Chicken plant seeks approval for move

The impending departure of a chicken slaughtering plant won’t be mourned by its longtime Ramsay neighbours.

Once a lightning rod for complaints over noise, odours and traffic when it operated under the Lilydale name, the 60-year-old facility is seeking city approval to set up shop in a southeast industrial area 3.5 kilometres from Douglasdale, the homes nearest to it.

Current operators Sofina Foods reached an agreement last June with the city to sell the site to make way for the proposed Green Line LRT route. City administrators, who’ve recommended the Calgary planning commission on Thursday approve the new location at 6202 106th Ave. S.E. in the Dufferin North industrial park, note Lilydale sold the facility to Sofina Foods in 2010.

An ammonia leak at the site in September 2009 forced nearby residents to flee their homes.

Since then, a city report said neighbours’ concerns over the plant’s presence have been largely quelled due to better communication with residents, deodorizers and sound attenuation walls.

Sofina’s been a model corporate citizen, said John Holt, President of the Ramsay Community Association. “It’s been a completely different experience,” said Holt.

Currently, the Sofina plant in Ramsay employees 500 people and can process 9,000 chickens an hour — production that’s expected

to increase at the new location.

While no residential communities nearest the proposed site have lodged complaints, city officials say they’ve received three letters of concern from land owners in the industrial area concerned the plant’s presence isn’t suitable.

But given its state-of-the-industry design, “a lot of the concerns of the adjacent owners would be addressed,” said Doug Cassidy, the director of the city ’s real estate and development services.

The plan is to shut the current facility in 2020 just as the new one is completed, he said.

If it’s approved by the planning commission, the proposal would go before council in May.