London considers spending almost $100K on beautification plan for city dump

A report to the Civic Works Committee (CWC) recommends council authorize funding for the development of a ‘beautification plan’ for the W12A Landfill property on Manning Drive in south London.

“What else could we bring to the area that makes it more attractive?” said Jay Stanford, director of Climate Change, Environment, and Solid Waste. “It would encourage people to come out to the area, so we've [proposed] a beautification plan.”

The proposal stems from a recommendation by the W12A Public Liaison Committee.

The group represents neighbours of the landfill and oversees a Mitigative Measures Fund (MMF) that receives a small portion of tipping fees.

The report says beautifying the property around the dump aims "…to provide attractive opportunities and views for the local community and visitors to appreciate the area from a visual perspective (i.e., when passing by) and/or enjoy the area should it be considered a destination site."

Councillors are being asked to authorize the use of $60,000 from the MMF.

Up to $35,000 more would come from the municipal budget.

Stanford said the agricultural fields would remain, but the 8.5-kilometre perimeter of the city-owned lands (and some wooded areas) could be enhance for public use.

Map of the city-owned property around the W12A Landfill. (Source: City of London)

“When you look at land that is just on the inside the boulevard area, it represents the opportunity to have walking trails, parkettes, perhaps a commemoration to celebrate the area [because] it was the former Town of Westminster,” he explained.

“This is what those residents would like to see done,” said Coun. Elizabeth Peloza, who represents the area.

“That's their neighborhood. That's their home. That's where they live,” she asserted. “They did not ask for this landfill. It was put there by the city and this is part of the fund to allow them to enjoy their neighborhood.”

Tammy Zarski has spent 14 years living across the road from the landfill.

“I love it. We're out [in the yard] all the time enjoying, firepits and our swimming pools,” Zarski said about the rural area, but she thinks the beautification project seems unnecessary.

“I kind of think that's a waste of money,” she said. “Who’s going to go walking pathways near the dump? I don't think they will.”

According to a recent Environmental Assessment, the long-term plan for the W12A Landfill will significantly increase its height and provide the City of London with capacity until 2048.

“The final contours will be about 25 metres higher than they are now. And so when you think about planting trees--they take years to grow,” Stanford added.

The Civic Works Committee will consider authorizing funds to launch a design process at its meeting on Oct. 2.