The sinkholes caused by buried drywall at the Sechelt landfill are scheduled to be fixed as the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) creates a new drop-off area at the site.
Work at the landfill will begin on May 17 and is expected to be completed by the end of August. A contract for up to $847, 811 was awarded to Summit Earthworks Inc. In March, the SCRD granted an exemption to the noise bylaw for the project, since it’s expected that pounding and compacting the ground starting on May 24 and lasting until June 7 will be loud. The work may begin as early as 6 a.m., and may be heard in the East Porpoise Bay area.
The three sinkhole problem areas were originally identified in early 2020, and the landfill had to close the public drop-off area and move that service to a much smaller area. Drywall was permitted to be buried at the landfill until the late 1990s, and since then has deteriorated.
Bins at the landfill will be relocated. The landfill’s scale will also be relocated, which will require the temporary closure of the landfill for three days. Those dates have yet to be confirmed. A news release from the SCRD also notes that the work at the landfill may delay openings, require early closures or one-day closures.
During the work, wait times at the landfill will be 30 minutes or longer during peak times. The SCRD says these wait times may be longer if public health restrictions remain in place, and ask that residents go to the landfill only when it is “absolutely necessary.” Curbside garbage collection will not be impacted by the project.
“We understand that this project will cause some inconvenience for customers at the Sechelt Landfill; however, this is work that has to be done to keep the landfill operating safely,” general manager of infrastructure services, Remko Rosenboom, said in the release. “On behalf of our staff, I want to thank our community for their continued patience and support as we work on the construction of this much needed new drop-off area.”
From May 15 until the completion of the project, the landfill will no longer accept tires. Auto mechanic shops and tire retailers will accept tires in the meantime.
More information and closure notices can be found on the SCRD’s website.
