Construction of Orillia's multi-million-dollar recreation complex could be underway by spring if the province gives the thumbs-up to a crucial safety plan, the project's manager said this week.

Lori Koughan is "cautiously optimistic" that a twice-rejected risk assessment for the contaminated West Street property will this time win the approval of Ontario's Environment Ministry.

Ministry staff has already reviewed two of the four sections that required further work, Koughan noted.

"We had two very technical meetings with the (ministry) to make sure our consultants understood the nature of the comments and what they were looking for," she added.

 "They did a pre-review and then commented back on that. It was very positive."

The risk assessment is used to determine the impacts of the underground contaminants and proposes measures to ensure the protection of human health and the environment.   

The reworked document, which had been turned down as inadequate on two previous occasions, was resubmitted to the province last week.

"The ministry has up to 22 weeks to complete their review," Koughan said. "Having said that, they indicated that they would endeavor to complete their review within six to eight weeks. That would take us to mid-January.."

A decision to shift the building to the westerly portion of the site resulted in revised drawings, which are now being reviewed by the city's building department.

Were the risk assessment to receive an approval from the province early in the new year, "We would be ready to go to tender," Koughan added.

"Hopefully, in the spring, we would be breaking ground, if everything gets approved," she said.

An approval from the province would allow the city's consultants to prepare the necessary certificate of property use, which sets out the terms of the risk assessment.

A record of site condition would then be registered with the ministry, Koughan said.

Resident Jim Tolnai is decidedly less optimistic, charging that the revised document fails to address concerns over the migration of chemicals located at the bedrock level.

"No matter where they put the footprint, this stuff could be down there," he said. "Personally, I don't think they will get the approval."

Council recently approved close to $300,000 for the initial phase of a plan to address chemicals that migrated from the site to neighbouring properties.

Consultants estimate that carrying out the full plan will cost between $1 million and $4.4 million over three years.