Mining scars of single industry communities: an architectural response to the ecological impact of the mining industry in the Lakeshore Basin, Kirkland Lake, Ontario.

Abstract

This research aims to create a better understanding of the ecological economies and cultural identity within industrial communities and create a strategy for the second life of single industry cities and towns. Communities which are dependent on a single industry for employment become established in parallel with industrial economies, industry in turn becomes integrated in their identity, landscape and urban fabric. With a high number of these towns and cities reliant on mining in particular, they become incredibly susceptible to world price fluctuations. 1 The mine within the community is a double-edged sword, in that through settlement it provides jobs and economic benefits, but in its reliance on finite minerals it creates an unsustainable resource for the community. Having been born and raised in Kirkland Lake, Ontario which is a single industry mining town, I have a good understanding that this reliance guides many communities into boom bust cycles, which ultimately leads to population decline, decreased local services, and reduced property value. 2 This understanding has led me to choose Kirkland Lake as the location for my thesis, my connection to the community will be an asset within this body of research.