Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 12/05) - A headframe at Giant Mine is slated for repairs next week to prevent the aging structure from toppling over.

The repairs to Giant's A-shaft are only the start of an ambitious renovation plan to save one of the few buildings likely to remain on the Giant Mine property.

"If we do get this thing fixed up and looking nice, it will be the last headframe in Yellowknife probably," said Ryan Silke, a member of the NWT Mining Heritage Society.

"Con and Giant have closed. The clean-up is in progress, so it's important that we get that fixed up."

A-shaft, which sits near the Ingraham Trail just past the boat launch, has a noticeable tilt at the top where a supporting beam has rotted through.

Silke said the structure's "stiff legs" - long beams on the exterior that are used to prop up the shaft - have come loose and need to be tightened.

Built in 1945, A-shaft is the oldest headframe at Giant Mine. It was rarely used to mine gold, but kept open mainly as an emergency escape route from underground accidents. It was closed in 1982.

Silke said the society plans to eventually strip the asbestos from the shaft's sides and give it a new paint job, but that will take additional funding from government sponsors. He said next week's work will cost under $10,000.

Open underground?

"We can maybe possibly open up the underground for tourists, but that's not on our plate right now," said Silke. "We're just making sure this thing will keep standing."

The society plans to make the headframe a feature attraction to go along with a mining heritage museum, also on the site.

Phil Nolan, a consultant hired by the society, said the structure isn't in imminent danger of falling down or worse, landing on the highway, but if something isn't done soon it could.

"The headframe needs some TLC or else it's in risk of toppling over in the near future," said Nolan.

"You'd lose a part of Yellowknife's history we're trying to keep."