals for loading and unloading liquid cargo. Pier 22’s expanded dock wall will also enhance Port of Hamilton’s offering as a regional hub for transportation and logistics. Together, HPA and its tenants have invested more than $70 million in Pier 22 redevelopment.
Community benefits of Pier 22 redevelopment extend beyond the project’s economic impact, as the streamlining of Lafarge’s property will eliminate 15,000 truck trips annually from the nearby public roadway. As part of this development, HPA also preserved a four-acre section called Hobson Pond, securing habitat for snapping turtles and migratory birds.
2012 Brownie Awards are sponsored by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Winners in six categories will be announced at a Gala Dinner on October 4 at the annual Canadian Brownfields Conference to take place at the Sheraton on the Falls hotel in Niagara Falls.