1. When Nature and Humans Collide

2. Love Canal Neighbourhood in Niagara Falls, New York
Covers 36 square blocks in far S.E. corner of the city (along 99th Street & Read Ave.)
Bergholtz Creek to N. & Niagara River (1/4 mile) to S.

3. Love Canal
1890’s Wm. T. Love wanted to build a canal connecting 2 levels of Niagara River
Supply area with Hydro - for industrial use

4. Love Canal
Congress passed regulation - no water removed from Niagara River (preserve Niagara Falls)
Love wanted shipping lane to bypass N.F. & reach L. Ontario
Envisioned urban area --> Model city

5. Love Canal
Plan was to build a system of beautiful parks and homes along L. Ontario
Love only built 1.6km of canal (15m wide & 3-12m deep)
Plan abandoned as Love ran out of $$$$

6. Love Canal
Canal filled with water - used for recreation (swimming, skating)
1920’s - site used as dump for city of N.F.
1940’s - Hooker Electrochemical Company granted permission by Niagara Power & Development Company to dump its waste into Love Canal

7. Love Canal Canal drained - lined with clay
55 gallon metal or fibre barrels
Site in operation for 10 years (1952)
22,000 tons chemicals from manufacturing of dyes, perfumes, solvents for rubber and synthetic resins added
1947 Hooker bought canal and 70’ wide banks on either side

8. Love Canal 1952 canal covered with dirt and Vegetation started to grow
N.F. school board wanted to buy a piece of the canal site to build new school
Hooker said No & brought School board to site - drilled holes to show toxic chemical
Finally Hooker sold property for $1

9. Love Canal
Hooker (April 28th, 1953) included a 17 line caveat explaining dangers of building on site & releasing them from any legal obligations
1955-school completed & 400 students began to attend
Same year - 25’ area crumbled exposing toxic chemical drums - filled with rainwater and children played in

10. Love Canal 1957 construction of housing near the canal began
Residents moved in not knowing the dangers that lay beneath them
Clay cover began to crack (wet winter) canal became a overflowing pool --> people reported puddles of oil or coloured liquid in basements & backyards

11. Love Canal
1978 Lois Gibbs began to survey neighbourhood regarding health of children
High cases of miscarriages (56% of children born with defect of some kind)
1979 Environmental Protection Agency declared found 33% of pop. Had chromosome damage (where 1% is avg)

12. Love Canal 1980 - 800 families relocated Houses & school demolished
Clay & plastic covered site, material from demolished houses and school placed on top
Fenced in area to keep people out

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