Sited in the Red Deer River Valley, here better known as
The Badlands, and about 22 kilometres south of the city of Drumheller, the
Atlas No. 3 Coal Mine National Historic Site is today the best preserved and most complete coal mining site in Canada. Home to Canada's last remaining wooden tipple, the site also contains several of the original buildings, including managers' houses and a storage shed, as well as rail lines which connected the mine to the Canadian Pacific's main rail line. To the northwest of the mine site still stands a four span Howe truss wooden bridge first built by the CPR in 1936, only to be destroyed by heavy flooding and ice floes in April 1948, rebuilt shortly thereafter.
A heavy, large volume commodity such as coal, when found in plentiful quantities, remains of no value unless it can be transported to market. While the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) itself was an important consumer of coal, it was even more important in its ability to convey that coal to other consumers. Hence, a rail link from the CPR's trackage was run into the Atlas #3 Coal Mine almost immediately upon its coming into production, possibly even sooner. Given that the Red Deer River lay between the mine and the railroad, this bridge became a necessary part of that link.
The mine remained in full production for only 20 years, from 1936 to 1956. The mine soldiered on for another 23 years with reduced production, finally closing for good in 1979, making it the last coal mine in the valley to close, signalling the end of coal mining in the Red Deer Valley. When the mine ceased operation the rail link, and this bridge, were abandoned by the CPR as, without a supply of coal, link and bridge became superfluous.
A total length of about 180 metres (590 feet), the bridge consists of three 50 metre (165 foot) spans and a shorter, 30 metre (100 feet) span.
Today the Atlas #3 Mine site has become not only a
Canadian National Historic Site, but a
Province of Alberta Historic Place and a
Coal Mining Museum, as well.
TRESTLE BRIDGE NEEDS NEW LEASE ON LIFE
Why it matters:
The wooden C.P.R. ”Howe Truss” bridge over the Red Deer River at East Coulee was first built in 1936 only to be destroyed by heavy flooding and ice floes in April 1948. It was rebuilt to the same design soon thereafter. Even in the 1930s a wooden Howe Truss bridge was almost anachronistic. First patented in 1840 by Massachusetts millwright William Howe, they were primarily used in the 19th century for bridges across North America. The East Coulee bridge remains a rare example of wooden bridge architecture, and as such, merits proactive conservation measures.
The bridge has an important historical connection to Atlas No. 3 Coal Mine National Historic Site (the last in the Drumheller/Red Deer River valley). It provided the essential transportation link to the main rail lines across the Red Deer River. From the dual CPR/CNR branch line near the town of East Coulee, the bridge enabled trains to cross the river and service both the Monarch and the Atlas coal mines. It was also used by trains delivering coal, the primary domestic heating source, to communities throughout Western Canada.
Closed in the mid-1970s, the Atlas Mine was recognized as an Alberta Provincial Heritage Resource in 1989 and became a National Historic Site of Canada in 2001. The latter designation notes the significant role Atlas No. 3 Coal Mine played “in the history of the coal industry in Drumheller … the most productive plains coalfield in Alberta and southeastern BC from WWI to the 1950s.”
The unique site is interpreted and operated from May to October by the Atlas Coal Mine Historical Society’s dedicated staff and volunteers.
Why it’s endangered:
The East Coulee bridge was closed to all traffic when the mine closed and it has since fallen into disrepair. Without any maintenance program in place, its rotting deck planking is accelerating.
Where things stand:
The responsibility for the bridge’s maintenance is still within the shared domain of CN and CP Rail. The costs of maintenance and conservation, and the issue of assuming insurance liability has dissuaded the Atlas Coal Mine Historical Society and the community of East Coulee from assuming ownership.
A concerted cost-shared conservation effort is required now to ensure the ongoing sustainability of this nationally significant example of bridge architecture. At present, these efforts appear to be stalled.
Update 2020:
The bridge remains fenced off to the public. Atlas Coal Mine says that they are continuing to work towards a solution to restore the bridge with CP Rail but no plans have materialized. The bridge continues to deteriorate every year as river ice flows each spring can cause damage to the bridge. Atlas Coal Mine executive director Sarah Newstead says a $1 million endowment would be needed to get a restoration project underway. Local resident John Barry Graham has organized the Badlands Boogie, an annual music festival, to raise funds to save the bridge.
From National Trust Canada