Raise the Hammer

Ooooo! Free paint thinner!

Comment edited by moylek on 2010-07-26 08:08:05

If one guy walking around the downtown area can find all this stuff in such a short timespan, just imagine how much more of it there actually is around!

It would seem that industries have been using Hamilton's core as a convenient hiding place for toxic waste for decades.

And why not, when it seems that the City is devoting its future to stadiums and expressways on the periphrery. Your leaders don't care what goes on right in front of their own noses.

During this time, the core has seen little but wilful neglect and the occasional cosmetic gloss-over. It's a crying shame.

Right in my back yard. Guess who I won't be voting for? Wake up boys this is one you can't sweep under the carpet. The games up.

The Ministry of the Environment's hotline is 1-866-MOE-TIPS. Matt since you and Reg found the material it is probably best for you to report the presence of the materials, but if you don't for any reason just say so here and I will file a report.

This was reported to the MOE at dawn, rest assured.

This was and I thought still is a creosote factory. It has been there for at least 20 years. It was originally on Mulberry Street west of Bay at Caroline Street where Central Park is and behind the Fire & EMS Maintanance shop is. There have been fires here over the years involving creosote inside and outside. It was originally called “Currie Products” and it changed it’s name after moving to Wehtworth Street North. The GH on the building stands for “Gary Hart Industries”

After digging a little more I found these items:

"Protective Barriers Inc. is 100% Canadian owned company. Our head office and Manufacturing Plant is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, close to all major transportation routes.

Protective Barriers Inc. purchased the assets of Currie Products, formerly Hamilton Tar Products, a company established in 1921 and considered a leader in the manufacturing of construction and roofing products. A company that was instrumental in setting the guidelines for MTO Specifications, Government of Canada Armed Forces Specifications and General Industry Specifications. We have recently restructured operations and our manufacturing facilities to be more efficient in today's market."

There web site:

http://www.protectivebarriers.net/

PROTECTIVE BARRIERS INC. 6254 Skyway Rd. Smithville, Ontario, L0R 2A0 Phone: (905) 527-3458 Fax: (905) 527-0606 or by email: info@protectivebarriers.net

I found this from the minutes of the Corporate Administration Committee Wednesday, September 7, 2005

1. Payment Proposal – 350 Wentworth Street North (FCS05094) (City Wide, Ward 3) (Item 8.3)

(a) That the Treasurer accepts a tax payment settlement of $600,000 for the Brownfield Property known as 350 Wentworth Street North from Protective Barriers Incorporated (PBI), $300,000 immediately and $300,000 as a long- term receivable over 5 years at 5% interest;

(b) That the Treasurer be authorized to write-off $472,278.21 in penalties and interest, in return for PBI agreeing to spend at least the same amount in site remediation, over the next 5 years;

(c) That PBI pay all 2005 taxes immediately ($41,872.23) and all future current taxes as they become due;

(d) That Appendix “F” to FCS05094, “Results from Brownfield Initiatives”, be received for information.

Great work Matt!!! Keep going, you are doing a tremendous service for this community.

I called Protective Barriers on my lunch break. They claim not to own the building at 350 Wentworth St. North. If that claim is true, perhaps they should take the picture of it off their website.

They wouldn't say who owns the building, BTW. Is there a way to look up information on numbered companies?

How did this go unnoticed?

Quite easily. Hamilton's lower city has virtually been ignored (unless someone wants to open a new waste disposal plant) for the past number of years. It's easy for things to go unnoticed when nobody cares enough to take a look.

Keep up the great work Matt. It is VERY appreciated by all of us.

If one guy walking around the downtown area can find all this stuff in such a short timespan, just imagine how much more of it there actually is around!

It would seem that industries have been using Hamilton's core as a convenient hiding place for toxic waste for decades.

It's too bad we don't have a special FUND set aside in the city dedicated to cleaning up sites like this and revitalizing them with legacy projects for the FUTURE.

Comment edited by jason on 2010-07-26 11:43:09

I called Protective Barriers on my lunch break. They claim not to own the building at 350 Wentworth St. North. - John Neary

Hmmm??? That's dubious, but also somewhat irrelevant.

Considering they are (this is from their own website):

Specializing in Construction & Restoration products (including paint strippers, coal tar, creosote and steel primer) and Rustproofing products.

It is pretty clear who's material is in those drums and who left it there.

I called Protective Barriers on my lunch break.

+1 for crowdsourced journalism!

Excellent work Matt.

The fact that this site sits next to a City of Hamilton yard that is used daily is appalling. It seems our City employees are as blind to toxic waste as they are to designated heritage buildings tumbling to the ground, and as they are to obvious by-law infringements - ALL of which Matt Jelly has been able to see. Remarkable. Matt, I suggest we get somebody to put a motion before Council to pay you for the work you have done to protect this city!

Perhaps we could deduct the amount from the salaries of the General Managers and the City Manager? I'm sure they'd all be willing to chip in to help out a guy who just keeps his eyes open as he walks around town. A skill they seem to lack.

Keep up the remarkable service.

"It seems our City employees are as blind to toxic waste as they are to designated heritage buildings tumbling to the ground, and as they are to obvious by-law infringements - ALL of which Matt Jelly has been able to see."

Slightly off topic, but I heard a rumour that the building beside the Lister Block is coming down. Is that true??? I have not seen this reported anywhere.

"Hamilton's lower city has virtually been ignored (unless someone wants to open a new waste disposal plant) for the past number of years. It's easy for things to go unnoticed when nobody cares enough to take a look."

