An old attraction has returned in a shiny new way to Kimberley Alpine Resort (KAR), courtesy the Kimberley Underground Railway (KUR).

Celebrating the return of the mining railroad to the base of the ski hill Sept. 8 were volunteer members of the Sullivan Mine and Railway History Society, staff of the KUR and City of Kimberley officials, as well as funding partners from KAR, Teck Cominco, the Kimberley Project Society and Columbia Basin Trust.

Dignitaries and guests gathered at the downtown terminus of the KUR, boarded the old mining train and rode through a portion of the old Sullivan Mine, which is part of the railroad’s regular tour and uphill, along Henningson Way, past the beautiful homes situated trackside to the KAR parking lot. A newly configured track loop in the parking lot leads to a ‘station,’ designed and built by Grant Parnall and Mountain Breeze Developments.

From there the roughly 35 guests and dignitaries disembarked the train to observe KUR president and City of Kimberley councilor Mick Henningson, who has poured countless hours into all aspects of the underground railway since his retirement from Teck, pound a special silver ‘last spike.”

“This is the completion of phase one,” Henningson said after he deftly hammered the silver spike into the tie and snug against the CPR yard rail.

The KUR stopped running to the base of the ski hill when the new conference centre was constructed, but Henningson and company, with ongoing plans for the tourist attraction, forged forward and with the KAR’s blessing new plans were drawn to bring the ride back.

However, Henningson noted that “$150,000 in hard cash” was needed.

The first thing they had to do was move an old switch at the junction to the resort, which the final two members of the Projects Society, co-founder Don Lane and long-time City of Kimberley councilor Albert Hoglund, came forward with the $5,000 needed for that job.

Rounding off funding for the project was Teck, which offered a generous $100,000, Kimberlay Alpine Resort which provided $25,000 and topping of the project was Columbia Basin Trust with $20,000.

“We feel we did something right,” Don Lane said on behalf of the Project’s Society.  “We were very happy when we were approached.”

A founding member of the society, dating back to 1956, Lane said the society has funded over 40 projects, including providing the $57,000 required for the first T-bar at the skil hill.

Money remaining with the society, which began to lose membership rapidly after Sullivan Mine closed, will go to a community foundation “and that’s the end of the project society,” Lane announced to a surprised gathering.

Teck stepped up to the plate without hesitation, said Bruce Donald, Teck’s manager of dormant properties.

“The sustainability of the community was foremost in our minds” after the mine closed, he said.

Donald also noted that he’s happy that the KUR continues to provide people with a glimpse into the past of the community and a look at hard rock mining.

Hoglund spoke on behalf of the city.

“This is going to put a very good experience to what you already have,” he said. “On behalf of the city, Mick, congratulations to yourself and all the volunteers. A very heart-felt thank you.”

Henningson thanked Parnall for his “job well done” on the station and other aspects related the project and then made special mention of Lloyd Ryan, one of the railway society’s longest tenured members, who died August 7.

“He put a tremendous amount of hours into this” over 25 years, Henningson said, noting that the KUR will be closed this Saturday (Sept. 10) for Ryan’s funeral.

Adding to the tribute was the fact that engine No. 94, which pulled the mining train and event guests up to the resort and back, was re-furbished and brought back to life by Ryan, along with Bill Spence and Gar Jones.

Please stay tuned as e-KNOW will soon be publishing a feature story on the Sullivan Mine.

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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