Pinchin Environmental Newsletter (PEN #11)

True North's New Downtown Winnipeg Entertainment Complex

A Case Study

True North Entertainment to be built on historic Eaton's Department Store site.

Pinchin Environmental, along with a subconsulting firm, recently completed a screening EA* for the True North Project Group. It involved a new $125-million entertainment complex being developed on the site formerly occupied by the landmark Eaton's department store in downtown Winnipeg. The private sector group is providing close to 70% of the project costs or $86.5 million with the public sector providing the remaining 30% or $38.5 million. The federal government will be contributing $12 million to the project.

*see below for more about EAs - "Environmental Assessments of Projects Involving The Federal Government"

The proposed True North Project will replace the existing Eaton's building to provide up to 16,800 seats for concerts and 15,117 seats for hockey. The facility incorporates features and designs now found in entertainment complexes across North America including unrestricted sight lines, flexible acoustics and sound systems to accommodate different entertainment formats. It will include 41 corporate suites, 1,300 club seats, a theme restaurant, a sports bar and concourse retail outlets.

The project involves removing hazardous materials from the Eaton's building, salvaging building materials including historic components, and demolishing the building by mechanical means. Demolition waste will be segregated for reuse or recycling and landfill disposal. The new facility will be founded on rock-socketed caissons and shored using steel piles. A limited amount of excavation will be required. The substructure will be cast-in-place concrete while the superstructure will be structural steel. The building exterior will be finished in glass, brick and metal cladding. The ice surface will be about 6 m below street level and on a prepared concrete base. Ammonia will be the refrigerant used in the ice-making system. Once the project is underway, the demolition of the Eaton's building will commence immediately with the completion date set for Autumn 2003.

Potential Environmental Effects

Dust created during demolition and construction as well as impact on nesting peregrine falcons included in assessment.

Potential environmental effects of the proposed True North Project were identified using scoping methods, interaction matrix techniques, public consultation, government contacts, advice from specialists and professional judgement. Effects of accidents and malfunctions, effects of the environment on the project and cumulative environmental effects were also determined. Mitigation measures were identified to eliminate, reduce and control environmental effects determined to be adverse.

Follow-up was proposed to verify accuracy of the assessment and determine effectiveness of the mitigation measures. Significance of the residual environmental effects remaining after mitigation was then evaluated. Results from the public open house as well as newspaper articles and letters were also used to evaluate significance.

The top ten potential adverse environmental effects of the proposed True North Project addressed in this environmental assessment report were determined to be:

1. loss of the Eaton's building as a downtown Winnipeg landmark;
2. impaired air quality from fugitive dust during demolition and construction;
3. impaired air quality from equipment emissions during demolition and construction;
4. impaired human health from fugitive dust during demolition and construction;
5. increased noise and vibration levels during demolition and construction;
6. disturbance to peregrine falcons nesting on a nearby hotel during construction;
7. injury to fledged peregrine falcon chicks during construction and operation;
8. potential for bird collisions with building glass, communication towers and wires;
9. damage to historical buildings from vibrations and falling debris during demolition; and
10. increased amount of solid waste disposal in Winnipeg waste disposal grounds.

Environmental Protection Plan

A large number of mitigation measures and follow-up requirements were identified in the EA report. Additional terms and conditions may be imposed by licences, permits and other approvals required for the project by the Province of Manitoba and City of Winnipeg. The Environmental Protection Plan, when complete, will provide an effective means of ensuring that mitigation measures and follow-up requirements are implemented and reported on, and that such requirements are incorporated into contract specifications or operational procedures.

The complex is designed to accommodate a variety of entertainment formats.

Conclusion

The EA concluded that the proposed True North Entertainment Centre project will not likely result in significant adverse environmental effects with the application of prescribed mitigation measures and the conduct of obligatory follow-up. Similarly, the cumulative environmental effects of the project in combination with the effects of other projects or activities that have been and will likely be carried out within the downtown study area in the foreseeable future were determined to be insignificant.

Environmental Assessments of Projects Involving The Federal Government

Projects involving the federal government fall under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). The CEAA came into effect in January 1995 and is one element of a major reform launched in 1987 of the federal practice of environmental assessment (EA). Sustainable development is a fundamental objective of the process.

CEAA is a tool for federal decision-makers. It establishes a process to assess the environmental effects of projects requiring federal action or decisions and ensures that the environmental effects of projects are considered at an early or planning stage of a project.

Projects require an EA where the federal authorities exercise one of the following powers, duties or functions:

1. Is the proponent of the project;
2. Provides financial assistance to the proponent;
3. Sells, leases or otherwise disposes of federal lands; or
4. Issues a permit, licence or other approval.

Projects not requiring an EA include those described in an exclusion list; those carried out in response to a national emergency with temporal measures under the Emergencies Act; or those carried out in response to a national emergency potentially involving a threat to human health and safety, the environment and property.

The EA process includes, where applicable:

1. a screening or comprehensive study including reporting;
2. a mediation or assessment by a review panel;
3. the design and implementation of a follow-up program.

The most common EA is a screening assessment. This EA involves the following:

1. Project description preparation;
2. Public consultation hosting;
3. Environmental effects identification and analysis;
4. Mitigation measure summarization; e) Implementation of follow-up measures.

The scope of the EA for a given project is determined by the responsible authority; or the Minister, where the project is referred to a mediator/review panel.