Saturday, August 24, 2013

Telus construction crew shell-shocked

By Dale Bass - Kamloops This Week Published: August 23, 2013 1:00 PM 
Ground-penetrating radar is being used on Friday, Aug. 23, at the Telus data-centre construction site in Kamloops after an unexploded ordinance was discovered.  Telus spokesman Shawn Hall said workers uncovered the device on Thursday, Aug. 22, and stopped digging. Authorities were called, the area was evacuated and the device, an old shell, was blown up later that day. The site off McGill Road, near the city's public-works yard, that will house the Telus data centre was once home to the military, who used bunkers in the area to store many materials. Hall said Telus was aware there was some likelihood the ground would reveal military weapons and other items when it identified it for the $75-million site. "But any site has previous history in the land," Hall said. "The site was well-screened for devices before construction and we are re-screening the area." Hall noted no one was ever at risk, the safety plan worked well, authorities responded quickly "and everything worked out the way it should." The centre is part of a $100-million investment by Telus in Kamloops to bring what it calls the fastest wireless technology in the world to life and expand its Optik TV footprint. It has created about 200 construction jobs and, once in operation, will add 75 permanent information-technology jobs.

No comments: