A real estate developer working in downtown Victoria blames the recent “falling of the soil” on his construction site in the wetter than mid-spring BC experienced this year.
Chard Development Ltd said in a statement Wednesday that it first learned of the slide in the northwest corner at its excavation site near the corner of Cook and Johnson streets on Sunday (June 12th).
“The crews were called to the scene immediately to assess the situation and begin stabilization work,” the company said. “No structural damage was caused to neighboring properties and the site has since stabilized.”
A spokesman for WorkSafeBC confirmed to CTV News in an email that its employees had visited the site and issued an order to stop the excavation.
Neighboring business Gemi Hair shared photos of the slide on its Facebook page, saying WorkSafeBC has banned its employees from entering the building due to the collapse of the construction site.
The salon said it hoped to reopen on Monday, June 20th.
Chard said his excavations at the site “follow the strict guidelines of certified geotechnical engineers” and said he was not worried about possible further downturns. “As always, our priority has been and continues to be the safety of people on and around the site,” Byron Chard, the company’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
“Our team of geotechnical engineers and other professionals – as well as the owner of the neighboring property – are working quickly and together to secure the site, assess the situation, minimize the decline and stabilize the property.
Excavations at the site began in December 2021. Chard Development said an “early assessment” of the incident suggested that unusually humid weather was a contributing factor.
The site is the future home of the apartment buildings of the company Nest and Haven. Nest is a planned 12-story apartment tower in Cook and Yates, and Haven is a six-story building on Johnson Street.
Add Comment