GLACE BAY — An oversight that lasted more than 20 years has officially been corrected with the rededication of Glace Bay’s premier recreation facility to one that better reflects the community’s history and heritage.
The Glace Bay Miners Forum is now the official handle for the facility once known as the Bayplex that will re-open to the public next month after its retrofit has concluded.
“In the 90s when they renamed the Bayplex it stirred emotions in me because there are a lot of historic features in this rink with the miners and what have you,” Bobby Burchell, a retired official with the United Mine Workers of America, said after Thursday’s ceremony.
“When I found out they were going to be revamping I felt what a good time to see if we could get it put back to the Miners Forum and remember those that contributed to all the buildings and facilities that we had in Glace Bay and thankfully mayor and council agreed and here we are today. It’s a proud moment.”
The original Miners Forum opened Jan. 2, 1939 and would host countless sports, entertainment and community events until it was replaced in 1996 by the Bayplex, which closed in July 2017 due to deteriorating conditions.
The facility will reopen as the Glace Bay Miners forum on Oct. 1, following more than $9 million worth of upgrades and expansions.
At Thursday’s rededication ceremony, Premier Stephen McNeil, MLA Geoff MacLellan and CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke all spoke about the efforts that went into upgrading the new forum at all levels of government.
The gathering also saw members of the public recall what went into the making of the old forum and all the sporting events, entertainment and public events it had hosted.
“That’s what it was when I was attending it every Saturday morning,” said longtime skater Coleen Locke-MacLeod, about the Miners Forum name. “When the Donkin band was playing here, I never missed them. They were so good. They always played the skater’s waltz, and we went around and in and out and in and out.”
Though she has some health issues, Locke-MacLeod still hopes to take a careful turn or two around the new forum in the future.
Donnie Campbell was a miner for 26 years and frequent visitor to the Miners Forum as a youth for senior hockey games and serenaded skates to the music of the Donkin Band. He is pleased there is a Miners Forum again.
“The Miners Forum probably never should have been changed to the Bayplex in my opinion,” he said while sporting a facemask depicting his old miner's cheque number.
“It was built for the miners, paid for by the miners and it came back full circle now. I think the people in the town are quite pleased it is back to the Miners Forum.”
Burchell has been hearing from many former miners and their families since the intention to change the name of the arena was announced. All are happy that the mining heritage of the community will remain alive.
“When people come here, they can now go to the Miners Forum,” he said. “The miners contributed a lot to this community and it’s good it is renamed in memory of those past and those present that contributed so much to make Glace Bay what it is today.”
TImeline
Glace Bay Miner’s Forum
- First opened Jan. 2, 1939
- Closed in 1996 to coincide with opening of Bayplex
- Bayplex closed July 2017 due to deteriorating conditions.
Bayplex Design Development and Construction Period
- Design Development: March 18–June 7, 2019
- Construction: June 10, 2019–June 7, 2020
- Facility Opening: October 2020
