Talks ongoing to save Robertson Headframe
MLA decries secrecy of negotiations
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, July 15, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
One of the worst kept secrets in Yellowknife has been swept into the open: last ditch talks are underway to save the Robertson Headframe.
The territorial government is in the midst of what had been secret talks to potentially save the Robertson Headframe at the former Con Mine. - NNSL file photo |
As first reported elsewhere Wednesday, the GNWT is in the midst of negotiations over the lease at the former Con Mine site, talks that could see the iconic 76-metre white, blue and reddish-orange tower saved from demolition.
An interview request was denied by the territorial government.
"Discussions are ongoing and we are not in a position to say anything more than that we are talking to the company about the terms and conditions of their lease related to the headframe," wrote Shaun Dean, a GNWT cabinet spokesperson, in an e-mailed response to the interview request.
Miramar Northern Mining Ltd., a subsidiary of Newmont Mining, is carrying out remediation of the former gold mine at the south end of the city along Great Slave Lake. As part of that work, the company was expected to carry out a controlled explosion to bring down the structure - the tallest in the territory - earlier this year. The delay prompted speculation a plan was in the works but nothing official had been previously confirmed.
MLAs were surprised the territorial government was in secret talks with the company.
"I hope this isn't going to be a situation where we're informed of a decision after it's already been made," said Frame Lake MLA Kevin O'Reilly. He's sent an e-mail to Premier Bob McLeod seeking answers about what exactly the GNWT is doing.
MLAs in the last legislative assembly expressed frustration on several occasions after learning of government developments through the media.
O'Reilly hopes the discussions don't involve the GNWT taking responsibility for any liability of keeping the structure standing, something that could prove costly to taxpayers should an issue arise.
"That's not something I'm prepared to support the GNWT having any involvement in," he said, adding he wouldn't be opposed to saving the structure if the liability is held by a person or group outside the GNWT.
The talks are believed to have begun after the city decided last year it couldn't take on the liability and early in the term of the 18th assembly, according to two MLAs.
"I know there was a last-ditch effort when there were all the articles in the paper about (the headframe) only having weeks to live," said Yellowknife North MLA Cory Vanthuyne.
Some of the Yellowknife MLAs were e-mailed earlier this year and were asked to pass a proposal to save the headframe to the government, said Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart.
Testart said it sounded like something worth considering and it was passed along.
"We didn't hear anything from the government after that and it does come as a surprise to many of the MLAs (about the talks)," Testart said.
Rob Warburton, managing director of CloudWorks, a real estate development business, confirmed the company approached both the city and GNWT hoping to save the structure.
"We have kept lobbying to have it saved but as for specifics, we can't really say anything until the government decides what it's doing," Warburton said Thursday.
Scott Stringer, general manager of Newmont Mining Corporation, was not available for an interview.
Yellowknifer reported earlier this year Newmont signed a contract with a demolition company from Winnipeg to carry out a controlled explosion to bring down the structure. That was expected to take place at the end of April or early May.
The headframe and 5,400 foot shaft under it were completed in 1977 at a cost of $20 million. The last miners came up the shaft Nov. 28, 2003 as the mine closed. Remediation has been ongoing since then.
