Reappropriating post-industrial sites for environmental remediation: the adaptive reuse of Hollinger Gold Mine in Timmins

Abstract

Over the course of the 20th century, precious metal mining flourished in all parts of Northern Ontario. Ranging from small operations to large scale corporations, thousands of mines assisted in the development of various communities across the province. Today, many of those infrastructure are abandoned and continue to cause environmental damage. They however constitute important historical and cultural artifacts for the local population. Therefore the thesis addresses the question: how can industrial heritage principles guide the adaptive reuse of abandoned mining structures to remediate the landscape they inhabit? Stemming from writings on adaptive reuse, three main research topics guide this thesis: 1) materiality; 2) spatial, visual and structural qualities, and 3) sustainability and remediation. These existing historical assets help determine design interventions, more specifically geared towards the adaptive reuse of the Hollinger Gold Mine located in Timmins. The project revolves around a program anchored on urban agriculture, designed to counter the disassociation between the public and the process of remediation. Blurring the lines of public and private spaces, the project invites members of the community to savor locally grown crops, within a historically rich, reused industrial landmark.