Newmont Porcupine opens spectacular lookout point of mining pit and city to public
Mining giant, Newmont Porcupine in Timmins is finished phase one of a land use plan-a partnership agreement it has with the city. It's a spectacular lookout area where people can watch mining activity happening in the Hollinger open pit mine and see many familiar areas of the city's landscape.
The three-hundred and sixty degree unobstructed view of the mining operation and the city became open to the public as of Friday afternoon.
“We’re expecting people to come up here, have their lunch; watch the operation. There’s plenty of seating. We’ve had requests for wedding pictures. We’ve had requests for weddings up here," said Bryan Neeley, sustainability and external relations manager for Newmont Porcupine.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when visiting the landmark. There are only eleven parking spots at the top of the berm, including one accessible planking place, but there is another location at the bottom of the berm.
The viewing area is only open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and security guards will ask people to leave during blasting times. It will shut down for the winter season on October 1st.
“Security will be coming depending on the blast: either the 11:30 to 12:00 or 3:30 to 4:00 blast windows," said Neeley. "They will start about 45 minutes ahead of time and start removing people, get them to the bottom of the hill."
Once the all-clear is given, people can resume their site-seeing.
“To tell you the truth this is a phenomenon for Timmins," said Helga Kroll, chairperson of the Hollinger Project Community Advisory Committee. "It’s something that Timmins has never seen before. It’s going to be a legacy for years to come for the kids that are growing up and their kids and their kids."
Melody Bruneau of Timmins was able to wave at her husband on Saturday who was on the job for Newmont Porcupine.
“I’m watching my husband down in the pit getting loaded right now. So it’s pretty cool. I’m really excited," she said.
Another woman, Dellanie Robitaille, who recently moved to Timmins from Sudbury said it's great to see a mine she's learned about at Cambrian College during her mining engineering technology program.
“We’ve been just looking at it in freeze frames for the last little while and now it’s all come to life and I can name and point out all the stuff I remember," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck
Tesla is recalling 3,878 of its 2024 Cybertrucks after it discovered that the accelerator pedal can become stuck, potentially causing the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally and increase the risk of a crash.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.