From mine to major industrial
09/21/2006
BY BRIAN BAKER
DAILY COMMERCIAL NEWS
A former Brantford mine is getting an intense makeover, transforming it from a 427-acre gravel pit to a booming industrial market west of the GTA. The initial earthworks project is scheduled over 10 months, creating 5,000 jobs, redeveloping uneven land, improving the interchange at Hwy. 403 and Oak Park Road, and constructing the buildings post excavation.
“The processes are much more intense than typical. We have to understand the remaining lands after the mining is completed, and come up with an engineering plan that balance the earthworks, so we can deliver a functional site that can be built on,” said Steve Charest, President, King & Benton.
While not at liberty to say who the partners in the $500 million complex development were, Charest did say they are, “the world’s largest and most sophisticated facility developers in the world.”
The industrial component of the site covers approximately 300 acres.
Fortune 500 companies are expected to locate to the area, ideally looking to provide trade with the Toyota plant in Woodstock.
“This particular project will be one that others will be measured by, and the bar will be set very high west of the GTA,” said Charest.
To start building, Charest said the developers had to “drill down” the geo-technical and elevation issues within the site.
The plan is to level the ground, taking from the higher points and depositing fill into the lower points, levelling it for production.
“It’s an aggressive project. It’s one of the hardest projects with regards to redevelopment, but sometimes those are the decisions we need to make to move forward as a society,” commented Charest.
The large format retail component of the development entails approximately 800,000 sq ft of land. Improvements to infrastructure in the area include upgrades to the interchange at Hwy. 403 and Oak Park Road.
“This is a fabulous project for this part of the province. I think it’s a testament to the growth legislation that the province has put in place,” added Charest.
A lack of space in Toronto and surrounding areas has led to the expansion of commercial and industrial construction west of the city.
The City of Brantford was not aware of any future developments in Tier 2 automotive suppliers for the Woodstock Toyota plant.
“In terms of the King and Benton area, I haven’t heard of any unit users formally,” said Stephen Naylor, director of current planning, City of Brantford.
“We’re excited about what it means for the community. We’re excited about what it does for jobs, investment and that it provides an opportunity for Brantford to stand on the roofs and announce ‘we’re back,’” Charest said.
