A community-industry cleanup effort of Elliot Lake mine tailings has received a prestigious national award.
The Ontario Mining Association (OMA), in partnership with the Canadian Land Reclamation Association, presented the third annual Tom Peters Memorial Mine Reclamation Award at the OMA's annual conference on June 15 at North Bay's Clarion Resort Pinewood Park.
The award was presented to Debbie Berthelot, reclamation manager, Rio Algom Limited; Carmaine McCallum, recreation program co-ordinator, City of Elliot Lake; and Marg Reckahn, president of the Penokean Hills Field Naturalists.
It recognized the collaborative efforts made in the reclamation of the Milliken Tailings Management Area into the Sheriff Creek Sanctuary in Elliot Lake, which was initially covered with soil and gravel in the 1970s and was used for ball fields.
In 1996, the Penokean Hills Field Naturalists entered into a stewardship agreement with Rio Algom. With help from the City of Elliot Lake, five distinct bird habitats were found in the Sheriff Creek Sanctuary. A number of trails were then developed, including the installation of causeway bridges, lookout blinds, as well as a new bridge and boardwalk for the main trail.
