COST OF CLEANING UP SITE SAID COMING NEXT WEEK

Site pollution and marijuana-smoking members of the Church of the Universe.

Those are the difficult issues faced by Cambridge city officials as they
try to decide what to do with the Kanmet site in Preston.

Officials expect to know next week the extent of contamination and the cost
of cleanup at the site which was once used as a foundry.

The city also wants to get the Church of the Universe and its pot-smoking
members off the site, but that's no quick or easy task.

John Long bought the Kanmet property for a dollar several years ago from
foundry operators anxious to dump the property and expensive environmental
problems associated with the site.

Now, Long owes the city $900,000 in back taxes and hydro bills.

He shares the property with the Church of the Universe, a group known for
using pot as a sacrament.

Last month council rejected a recommendation from staff that the city pay
Long $12,500 to vacate the site and turn the deed over to Cambridge.

In turn, the city would have sold the property to the Preston Branch of the
Royal Canadian Legion.

Both deals were subject to findings in an environment consultant's report.

Buying Long out would have been the quickest way to get rid of him and the
church members who have rankled residents.

But the plan failed to get the support of the councillors who vowed not to
put any money in Long's pocket.

Instead, the city decided to go ahead with a process that could eventually
see the city take over the property for back taxes.

But that process could take a year.