Avery T.

Lethbridge, Alberta

Southern Alberta Regional Heritage Fair

Small Town, Big Fall. The Facts and Fiction of Frank Slide

My presentation is about the Frank Slide. The 1903 disaster was declared Canada's Deadliest Rock Slide and still is today.

 

 

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

How many different factors were involved to make it that night, that time, it wasn't only decided by long term issues like it's geological instability or mining, but also by things that are very erratic and last minute like the weather. For example, Turtle Mountain had many cracks in it's peak that filled with water from rain or melted snow, the year of the slide it was very warm for April, but the night of the slide there was a drastic cool down, with this information scientists predict that the water in the cracks froze and and widened the cracks pushing the rocks from the mountain.

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

Firstly, when disasters happen regular people have the capability to bounce back and be resilient and optimistic about the future. Secondly, mining was one of the factors that contributed to the slide and yet only a month after the rock slide mining continued and was only shut down due to an uncontrollable fire in the mine. This makes me wonder if there hadn't been a fire and they continued mining if it would have spurred a second slide and destroyed more lives, I believe this would be a great example of the possibility of the saying," History repeats itself" and it can only take the actions of one person, a group of people or incident to change the course of history for better or for worse. And thirdly, anyone can do a Heritage Fair and love it. It helps you meet new people, improve your speaking skills and it's just so much fun and gratifying to see the other presenters and get advice from the judges to make your project better!!!

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

That just like the Frank Slide we don't know when a disaster is going to happen or if they are going to happen. This doesn't and shouldn't stop people from living their lives to the fullest and when disaster does hit, we can find a way to rebound, rebuild, learn and move forward.