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Nanaimo memorial honours sacrifices of island miners

Jul 18, 2017 | 5:17 PM

NANAIMO — A formal tribute to the estimated 1,000 men who died working in Vancouver Island’s dangerous coal mining industry has been officially unveilled south of Nanaimo.

A miners’ memorial plaque now stands at Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park off Morden Rd., after a fundraising effort by the Friends of Morden Mine Society (FOMMS) generated $10,000.

Vancouver Island coal historian and author T.W. Paterson wrote the memorial message etched into the stone plaque near the 104-year-old concrete structure.

“I wanted something that represented not just Morden, but all of the coal miners on Vancouver Island, and by that I mean their families as well, so we’re talking thousands.”

FOMMS past president Eric Ricker told NanaimoNewsNOW most people don’t realize Vancouver Island’s economy was dominated by coal for 80 years.

“Many of the communities of the island exist only because of coal and that includes Ladysmith, Extension, Nanaimo, Lantzville, all of these communities are there because of coal,” Ricker said.

He said coal mining killed more than 600 men in the Nanaimo-area alone. A plaque at Morden Mine is a small token of appreciation for people who took great risks to create a future for their families, he said.

“It’s important to wean ourselves off it now, but we shouldn’t forget the people involved in mining…A very costly effort with thousands of people dying.”

While hopeful, Ricker is skeptical a new provincial government can help save the deteriorating 74-foot-high Morden Mine. He said longtime local NDP MLAs Doug Routley and Leonard Krog have supported saving the mine.

“My guess is it would be a very difficult thing to do with the party barely in power, it couldn’t be a priority.”

Ricker said a 2014 engineering study on restoring the mine pegged the cost of repairs at $3 million.

Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park was transferred into provincial government control in 1972.

 

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes