Work was underway at the site of a $500-million redevelopment project on Oak Park Road on Tuesday.
But at least one Six Nations man still has questions about the ownership of the land being redeveloped by King and Benton. And he remains concerned about what type of industry is being planned for the site.
"They're spending all that money on all these things to protect the environment," Steve Powless said Tuesday. "I have to wonder what kind of industry is going in there. What kind of industry needs all of that protection?"
Powless, who has been living in a teepee near the site of the Hampton Inn project in the city's northwest industrial park, made the comments after being asked about King and Benton's decision to resume working.
The project was shut down on Aug. 5 after more than 100 natives, including the Haudenosaunee Men's Fire of the Six Nations, visited the site and raised several environmental concerns. King and Benton president Steve Charest announced Monday that work on the project has resumed and that issues raised by the men's fire had been addressed.
The Oak Park project is a redevelopment of a former gravel pit into a commercial/ industrial centre. The project is expected to generate 5,000 jobs with an annual payroll of $150-$200 million.
In a statement issued Monday, Charest outlined the numerous environmental safeguards he has implemented at the site as well as the numerous consultations he has held with both native and non-native groups.
"I just as soon he not do that project on that site at all," Powless said. "If it's such a great project, he should take it somewhere else.
"Why doesn't he take to the former Massey site. We'd all love that. Then he'd be doing everyone a favour by cleaning it up."
Powless said he was made aware of environmental concerns by Ilse Kraemer, who gave him some documents relating to the King and Benton site. Kraemer, who couldn't be reached for comment on Tuesday, is a former member of the Northwest Gateway Park Steering committee.
Charest said in his release Monday, that the information provided to the Men's Fire was outdated and part of a 2002 report done by Nelson Aggregate, the previous owner of the Oak Park site.
The information presented a dated and inaccurate picture of the current condition of the site, he said.
Charest said he has tried on numerous occasions to meet with the steering committee and its successor, the environmental policy advisory committee, to address any concerns. He said his attempts to arrange meetings with the steering committee for the past two years have been unsuccessful.