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Newsletter - September 2016

Date

ROBERTSON HEADFRAME APPEAL

Come to City Hall at 7:00 pm on October 6 to show your support appealing a development permit to bring down the Robertson headframe at Con Mine. Anyone wishing to make representations at these hearings should notify the Secretary of the Appeal Board at 920 5646 by 12:00 noon of Oct.6. Thanks to all those who have signed the petition both in person and online. Visit the Facebook page SAVE THE FRAME for more information.

GIANT MINE REMEDIATION

The good news: our outdoor display is back on track – literally – as the geotechnical drilling at the Giant Mine townsite has been completed and the government agreed to move most of our machinery back on the mine rails around the boat launch parking lot. The display has come back together nicely and with new interpretive signs and some new pieces of machinery the equipment display is looking really good. The bad news: The old A-shaft headframe at Giant Mine was demolished during September 2016. Although the Society had tried to save it and our plans initially included keeping the headframe as a monument, the government said it was in bad shape and it had to come down. Also demolished were the associated hoist room and the curling rink, also in the townsite area. We were allowed to salvage pieces of the A-shaft hoist before it was taken down. The A-shaft powerhouse still remains standing and we continue to lobby the Giant Mine remediation team to keep it standing until a plan can be made to preserve it in place, or at least its diesel engines.

OLD BROCK HEADFRAME SAVED

The NWT Mining Heritage Society took part in the saving of the Brock shaft headframe in May 2016. It was moved by loader to the mining museum site down at the Boat Launch Parking Lot where it has been added to our outdoor display exhibits.

The delicate move was successful thanks to Weatherby Trucking Limited and their support of the Society's attempts to save one of the historic mine headframes in Yellowknife. The Brock shaft was built in 1939 over one of the early high grade gold veins at Giant Mine. The Society plans to restore it. For more information on how you can help with this project, please contact us and consider donating to the Society.

SOCIETY AGM

UPDATED: The annual general meeting of the NWT Mining Heritage Society will be held at the Baker's Senior Centre on October 14, 2016 in Yellowknife, starting at 6pm. Come down to hear more updates from the Society’s board of directors and renew your membership.

SITE WORK PARTY

Thanks to Walt Humphries, Helmut Epp, Ryan Silke, and Pamela Taylor for coming out on a rainy evening to do a bit of cleanup at the outdoor display site. We cleared brush, picked up trash, and installed new interpretive signs around our machinery displays. This work makes our display area a safe and friendly place for residents and visitors to enjoy.

BEER BARGE 2016

The 2016 Beer Barge was a resounding success and we could not have done it without you! Thanks for keeping the tradition alive!

Sponsors and Supporters: Canadian North, Great Slave Helicopters, Tlicho Landtran Transport, Quality Furniture, Northern Frontier Visitors Association, East Arm Freighting, Superior Propane, Bottomline PR, Territorial Beverages Ltd., Dave Smith, Fran Hurcomb, Klause Schoenne of Tru Value Hardware, Joy Watt and Lynn Elkin of Ptarmigan Productions, Barb O’Neill, Weaver and Devore, Yvonne Quick, Pido Productions Ltd., Diamante Catering, Kavanaugh Bros Ltd., Event Rentals Yellowknife, NWT Brewing Co., Ryan Silke, YK Downtown Liquor Store, Philip Lewis

Performers: Willie MacCalder and Radium King, The Committed

Our Volunteers: John Clark, David Finch, Sarah Carr-Locke, Adam Vivian, Phillip Lewis, Allison Lewis, Jacob Krass, Wendy Bisaro, Toni Auge, Joe Auge, Norah Higden, Walt Humphries, Terry Warner, Ron Kapicki, Marie Francois Le Doze, Pam Strand, Diane Baldwin, Nancy Silver, Barb O’Neill, Kathi Woodward, Mike Vaydik, Jack Olson, Donna Latremouille, Marie Adams, Ryan Silke

Our board of directors and coordinator Tracey Bryant. Our outstanding emcee Loren McGinnis and auctioneer Tony Whitford. A special thanks to Fran Hurcomb, Dave Smith and the Barge Crew, and Max Ward for the use of his dock!