Servicing Work Resumes at Cleantech Commons

Milestone developments are starting to take shape at Trent University as work resumes in mid-September to bring servicing to Cleantech Commons, Canada’s premier cleantech destination. Before the work was approved, the City of Peterborough worked with Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and Otonabee Conservation on aspects such as natural heritage, ground water conditions, tree preservation, stormwater management, species at risk and other environmental considerations. (A full list of studies is available at the City of Peterborough’s project site.)

Internal Site Servicing

Internal servicing of the Cleantech Commons property is a milestone in the project that dates back to 2006 when the idea of creating an innovation park emerged as part of Trent University's Lands Plan.

Municipal services that were extended to the property are now being connected to future sites within Cleantech Commons. With this completion of this phase of the project, the site will be ready to take shape, turning the vision of Canada's premier green technology, employment and innovation destination into reality.

Wetland Evaluation Report

Trent University welcomes the completion of the Nassau Wetland Complex Wetland Evaluation Report by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, which has deemed the Nassau Wetland Complex to be a new provincially significant wetland. The master plan for Cleantech Commons anticipated these findings, and Otonabee Conservation directed and reviewed environmental studies to determine the appropriate setback to protect these important natural systems on our campus.

What You Will See Happening on the Site

The City of Peterborough has provided the following schedule and will update their website as the project proceeds to explain what is happening on the site.

• Mid September - There will be soil testing and further surveying of the site. Testing sites will be located and marked. An excavator will be digging 31 holes for soil testing, which will each be between 3.6 metres and two metres deep. Each of the holes will be filled back up when not being used. Four to six test tubes will be installed among the 31 holes at a time. The soil testing will be taking place along the route where internal roads will be built on the site.
• Early October - Work starts with setting up environmental protection features, such as erosion and sediment controls, to prevent sediment from washing off-site and into ditches, streams, watercourses or storm sewers.
• Ongoing - Monitoring by Otonabee Region Conservation Authority.
• Fall 2020 - Expected completion

Leadership in Sustainability

The City of Peterborough and Trent University are also building sustainable design elements into the plans for Cleantech Commons, such as low-impact development standards for storm water management.

Cleantech Commons will host a cluster of companies and start-up enterprises in the fields of clean technology, water, environmental services, advanced material sciences biotechnology, medical and health products, agri-food and agri-business, and information and communications technologies.