Morden Colliery Program Bookings:
250-248-1134
RLC Enterprize Ltd., BC Parks Facility Operator for many provincial parks on Vancouver Island, are now offering interpretive programming at Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park. Their park interpreters are available to lead schools, seniors, service clubs, tours and other interested groups in interactive exploration and discussion of Morden's spectacular 1913 colliery remains, including its coal tipple and dumping chutes, as well as the huge concrete archway that once formed the lower section of its boiler-plant.
Programming can be arranged year round, any day of the week, subject to booking schedules. Booking at least one month in advance is recommended as RLC provides programming at other provincial parks, including Rathtrevor Beach and Newcastle Island, two very popular sites. E-mail RLC's office at rathtrevor@naturehouse.ca for bookings or phone 250-248-1134 for further information.
Tours by Friends of the Morden Mine Society:
info@mordenmine.com
Friends of the Morden Mine also offer tours of the mine site by one of our very knowledgeable members, Parker Williams. Parker’s grandfather was an important figure in this province in the early 1900’s, one of only two Socialist members who held the balance of power in a Legislature where the Conservatives had twenty-two seats and the Liberals just twenty. Working in cooperation with the Conservatives, the two socialist MLA’s for Nanaimo were able to get legislation passed for improvement of labour conditions for coal miners as well as approval of the Settlers’ Rights Act of 1904. This Act gave settlers back the rights to coal on their own land, which had been denied them by previous legislation favouring Robert Dunsmuir.
Without this legislation there would have been no PCCM (Pacific Coast Coal Mines) Morden or South Wellington mines as both were excavated on the property of settlers. In the case of South Wellington, the company paid a fee for every ton of coal mined. The land and coal rights for Morden were purchased in totality from their settler owners.
Today’s Parker Williams is an enthusiastic researcher of local history and has generously offered to take interested groups around the mine site. In return, the Society asks that you make a donation to Friends of the Morden Mine Society. To request one of Parker Williams’ mine site tours, please contact the Society by e-mailing info@mordenmine.com.
Options for Schools or other Non-Profit Groups
If you become a non-profit or schools’ member of the Society, you will be entitled to one free tour by Parker Williams per year. In addition, you will receive our lively and interesting newsletter three times a year, and be notified by e-mail of up-coming society events or opportunities for involvement. Cost for this class of membership is $40.00 per year.
The Morden Colliery Regional Trail
Parker Williams will certainly direct you and may also accompany you along the Morden Colliery Regional Trail, which closely follows the original route of the Morden Company’s railway, from the mine to the Nanaimo River, a short but delightful walk of 1.2 kms.
In the active days of the mine there was a wooden railway bridge crossing the river, but floods long ago washed this away. The Regional District of Nanaimo, who are responsible for the trail, hope to replace this bridge one day for recreational use, when the considerable funds needed for this project are available. After crossing the bridge, the railway used to wind its way across country to the Company’s coal shipping facility at Boat Harbour. Another small section of this trail has also been developed by the RDN. It runs from the Wheatsheaf Inn in Cedar to Hemer Provincial Park.
After the heavy flooding of early December 2007, there was damage to one of the wooden raised walkways on the trail as it crosses Thatcher Creek. Walkers will have to take an alternate route until this damage is repaired. This route should be accessible unless there are very heavy rains or more flooding.