In this week’s Cochrane history segment we go back to the November 9th, 1983 edition of the Northland Post for the official opening of the Detour Lake Mine.
Among the dignitaries in attendance was Ontario Lieutenant Governor John Black-Aird who unveiled a 37 kilogram gold bar. The mine was a join venture production that cost $138 million. The officials arrived either on private jets or on the recently completed 110 kilometre road.
They were given a tour of the mine facility. Operations at the mine began in 1982 and in September of the following year the first gold bar 89 per cent pure was refined.
The Ontario Northland Transportation Commission is looking for input on improving the Polar Bear Express. Commission Chairman JW Spooner says it’s obvious that the train from Cochrane to Moosonee is popular.
The train would turn 20 the following year. He noted that there was an increase of just over 1980 passengers in the past year but added the ridership from southern Ontario is down.
Problems in the air conditioning system were noted especially in the food car, where at times it was unbearable.
