Notice of intent to make a determination

North Caribou Lake First Nation School – Public Comments Invited

April 18, 2020 – Indigenous Services Canada must determine whether the proposed North Caribou Lake First Nation School, located in North Caribou Lake First Nation is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, Indigenous Services Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination.

 

Written comments must be submitted by May 19, 2020 to:

Julieta Werner, Sr. Environment Officer

100 Anemki Place, Suite 101

Fort William First Nation, Ontario P7J 1A5

Julieta.werner@canada.ca

The Proposed Project

The construction of a new Kindergarten to Grade 12 school. The school site will be approximately 7.2 hectares in size with the school itself approximately 4,830 m² . The school is designed for 35 service years with opportunities for expansion of up to 500 students. The enrolment is projected to be 384 students by 2026. The project will involve the construction of the new school, extension of infrastructure and associated landscaping. The new school location is on the existing community baseball park, east of the new arena. The Site is 800 m northeast of the Band office and existing school site, 200 m from the new arena and adjacent to the community festival grounds.  

New service connections will be required for servicing the new school. Permanent infrastructure will include the extension of the community piped water distribution by means of a new 200 mm watermain approximately 220 m in length. This watermain will allow for both domestic use and for fire flow. A 200 mm gravity sewer line approximately 66 m in length will be installed along with a new lift station with design capacity for a future residential development.
Three fuel oil boilers will be used for heating the school and therefore the installation of a 65,000 L bulk fuel storage tank will be adjacent to the school. The fuel tank will be a steel, double-walled tank with overfill prevention located in a steel, geosynthetic membrane lined secondary containment with capacity of 100% tank volume. It will be protected by concrete filled steel bollards and fenced. In addition, a 1,135 L day tank will be installed within the mechanical mezzanine to serve the boilers as there is a limit on fuel quantity stored in a building. Additional outdoor features will include lighting, playground equipment, benches, community garden and a firepit.

 Project activities will include mobilizing to the Site, with initial pre-planning activities to include surveying, site grading and overall site preparation. Local materials will be utilized for the construction including the use of a crushing plant. Local equipment, operators and fuel are to be maximized where possible. After building excavation, the construction of the school will occur.
Phase 1 will be the senior classroom wing foundation work in which footings, pads and piers will be constructed followed by forming and pouring grade beams followed by pouring the slab on grade. Phase 2 is the gymnasium and administration wing and will be started upon completion of Phase 1 grade beams following the steps. Phase 3 includes the intermediate classroom wing and Phase 4, the junior wing. Each phase will follow the same steps as the one before it including slab insulation, mechanical and electrical through-slab penetrations and in-floor heat pipe installation along with structural steel erection, steel joists and decking. This will be followed by exterior wall framing and insulation. Once the building is closed in, interior work will commence including framing, mechanical and electrical and drywall.
Outdoor landscaping will include two softball fields, a multipurpose athletic field, outdoor rink/basketball court, gravel and concrete pathways with a chain link perimeter fence.
On-site parking will include two lots, electrified staff and visitor lot with 35 and 30 stalls, respectively and a second, afterhours parking lot located adjacent to the sporting fields with a capacity of 30 stalls. In addition, a bus loop will be located at the front of the school with direct access from the community road. Construction of a 80 m³ storage building with a heated skate change portion adjacent to the outdoor rink.