A constant stream of semi-trailer trucks from BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan delivering scrap metal to a salvage yard in the RM of Corman Park south of Saskatoon has area residents concerned about noise, traffic, dust and potential environmental contamination.
“Over the last three months, there have been over 100 trucks per day hauling scrap metal to the site at Buck’s Auto Parts,” said Neil Beaton, a landowner whose residence along Hodgson Road is just half a mile north of a rapidly-growing pile of scrap metal. “The trucks rumble in overnight and park. By morning there’s a long line of trucks lined up outside Buck’s waiting to dump their load and get back on the road.
“It appears that scrap metal is being stockpiled here and that this has become a transfer site. The trucks come in fully-loaded and leave empty.”
In a presentation to an RM of Corman Park council meeting on Monday, September 20, Beaton said the heavy traffic has seriously damaged the sub-base of Hodgson Road, the east-west artery between Valley Road and Range Road 3062, where Buck’s Auto Parts is located. He noted some of the heavy trucks are also using a summer road off Highway 7 near Cedar Villa Estates, which is even less able to handle that type of traffic.
“My concern is not just with the trucks, but with what’s being dumped,” said Beaton. “Buck’s has been around for many years, and I’m not a fan of the operation, but they have followed the rules. They decommission vehicles and remove any hazardous materials before selling parts.
“But this pile of scrap metal is now as high as a three-storey building, and it’s just being dumped on the ground. Transmission fluid and other hazardous stuff is probably leaking. I’m very worried about whether there’s material that could be contaminating our groundwater.”
Beaton noted an approach from Range Road 3062 was built to allow the trucks access to the dump site. He questioned whether a permit was obtained for the approach because it lacks a necessary culvert for water drainage.
Corman Park Reeve Judy Harwood said there have been a number of complaints raised about the operation.
“We’re very aware of the situation,” said Harwood. “I live in the area and I see it first-hand. The parking of trucks on the road is also an issue. We don’t want to be the dumping ground for western Canada.”
Corman Park Division 1 Councillor John Germs noted the price of scrap metal has recently climbed to unprecedented heights, which may partially account for the increase in recent activity.
Corman Park Division 4 Councillor David Greenwood said he’s received many calls from area residents related to the volume of truck traffic and the need for dust control.
Corman Park Division 5 Councillor Art Pruim said it appears the activity is not allowed and should be shut down immediately.
“Decommissioning vehicles and selling parts is not the same as stockpiling scrap metal,” said Pruim. “There’s a game being played here and I don’t like it.”
An agreement signed between the RM of Corman Park and Buck’s Auto Parts sometime in the 1970s allowed the business to be ‘grandfathered’ in and allowed to continue operation despite being in an agricultural and country residential area. The RM administration is currently in the process of determining if the recent stockpiling of scrap metal is in contravention of that original agreement. One of the difficulties is determining the exact date the five-decade old agreement was signed so that it can be located in the RM’s paper records.
If it is determined the landowner is in contravention of the agreement, the RM can issue a ‘cease and desist’ order. The RM, however, wants to ensure it is on sound legal footing before taking action.
“We are currently in discussions with the landowners to determine exactly whether or not this activity is prohibited under the existing RM bylaws,” said Corman Park Chief Administrative Officer Ken Kolb. “It’s a concern that we’re taking very seriously.” The RM council passed a resolution at its September 20 meeting to have a ‘cease and desist’ order implemented if it is needed.