Parents of children attending Base31’s summer camp found out last week that a small patch of soil in the Sensory Garden exceeded provincial standards for lead.

Base31 informed parents of children at the camp that the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Change, and Parks “found that the soil within, and in close proximity to, the Sensory Garden has lead levels that exceed the provincial standards.”

The contamination appears to be from the old lead paint on Building 3, which houses the art galleries Melt and Maison de Poivre, flaking off and leaching into the soil. The Sensory Garden is a prime location for children’s play at Base31 and shares a wall with Building 3.

“We’re treating it really seriously, as we need to do,” said CEO Tim Jones. “We’re following exactly what Public Health has prescribed. We will be testing the ground around the building beyond the area located by MECP. We will establish the distance out from the perimeter that needs to be remedied.”

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) issued a Community Health Protection Order on August 2 . It included several mitigation strategies for the potential health threat. Following the directives, the Base installed a fence around the building in those areas where the ministry found elevated lead in the soil. The fence “ensures children and members of the public can’t touch the exterior surface of Building 3 or the soil directly adjacent to the building,” according to the Health Order.

Public Health also asked for ground cover over the affected area, information provided on the Base31 website, and that signage at the Sensory Garden inform visitors. 

The Base stressed that Public Health did not require the Sensory Garden to be closed to the public, and that they are following all Public Health recommendations while re-orienting camp activities to different areas.

Shelly Brown of HPEPH explained that reducing possible exposure to the areas where lead was detected is the most important remedy. She noted that follow-up testing is not required once the measures are in place.

Mr. Jones noted that based on his experience in a wide variety of projects involving the renovation of older sites, “any building that was constructed before 1980 that has painted surfaces likely has lead paint. You find it in hospitals and schools and public buildings; in any old house. It’s not a not a surprise to discover something like this when we renovate a building. Containment and removal are all part of the process of upgrading.”

“It’s part of the ongoing management of these historic buildings,” noted the Base’s Liz Kohn. At each stage of development, permits and rezoning require different kinds of testing. “We are renovating one building at a time. The list of consultants or government officials that we consult with at any one stage is long.

“There is a very specific process that happens before a building is inhabited by the public. We undertake to ensure that it’s up to the standards. And then each building is assessed again, over time, as it is developed.” 

Updates will be posted to the Base31 website.