Abandoned Quebec mine named to heritage group’s endangered sites list
MONTREAL — An abandoned mine in western Quebec that was almost demolished due to its popularity has been named by a heritage group as one of Canada’s 10 most endangered places.
The National Trust for Canada describes the Wallingford-Bak mine as a natural treasure whose stunning interior long attracted a steady stream of illicit visitors.
In 2016, the Quebec government asked the regional municipality to choose between demolishing the mine or developing it as a tourist site after a surge in the number of trespassers.
In the end, the local governing body accepted the province’s recommendation to permanently fence off the former quartz mine after local residents opposed its redevelopment.