WHO WE ARE
Purchased from Lafarge Canada in 2008, the owners of Q Gardens (also known as Queenston Quarry Reclamation Company Ltd.) are Joe Lamanna (founder, The G&L Group), NOTL resident Angelo Butera (Panoramic Properties), and a small founders group led by NOTL resident, Frank Racioppo.
ABOUT THE SITE
The Queenston Quarry property is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, above St. Davids on the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, bounded by the brow of the Escarpment and Bruce Trail to the north, Bevan Heights residences to the west, Niagara Townline Road / Portage Road to the south, and Queenston Heights Park to the east.
Historically, the Queenston Quarry extended down to York Road; however, the Queenston Quarry donated 98 acres, consisting of all the natural and heritage features of the quarry such as the brow and bench of the escarpment, to Ontario Heritage Trust, which was later transferred to the Niagara Parks Commission.
Today, all lands to the north and east of the Queenston Quarry, including the Bruce Trail, are public lands under the stewardship of the Niagara Parks Commission.
SITE ACTIVITY SINCE 2006
We took possession of the Queenston Quarry in 2006 from Lafarge Canada and legal ownership in 2008. Lafarge elected to sell to us (from six other buyer proponents) as we presented the most attractive masterplan vision and environmental rehabilitation plan.
Since our possession in 2006, we have undertaken earth moving and rehabilitation with the objective to successfully achieve the highest/cleanest soil standard (i.e., the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks, Table 1 Standard). As well, since the 1950s, the Queenston Quarry obtained a Ministry of Environment permit to receive and stockpile foundry sand from various industrial foundry operations throughout Niagara.
Lafarge had recycled a portion of the foundry sand into asphalt and deep road base throughout Niagara. Since our ownership in 2008 with 200,000 tons remaining on-site, we screened and repurposed this foundry sand by screening and shipping it to cement plants across Ontario. The foundry sand is baked in kilns, which converts it to clinker, being the raw ingredient to make cement that is used to make concrete. We have repurposed and shipped all the foundry sand with only 15,000 tons remaining to ship out.
ANNOUNCEMENTS TO FOLLOW
History, Quarrying Activities, Approvals Processes, Community Input, Naturalization/Biodiversity Plan, Masterplan, Amenities, and Architecture.