Exactly. This is how the downtown has been left to flounder.

'Use it...or lose it.'

A well deserved pat on the back to you Matt! What you're uncovering should put our city leaders to shame...I suspect this has a few folks sweating. Keep it up...awesome work.

By the way...when is the next bi-law crawl?

Matt, its' amazing that you can visit some site on a weekend, take pictures, then have a story on the Monday evening news, two weeks in a row! This almost seems like something from a comic book or Scooby-Doo episode. The crumbling heritage buildings were enough to get noticed by city hall, but this is so sensational that it's getting as much attention as could be hoped. You have struck a chord, from which the momentum could bring some real change. I wonder who will emerge as your adversaries? Or has Bratina already hired the Scorpion to track you down? Look out!

Don’t be so hard on the city workers. I have, over the years, been to the city building next door for business several times a year and it has always looked that way at 350 Wentworth. There has always been product stored all over the place. It looks normal for that location and many other locations in the city. If it is out of business, it is news to me. I could not tell the difference and I had no desire to go snooping around.

This almost seems like something from a comic book or Scooby-Doo episode.

"And we would have got away with it, too, if it weren't for that meddling musician and his blasted blog."

"There has always been product stored all over the place."

Whether or not it's there is somewhat irrelevant. The problem is the fact that it's improperly stored and if I'm not mistaken it's also illegal to have a property like that open i.e. no fencing.

Don’t be so hard on the city workers. I have, over the years, been to the city building next door for business several times a year and it has always looked that way at 350 Wentworth.

Yes, all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.

^...and this is why I keep coming back to RTH.

From the new Spec article on the subject:

http://thespec.com/News/Local/article/81...

"It's unclear if the inspectors enter the property during their visits."

Comment edited by Pxtl on 2010-07-27 11:21:44

..And I was shoked when heard from local guy "Hamilton is to dump". When I asked then, is it really so bad. He said "you have no idea".

While we, newcommers fell in love with the heritage of downtown, locals know something...

Matt, Reg, and all people who care here, you inspire !
May we'll have a clean air and waterfront at least for the kids living there.

I just saw the city order, dated a few days ago, at the Queen/Barton site, taped to the north wall.

'Bout flippin' time. Those barrels have been visible from the street for most of the last decade.

Way to go Jelly. Totally my hero.

I called the Hamilton Spectator after the last story ran, with the information about this site. They clearly passed it on to Matt, why I’m not sure, perhaps they didn’t believe it and couldn’t be bothered to check it out themselves. Perhaps Matt has a relationship with the Spec staff, who knows.

Regardless, to make out that Matt sleuthed out the site is disingenuous. He was given good information by a member of the public who couldn’t believe the big deal that was being made of the first site, when a far worse site existed only a few blocks away. That is the reason there was a second follow up story shortly after the first.

Good job on the story Matt, but don’t make out that you found the place. You followed clear and precise directions to the barrels. You could have admitted it. I’ll be more careful about who I pass information along to next time.

Tipster

Hey Tipster, my condolences. Sorry the Spec didnt jump all over the chance to film you saying "Hi Mom" on the evening news.

Good Stuff, Matt J.!

http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/...

LOVE IT!

Tipster, I'm having a bit of a hard time understanding what you're saying. Can you clarify this for me? I've been in contact with my anonymous tipster for the second site, and that's the only person who passed on info to me about this. Make no mistake- I've had the help of anonymous tips on this stuff, absolutely. I didn't do this alone.

I'd be glad to address any concerns you might have.

win jelly

Who cares if someone gave a tip?? Matt Jelly is the one who dragged his butt down there and had a photographer snap pics and report his findings on the news and made a presentation at the future fund meeting etc. Let's celebrate some awesome work done by a caring Hamiltonian.

Yeah, we should just shut up and trust the professionals, they're doing such a great job as it is. :P

Just read that $1 million worth of pot plants was also found inside the building?

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/articl...

Wow - toxic barrels outside and illegal drugs inside - well done Matt!!

Yup. Apparently, you're not free to do toxic things for your own body for fun and relaxation, but you are free to do toxic things to the bodies of your neighbours for profit. Yay capitalism!

Tipster- the person who tipped me off to this stuff requested to remain anonymous. In every interview I've done with the media, I've brought up that it was an anonymous tip forwarded to me- they didn't end up reflecting that in the pieces, but I've been clear about that from the start.

There is a serious concern of protecting my source- I spoke with the original tipster last night, and considering recent events, he/she still prefers to stay anonymous. I don't know who you are (another anonymous commenter), but I don't believe I received any information from you about this site- I got one tip and one tip alone.

Hopefully that answers your question.

Tip or no tip, Matt J actually did something. Without his story, photos and however many connections with the Spectator, I am relatively convinced that this matter would have remained ignored for years to come. So cutos to you Matt! The grow op find was icing on the cake and should be seen as an eye opener as other such sites likely exist.

One thing I think has been particularly overlooked is that the site on Wentworth North is the next door neighbour to the City of Hamilton's Operations Centre. Literally right next door. You know- where they have the call centre, where you call to report hazardous waste. Fucked, eh?

Thats messed up. I've been inside that building once and for some reason I only thought it was a service centre for city vehicles. What is also pretty fucked is the number of environmental disposal contractors in hamilton who don't even recycle.

Its good to see some old-time waste dumping is still occuring. Someone needs to counter the delusional collective trying to "save the world"