'HISTORICAL RAIL CART' PIECES PULLED FROM HARBOUR

While dredging of the harbour continues as part of the Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) cleanup, efforts recently uncovered another rare sunken find: a "historical rail cart."

Residents may recall harbour cleanup efforts in the past resulted in cars pulled from the water.

The cleanup kicked off back in November 2019 with a "dredger's skilful removal of a decades-old car" from the water. At the time, staff noted it was possible the vehicle could've been connected to the 1980s flood of the Ganaraska River — and, in this instance, this car miraculously came out in one piece.

More recently, in March, PHAI staff confirmed another interesting find in "dredged material" after "pieces of a historical rail cart," were recovered.

"Yes, we do find a number of items of interest during the dredging process," shared Shernette Muccuth Henry, manager of public communication for the historic waste program here, on behalf of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), in response to inquiries about the rail cart.

"The cars were part of the larger items found in the earlier phase of mechanical dredging. We now alternate between hydraulic and mechanical dredging using a clam shell bucket on an excavator to scoop sediment for processing.

"We typically find items as expected: large boulders, buoys and junk. Recently, though, we found a lock and the rail cart that we shared with the public for human interest," said Muccuth Henry, referring to a recent social media post, which included an image of the cart and pieces.

"No archeological significance was identified for both these items," noted Muccuth Henry.

Back at the start of dredging (just after October 2019), CNL staff noted they were expecting to uncover some "fascinating sunken finds" within the sediment once removed amid cleanup efforts. There was talk of everything from vehicles, to appliances and buoys.

After the old car was pulled from the harbour, a

project co-ordinator at the time shared that the team knew there was at least one car down in the harbour based on a bathymetry survey completed. The removal of historic waste from the harbour was also described as "one of the most complex aspects of the PHAI."

"We continue to work with archeologists to determine if any item found is considered to have archeological

significance," explained Muccuth Henry. "If yes, the team tries to decontaminate it, and if successful, it is donated to a historical or cultural organization.

"If items are not historically or culturally significant, they are stored in the long-term waste management facility with other contaminated debris."

Work in the Port Hope

Harbour is now expected to continue until 2025, when the centre pier — now used as the staging area for sediment processing — will be cleaned up, noted Muccuth Henry.

"The entire project is expected to be completed in 2027."

Muccuth Henry noted staff also plan to host a public information session in March offering a more general update on all PHAI projects. More details are supposed to be shared soon.

The PHAI is centred around the "long-term, safe management of historic low-level radioactive waste" in the municipalities of Port Hope and Clarington; through the historic waste program management office, CNL is implementing the project on behalf of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., a federal Crown corporation.

More info about harbour cleanup and the project is accessible via phai.ca.