The verdict is still out on the fate of Renfrew’s old wastewater treatment plant as town council remains divided on its demolition.
Councillors recently revisited a motion from May to approve a $40,000 contract for engineering services related to tearing down the old facility, which Director of Development Eric Withers explains has sat unoccupied behind the current treatment plant since being replaced years ago.
The project does appear in the 2025 budget but was not given a dollar figure as staff held off for a consensus opinion from council.
Among the councillors against the demolition were Andrew Dick, who believes the town should direct its attention to other public buildings with more pressing obligations, and Clint McWhirter, who feels the matter could be handled at a later date.
On the other hand, Jason Legris maintained that tearing the old plant down is part of being a “responsible municipality” as a 2018 assessment of the building points out that it’s full of potentially harmful substances like asbestos, lead paint, silica, mercury, PCBs, and mould.
Council would eventually agree to once again table the matter, citing uncertainty around certain terms within the contract.
(written by Kasey Egan)