“They came out did test holes in the whole area we purchased,” Swanson explained, saying there was one spot they could not enter at the time due to its agricultural use. “The rest of it they did a few basic holes and determined there’s gravel there, a sizeable amount of gravel.”
The spot has been used for gravel in the past, including by Boissevain-Morton, but in the well-used pit, it is too light. However, the floor of that area has good, rocky gravel. As Poulin explained, the issue had been how to excavate it. There is a high water table there, so operators have not found it feasible to access.
This is not a problem right now, as Glacial have equipment using a dragline and bucket that can extract it. Then it can be laid out and dried before it is crushed.
“With the new technology of the day, (Glacial) indicated there is enough gravel for 15 years in the floor of the one pit.”
As good as this is, it could be better. Now the municipality owns the property, Glacial will be coming out to test again. The idea is to see where there is more gravel. What direction should Boissevain-Morton dig in the future to find the best quality and most abundant material?
Poulin said they would be looking at different areas on the north side of the property for sources. There are a lot of oak trees there, which usually have gravel underneath. They will particularly be looking to the east of the existing spot.
“That’s why we’re doing this second round of testing, to see out of this area to the east, to see which is the best way to go, and/or how much gravel is there,” Poulin explained. “Is there a pile all the way through? We’ll get more clarity on that.”
Poulin added they have already identified an area where they feel there could be some coarse gravel for the future. Hopefully there will be more. He said the idea is to figure out what and where the assets really are, which Glacial can determine. Could the finer gravel in the existing pit, which would need rock to make it work, be left aside as a kind of insurance policy, while they give priority to the “good stuff” elsewhere? Will they mix gravel from different parts to get the right recipe for their roads? These are the questions they will want answered by further tests.
The access to gravel is one important factor. Poulin added cost. Right now, he said, they are paying about $27 a yard from their suppliers. Even when paying the $500,000 for the land, and the anticipated extraction from Glacial, they expect it could drop to $11-12 a yard. This could mean the municipality would be able to rebuild or refurbish more roads than they have done in the recent past.
“Owning our own gravel allows us to control how much we put on our roads,” Swanson stated. “It has to be hauled from outside. It’s been really tight, and the roads are the most important things with the rural entity. They understand that, and we understand that. We put a lot of thought into this. We are very lucky there is a company that has the technology that allows us to use this.”
Poulin added once they find out how much gravel they are sitting on, they might decide it will be used for the whole municipality. On the other hand, they might find it is better to have another source for more distant spots. At any rate, this could at least give them the option.
Excavating will bring up gravel, clay and sand. All of those are useful, and perhaps some could be sold to other municipalities. Boissevain-Morton would always be the number one priority, especially with gravel. The plan is also to rehabilitate land when digging is done. There is also an area that is rented to a local producer.
In the future, the municipality might be able to do more of the process themselves, which could drop the price per yard even more while supporting local workers.
Boissevain-Morton will be buying gravel for a while yet, as the site will not be ready for a couple of years.
The next step is another round of testing, which is scheduled for next month. The company has a sample of the kind of gravel the municipality wants, so they know what they are looking for. The results will point the direction, literally, the development will go. Right now, the floor of the pit is worth the purchase price. Early indications are this could be a very big deal.
“I think this is a really good investment for our municipality,” Swanson stated. “This was the first opportunity that came along where we were able to purchase the land. That was the game changer right there. Knowing there is different technology makes it better.”
by PAUL RAYNER
Recorder staff