Power Issue 2012 Jo Lee - JO LEE Magazine

INDULGENCES
All That Glitters Is Gold
By Guy Lamarche
City of Timmins – Canada
Photography Johnny Jones, the Quintessential Prospector
compliments of the Timmins Museum archival collection
Located in Northeastern Ontario,
Canada in one of the richest mineral
producing areas in the Western
Hemisphere, the City of Timmins is
synonymous with gold exploration
and mining and is known as a fourseason
destination for adventurous
vacationers, families, and travelers from
around the world.
The story began in 1909 with the
Porcupine Gold Rush, a gold rush
like no other. By 2011, the Porcupine
Camp had mined over 70 million
ounces of gold, compared to the 12
million ounces produced during the
Klondike Gold Rush.
Hundreds of men headed north
to Timmins in search of fame and
fortune, and fuelled the Porcupine
Gold Rush. One hundred years later,
interest in the Timmins region is at
an all time high with prospectors,
developers, and aftermarket, minerelated
manufacturers finding their way
here in search of prosperity.
From the discovery of gold and other
precious commodities including
diamonds, history repeats itself and the
“City with a Heart of Gold” continues
to reap the benefits of renewed
exploration fever.
The discovery of gold in 1909 helped
shape our community and the many
things that define it. Our colorful past
helped to shape our promising future.
Hardy and adventurous souls the likes
of Benny Hollinger, Sandy McIntyre
and Jack Wilson were on to something.
Was it a vision, an intuition or simply a
gut feeling? You be the judge.
Picture for a moment the exhilaration
that men like Jack Wilson and his
fellow prospectors felt when in 1909
they discovered the “Golden Staircase”
that would become the fabled Dome
Mine still operating and still producing
gold 100 years later. Timmins became
the premiere mining camp of North
America. Where other mining camps
came and went, Timmins carried on.
Through booms and busts and even
the catastrophic fire that cut through
the Porcupine in 1911, it endured,
continued to grow and attracted many
community builders who found fame
and fortune by association to the
mining discoveries.
To recognize all those who persevered,
the City of Timmins embarked on an
ambitious
four-year celebration that began in
2009 recognizing 100 years of mine
exploration, mining production, and
the Great Porcupine Fire of 1911, all
leading to 2012, where we celebrate
100 years of Timmins.
Many events are planned, including the
unveiling of three, seven-foot bronze
statues of McIntyre, Hollinger and
Wilson, three important icons in the
city’s first 100 as well as the unveiling
of a hand-painted mural of 100 faces of
our most prominent citizens who have
without a doubt, excelled and inspired
the rest of us to reach for new heights.
One such person is Dorothea Lee
Mascioli, mother to Jo Lee, founder
and publisher of JO LEE Magazine.
Great people make great things happen
and over the past century, thousands of
residents of Timmins have contributed
to the quality of life we enjoy. Relive
our colorful past at the Timmins
Museum: National Exhibition Centre.
Come celebrate with us!
www.timmins100.ca
JL
Jo Lee Power 2012 95