Tag Archives: baker investigations

Baker District archaeological and environmental investigations start mid-July

Work will occur in rotation throughout the Baker Street parking lot The City is completing archaeological and environmental investigations as part of the work to redevelop the Baker Street parking lot into a unique mixed-use development. The triangular block that is currently the Baker Street municipal parking lot was the site of an all-faith cemetery from 1827-1853. The City is working with experts to complete the archaeological investigations which must be completed before environmental investigations can begin. City staff has worked with Guelph Police Services, the coroner’s office, Woodlawn Memorial Park, and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, among others, to ensure that we have response plans and coordination in place should we find any remains or bone fragments. To ensure that human remains… Continue reading Baker District archaeological and environmental investigations start mid-July

Province clears Baker Street site where bone fragments found in October

Guelph, Ont., December, 12, 2016—The City received approval from the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services to resume the Baker Street excavation where bone fragments were discovered in October. The excavation has been filled and the road has been fully reopened. The City is working with its archeological consultant, Stantec, on the re-interment of the bones at Woodlawn Memorial Park. The City completed the removal of the attendant booths in the Baker Street parking lot in November. No additional remains were found during this work. Archaeologists were on site throughout the booth removal in case any evidence of human remains were found during the work. Paving and line painting were completed in the Baker Street lot, and on the street where the booths were removed.… Continue reading Province clears Baker Street site where bone fragments found in October

Archaeological assessment of site where bone fragments found starts Friday

Guelph, Ont., October, 27, 2016—Tomorrow, Stantec will start an archeological assessment of the site underneath Baker Street where City workers discovered bone fragments earlier this month. The assessment will determine the presence or absence of further unmarked grave shafts or human remains and any other cultural material at the site. Stantec expects to be on site for about a week. A licensed archeologist will excavate the area of the initial discovery by hand. All soil will be screened through fine cloth to  recover any cultural material or human remains. The bone fragments that were removed from the site by the forensics unit will also be assessed. Once the City has a report from the archaeological assessment, it will declare the nature of the site. If the… Continue reading Archaeological assessment of site where bone fragments found starts Friday

Bone fragments found in section of buried tunnel under Baker Street

Discovery made during water shut off for parking booth removal Guelph, Ont., October, 17, 2016—The City unearthed bone fragments from underneath Baker Street while turning off water to the Baker Street parking lot booths today. The water shut off for the booths is located beneath the road in a section of old tunnel that has been closed off on either side of the road. The fragments were found when staff went into the tunnel to turn the water off. “We have no other information about the bone fragments at this time, including their origin,” noted Allister McIlveen, manager of Transportation Services for the City. “We have called the coroner and an archaeologist and are awaiting their arrival on site. We will provide an update when… Continue reading Bone fragments found in section of buried tunnel under Baker Street