In northern Ontario, a rusting gate marks the entrance to what was once poised to become Canada’s largest landfill. The story of the Adams Mine is one of environmental activism, political maneuvering, and a community that refused to back down.
Globally, certainly in Canada, not many NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) stories have two books written on them, so this story is worth looking into. The back roads often take you to living history, and historic stories sometimes have multiple interpretations.
The story of Adam’s Mine, 10 km southeast of Kirkland Lake, is one of them. Highway #650 ends about six kilometres from the last house and the Ontario Northland Railway tracks. Here, there are sturdy but rusting yellow gate posts surrounded by huge granitic rocks, presenting a formidable barrier to entering.
On the north side of the road remains the discoloured white background and much faded light green trim, but it’s the original sign which reads “ADAM’S MINE – NOTRE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION – PROPOSED REECYCLING & SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SITE”. There’s also a phone number, but it is out of service. I wondered when the name’s possessive apostrophe was dropped for what was to evolve.
For the rest of this article: https://www.sudbury.com/columns/back-roads-bill/back-roads-bill-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-adams-mine-landfill-project-10604033?utm_source=Villager&utm_campaign=Content&utm_medium=Twitter