Miner League
Playing shinny in a secluded abandoned mine near Canada's capitol city.
This article is featured in Issue 1 of Crease Periodical.
The Wallingford-Back Mine near Ottawa, Ontario was unbelievable to say the least. In the summer, it was a Cave Diver’s haven and offered an amazing swim and camp spot. In the winter, it saw many a secluded hockey game go down. It was totally magical, but as all good things do, it came to an end.
Looking down on all it’s glory.
Analog Zamboni.
A portrait the author, a local Ottawan and creative extraordinaire Andrew Szeto.
The Wallingford-Back Mine, located sixty miles northwest of Ottawa, was once the largest in North America. Before being abandoned in 1972, it specialized in a variety of minerals, especially feldspar and quartz.
Outsiders caught wind and after awhile the litter piled up causing the city to step in and deem it a “hazard”. They put up Jurassic Park inspired gates, dug up the roads to the spot and went out of their way to put up no parking signs every five feet on the short stretch to the cave.
It sits there untouched now and if you had the chance to see or skate through it, you know what an amazing experience it was. So please, be good to nature and leave things the way you find them or else you’ll lose rare privileges like this one. A lesson for all!