Much of what remains of the town of Midlandvale has been
incorporated into the town of Drumheller. Once a thriving town
unto itself, Midlandvale was the centre of four major mines:
Midland No.1 and 2, the Western Gem, and Brilliant Mines. Each
mine employed up to 100 labourers, and while the coal industry
thrived, the towns population was well over 600 people.
Community events were important to Midlandvale, and in
particular, the town supported many fine sports teams. Summer
was the time for rousing games of baseball and soccer, and in
winter, hockey dominated.
Different groups in the Drumheller Valley recognized the
benefits of sports. Mine operators saw an opportunity for
advertisement through organized sports leagues that promoted
their products. Unions and churches realized social benefits of
sports and participated in their organization as well. Team
sports were particularly popular with miners and unions because
it promoted skill and was unconcerned with ethnicity and worker
status. When the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA)
recognized the bond sports created between miners, they promoted
sports as an example of their ideal. Like a union, a team that
could work in coordination outperformed a group of single-minded
individuals.
Today, many of the rinks and fields that once outlined the
community have disappeared. In fact, there is very little left
of the old section of Midlandvale. However one lasting monument
to the towns coal mining legacy still remains. In 1974, the
president of the Midland Mining Company, Sidney McMullen,
donated 595 hectares of mine land to the province. The area was
converted into an historic park and now welcomes visitors to
hike trails and read stories outlining the significance of
particular machines and buildings. The old head office is now an
interpretive centre that houses many exhibits on park ruins and
life before the use of heavy machinery was instituted.
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