Former refinery and community reopens as a park
Posted Dec 2, 2019 12:33 pm.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – It was once an oil refinery, then a community, and now Lynnview Ridge is officially a park in southeast Calgary.
The community of Lynnview Ridge was evicted and demolished in the ’90s after it became clear the soil was contaminated.
Following years of remediation work, the city hoped to have the park open last year but it was delayed because native plants and grasses took longer than expected to take root.
“We’re happy to be opening the site now,” said Environmental Specialist Jeff Swingler. “The environmental component will continue to operate more of a background role.”
The City of Calgary quietly opens former community of Lynnview Ridge as a public park.
The fences have come down & visitors can stroll through the grass that was once front lawns, sidewalks, driveways and over 160 families homes. https://t.co/kWK2HV7I2Y pic.twitter.com/b1LPGgh7SU
— Laura Combden (@LauraCombden) November 19, 2019
Swingler says a 1.5km sub surface barrier wall will prevent hydro carbons from entering the Bow River.
“There’s a groundwater treatment system in place now, there’s pumping wells to route the groundwater back to the treatment system which cleans the groundwater.”
The land will be monitored for the next 15 years and is now under the purview of Calgary parks.
It’s now formally known as part of Old Refinery Park.
