Many of the remaining buildings at the defunct Giant Mine townsite will be torn down over the summer, bringing back memories from the half century the gold mine operated on the outskirts of Yellowknife. 

For some, the area is a source of fond memories of life in a thriving company town. But for others, it’s a reminder of displacement, loss, and infringement of Indigenous rights.

The $1 billion cleanup of the mine began two years ago and is expected to continue until 2038. The goal, according to deputy director of the project Natalie Plato, is to return the contaminated townsite to recreational use.

Giant Mine closed in 2004. It is one of the most contaminated sites in Canada.

Ken Hall grew up at the Giant Mine townsite and lived there between 1965 and 1986. He recalls the time fondly, saying it was a close-knit community where he met lifelong friends and embarked on adventures. 

He’ll likely be watching the demolition from a boat on Back Bay. The cluster of houses and buildings that make up the townsite is perched on a rocky hill overlooking the Bay, which is part of massive Great Slave Lake.

“It’s going to be somewhat sad because it was such a great place to grow up, a great place to be a kid,” said Hall. 

“I’d move back out there in a heartbeat.”

Growing up, he said they didn’t really talk or know much about the contamination caused by the mine.

Particularly in the early years of the mine, before any pollution controls were installed, highly toxic arsenic trioxide dust generated from the gold refining process went up the smoke stack and settled on the surrounding land. After pollution controls were introduced, more than 237,000 tons of that dust was captured and stored in caverns beneath the surface.

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