A pair of crows fly towards the entrance of the former Lamaque gold mine. 87 years ago, hundreds of miners walked this entrance to work and support their families who lived in the company town located next door in the village of Bourlamaque. In operation from 1935 to 1985, the Lamaque mine was one of the most prolific gold mine in the province of Québec with over 4 millions oz of gold recovered.
Clermont Fortier holds a picture of himself taken in 1977 at a depth of more than a thousand meters. Fortier hold different jobs at the Lamaque mine during a career spanning 25 years. He particularly enjoyed working as a machine man. He started at a wage of $1.32 an hour in 1961 to $20 an hour when the mine shut down in 1985.
Clermont with his wife Aline bought their first and only house in the mining village. The village was originally built by the mine to accommodate workers and their families. “I worked hard and save for nearly 10 years before buying a house here,” says Fortier.
Built in the 1930s, the 22-hectare former company town exhibits unique features such as an orthogonal layout plan, residential land-use based on social hierarchy, and distinct pine log style architectures. Since 1968, the village has become a neighbourhood in the city of Val-d’Or. In 2012, in addition with the former Lamaque mine, the mining village was designated a national historic site of Canada. With more than 70 historic log homes and a population of around 200 habitants, it is a rare and unique heritage conservation site where private residences are inhabited all year round.
Kids celebrates at an outdoor birthday party in the mining village of Bourlamaque. After the mine closed in 1985 more families with incomes not tied to the Lamaque mine or the mining industry moved into the historic neighbourhood.
The Lafontaine family prays before breakfast at their home in the mining village of Bourlamaque. Sébastien (right), a carpenter, rebuild his house from the ground up while maintaining and preserving the heritage and cultural integrity of the original home. When he purchased his 80 years old home he quickly realized that major renovations needed to be done before it was safe for his family to move in.
Serge Paradis and his daughters clean up a guest room at their bed and breakfast in the mining village of Bourlamaque. The bed and breakfast was originally a pension home that welcomed single workers from Europe to work at the mine. Today, patrons are also transient workers coming to work in the mining sector, but many are tourists visiting the region.
Charlye Paradis with her hamster Amunch at her home in the mining village of Bourlamaque. Her family’s bed and breakfast is the only original remaining business in the neighbourhood. The bed and breakfast was named “l’Orpailleur” a french word meaning “gold panner”. The discovery of gold in the region was not made by gold panning in rivers but discovered while surveying and studying rocks exposed at the surface.
Aline and Clermont Fortier at their home in the mining village of Bourlamaque. The Fortiers are one of the oldest couple who worked at the mine and are still living in the village today. “I knew it was my place here, I love the forest and it was a two-minutes walk to the mine site,” says Clermont.
Laundry hangs to dry in a backyard in the mining village of Bourlamaque in Val-d’Or.
Resident Mr and Mms Quan shown in their backyard. The Quans moved into the village in the early 1980s and remember the neighbourhood to be very quiet. “Not much have change here,” they say.
A group of tourists listen to audio devices during a walking tour of the mining village. Now a neighbourhood in the city of Val-d’Or, the village was declared a provincial heritage site in 1979 under Quebec’s Cultural Property Act now the Cultural Heritage Act. Many Quebecers and Val-d’Or residents ignore the level of preservation of the neighbourhood and its cultural and historical significance.
A group of tourists listen to audio devices during a walking tour of the mining village. Now a neighbourhood in the city of Val-d’Or, the village was declared a provincial heritage site in 1979 under Quebec’s Cultural Property Act now the Cultural Heritage Act. Many Quebecers and Val-d’Or residents ignore the level of preservation of the neighbourhood and its cultural and historical significance.
The old mine shaft of the former Lamaque mine was restored in 1995 after a fire damaged the exterior of the structure. It has become a cultural and heritage symbol of the early mining boom in the Abitibi region of the 1930s.
A driver shuttles tourists back to the surface from an underground tour of the former Lamaque mine near the mining village of Bourlamaque in Val-d’Or.
Retired miners Rene Caron and Serge Frenette (right) chat during their lunch break inside an office building of the former Lamaque mine. The mine changed its name to “La Cité de l’Or” when it was converted into an underground tourist attraction in the mid ’90s. It is also used today as a training location for new miners where Caron and Frenette are instructors.
A group of students take their cover all off after an underground class at La Cité de l’Or. Students enrolled in a variety of trades have to follow rigorous underground training to successfully finds work in the mining industry. The experience learned in a real mine is crucial in the student’s training.
