An investigation into the Colliery dams is over before it began.
Nanaimo city council quashed its own investigation into the Colliery dam process Monday, in the wake of a staff report showing no response to a request for proposals for investigation services.
Coun. Bill Yoachim, who originally proposed the probe, said he doesn’t want to spend more taxpayer dollars. He also said he liked what he heard from a delegation that by working together, “we can also make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.”
“In the spirit of an era of reconciliation of our community, we come together healing and work together so we can make the least intrusive project possible for the middle dam,” he said.
City councillors narrowly agreed in a 4-3 vote last October to advertise for an independent investigator to review the process and decisions linked to the Colliery dams, despite concerns the work wasn’t worth the money.
The city is now developing a report for the B.C. Dam Safety Section on a conceptual plan for the middle dam, due at the end of December. City staff will approach council early in the new year to do a study to advance that plan.
