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My Take on Snow Lake – June 1, 2018

Snow Lake Mining Museum welcomes guests for Mining Week celebrations
From left to right, Snow Lake Mining Museum board chairperson Paul Hawman, deputy mayor of Snow Lake
From left to right, Snow Lake Mining Museum board chairperson Paul Hawman, deputy mayor of Snow Lake Peter Roberts, Flin Flon/Snow Lake MLA Tom Lindsay, Lalor Mine manager of technical services and business development Tony Scheres, MacLean Engineering branch co-ordinator for Snow Lake operations Jamie Strelezki.

The Snow Lake Mining Museum observed Provincial Mining Week as they always do … with an afternoon of celebration that primes them for their official opening later in June. The event took place between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the afternoon of May 25.

Mining, being central to Snow Lake’s families and its economy, brings people together in this small community … and the opportunity to scoff down a couple free hot dogs and a bit of cake is never a deterrent to drawing a crowd anywhere in the area.

A total of 165 people milled about, viewing exhibits, leafing through publications, munching down on the free fare, and talking mining, until chairperson of the Mining Museum’s board, Paul Hawman, called for attention to the formal part of the afternoon.

This is normally the time when Hawman lays out plans for the current year, recounts accomplishments of the previous annum, in addition to relaying praise and thanks to the local companies who donate cash and resources towards keeping this local treasure operating and relevant. Prior to doing that, there were several people that he called upon to say a few words. The first was deputy mayor of the Town of Snow Lake Peter Roberts, who passed on the council’s wishes for another great year at the museum.

Following Roberts was the community’s Member of the Legislative Assembly, Tom Lindsey. The MLA began by thanking locals for the opportunity to speak. Noting that he considers attending the annual opening one of the fun things that he gets to do as the community’s MLA, Lindsay stated that the museum was a purveyor of local history and that it provides the town’s youngsters with a good understanding of how and why they live in Snow Lake.

Subsequent to the MLA, Hudbay’s Lalor Mine manager of technical services and business development Tony Scheres stepped to the podium. Scheres thanked the museum board and employees for the work they do in bettering the museum as each year goes by. He stated that Hudbay was a big part of the town and that they continue to grow in Snow Lake. “A couple things are currently going on,” he began. “We are commissioning our new paste plant (producing underground backfill made from tailings and cement that is pumped into mined out areas to stabilize ground) this month and it will allow the Lalor Mine to be much more effective in recovering all the ore in the orebody. Along with that, we have had some good diamond drilling going on down plunge at Lalor and we’ve had some drilling just recently starting up at the Pen Zone … which gives us some potential down the road as a satellite deposit.” Following his address, Scheres presented a cheque in the amount of $1,000 to the museum.

Next Hawman asked MacLean Engineering’s branch co-ordinator for Snow Lake operations Jamie Strelezki to come forward. Ms. Strelezki thanked the museum for allowing her company the opportunity to be a part of the seasonal opening. She said her whole team was very impressed with the museum, particularly her boss, who couldn’t make it this day. However, in his stead, she presented the museum with a cheque in the amount of $1,000.

Hawman added that Rockcliff Copper Corporation donated $1,000, Dumas Mining Corporation donated $500, the Snow Lake Elks Club contributed $500, the Town of Snow Lake gave $100, and the Steelworkers provided and cooked hot dogs, and served drinks for the event. He also thanked the businesses who donated to their penny parade and the volunteers who do so much to make the museum what it is.

Later, the chairperson advised that the professionally produced video of the museum and town (that they won earlier in the year through a Travel Manitoba Contest) will be shot at various community locations later in the summer.

In other news, Snow Lake’s Lalor Mine Rescue team was in top form and won the 2018 Manitoba Mine Rescue Competition held May 25 – 26, 2018 in Lac du Bonnet.

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