The light beam from visitor’s headlamps illuminate an underground tunnel leading to the former Lamaque mine. Tourists can visit sections of the mine to depth of more than 100 meters.
The light from visitor’s headlamps illuminate an underground tunnel leading to the former Lamaque mine. Tourists can visit sections of the mine to depth of more than 100 meters.
Tourists are shuttle back from a visit underground at La Cité de l’Or. Thousand of visitors comes each year from all over the world to visit the mine and the mining village.
A couple shares a kiss underground during a visit of the former Lamaque mine at La Cité de l’Or in Val-d’Or.
Partner Sophie and Andrée-Anne share a moment before having dinner with their daughters at home in Bourlamaque. The couple immediately felt in love with their unique log home and the community. “The quiet and cozy feel of the village is what influenced us to raise a family here. Living in our old creaky home help us focus on our values and allow us to take a step back and appreciate what we have”, says Andrée-Anne.
Gabriel Gélineau builds a step ladder for his son with the help of his wife Elsa. Living in the village for a few years now, the Gélineaus love the family spirit in the community. “We feel in a different world here, the village feels unique and it is unique”, says Gabriel. However, like many families in the neighbourhood, the Gélineaus dislike the weight of the regulations and city bylaws they have to follow. “If the city wants to keep its residents while maintaining the historic character of the village, they will will need to modernize and soften their regulations,” says Gabriel.
The Lafontaine family at their home in Bourlamaque. “Right now it’s like the city can’t see the forest for the trees. Their thinking is archaic and their rules fall short for everyone,” says Sébastien (left). The latter experienced much resistance and setbacks from the city when he rebuild his home from the ground up. “It’s so frustrating, It almost feels as if the city doesn’t care about the community. In the long run, it will have negative impacts not only on the current residents but for generations to come,” says Sébastien.
Richard and Caroline Labbé talks to their son, studying out of town, via Skype at their home in the mining village of Bourlamaque. Lower prices and tranquility were two factors that influenced the young couple to buy their home in the village more than 25 years ago.
In recent years, rental and property prices have soared in the city of Val-d’Or. A result of higher gold price and a steady economic growth in the region since the early 2000s. Therefore, many young families tend to look for a home in the mining village of Bourlamaque, where prices are often more affordable than the rest of the city.
Throughout the years, many new families have made the mining village their home. Once exclusively reserve to the mine workers and their families, the village is now a place for everyone. The feeling of community experienced by the first families back in the 1930s, is still present and cherished by the new residents today. “It feels like time as stopped here, but in a good way,” says one resident.
Clermont Fortier has lived in his log home for more than five decades. He loves the neighbourhood, but like many others, finds the regulations and city bylaws frustrating and cumbersome. “I know how to fix my home and maintain it, it’s simple, but the rules are complicated,” says Fortier.
A dry room is shown at the former Lamaque mine where miners hung their clothes and equipments after long shifts. During its 50 years of operation the mine provided income for hundreds of workers and was one of the most prolific gold mine in the province.
An old dog sits in front of the former laundry and cafeteria used by the mine workers, now a private family home. Since the mine shut down, many other buildings in the village like the school and the hospital has been converted into private residences and apartments.
Sébastien Lafontaine (left) takes a moment to chat with his wife while roofing in the mining village of Bourlamaque. Owners can choose between five colours for exterior paint and two colours of shingles. Only wooden windows and doors can be replaced. These are some regulations, the residents have to comply with in order to uphold the historic character of the village.
A resident sweeps her front porch after the village carpenter build an addition to her house. Residents can apply for financial supports to help alleviate the cost of home restoration as long as they follow government regulations and city bylaws.
Sébastien Lafontaine takes a moment to reflect on what the future of the mining village of Bourlamaque might look like. He is considering taking on the role of restoration specialist in the village. The actual village carpenter will be retiring soon. Lafontaine understand the community’s need and knows how to restore historical log homes efficiently. Despite his valuable and up-to-date skills, Lafontaine’s mindset and vision is often met with opposition by city officials.
The morning sun lights up a telephone booth at the entrance of the former Lamaque mine. Maintaining and upholding a national historic site, like the mining village of Bourlamaque and La Cité de l’Or, is a reminder that preserving the past is not a simple and linear process. It can be a worthy responsibility for those who decide to be part of it and a confirmation that -what we decide to preserve as a society- can help us move forward into the future.
A staff closes the gate at La Cité de l’Or after the last underground visit of the season.
