Emily F.

Stayner, Ontario

Simcoe County Regional Fair

Elliot Lake Then and Now

A look at the history of the city of Elliot Lake from a First Nations settlement to becoming the uranium capital of the world in mining to a retirement community today. My project explores the interesting history of the once long standing mines of the town, that are no longer there.

 

 

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

The most interesting thing I learned in researching my project was the amount of mines that operated in Elliot Lake. The mines employed a lot of men and some women for many years. When the mines closed and a lot of people left, the city had a challenge to change to survive. Now Elliot Lake is a retirement community.

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

I wanted to share the story of the city and how the people started with nothing but bush and over time they built a busy city in the middle of nowhere. I found the volunteerism of the miners and families in the building of the city inspirational. They worked together to achieve their goal of a city to call home.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

My dad doesn't work long hours at a mine and doesn't have as dangerous a job as the men did then. I live in a town that already exists and the early settlers of Elliot Lake didn't have much. They started in tents and trailers and had to wait for their houses to be built.