Miners’ memories: Former coal miners gather for reunion in New Waterford, N.S.

Former Cape Breton coal miners come together for a reunion – to meet with others who worked underground.

Former coal miners gathered in New Waterford, N.S., Tuesday for a reunion.

Organizers say just shy of 90 men who once worked underground gathered at the New Waterford Fire Hall in the former mining town.

“You’ve got to realize that the mines closed here 25 years ago,” said retired miner Bob Burchell. “A lot of these guys haven’t seen their buddies since 25 years.”

“Funny stories of things that happened underground, or maybe stories of things that weren’t so funny that went on underground that people worked through, found a solution for,” said retired coal miner George Muise.

When the Prince Mine in Point Aconi, N.S., closed back in 2001 it was the end of an era that stretched back generations.

In more recent years, coal was produced again at the Donkin Mine but that too has sat idle for some time.

Some of the former miners gathered on Tuesday said the industry may be over for good on the Island.

“I’m very doubtful,” said Burchell. “They’re talking now about doing away with coal-fired power plants. I don’t see it happening to be honest with you.”

The reunion’s organizing committee was led by staff at the New Waterford Library who felt it was important to get the men back together while they still could.

“Because everybody’s getting older, but today every miner here was back when they were in their early 20s, when they first worked at Lingan,” said organizing committee member Agnes Martell. “I didn’t look at age. I looked at the young miners again and the look in their eyes, just to see their fellow buddies – it’s pretty amazing.”

The reunion went well enough that another one has already been planned for Feb. 24 – which also happens to be a sombre anniversary in Cape Breton’s coal mining history. On that day in 1979, 12 men died in an accident at No. 26 Colliery in Glace Bay, N.S.

“I actually worked at 26 Colliery and I was working the night of the explosion. So, it’s actually very fitting to have the social on that particular day,” said Muise.

Organizers hope the reunion can be replicated in other former Nova Scotia mining towns like Glace Bay and Sydney Mines.

For now, there is optimism for an even bigger turn out in New Waterford for the next event.

“Every miner that was here today is taking another one with them at the next one on Feb. 24,” said Martell.

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