Agnico Eagle’s Louise Grondin, Senior Vice-President, Environment, Sustainable Development and People presents the donation cheque to members of the Historic Cobalt Legacy Fund. From left to right: Eddie LaBelle (Cobalt Mining Museum), Lise Cooper (Paul Penna Library), Marlene Spruyt (Classic Theatre), Lois Perry (Military Museum), Tina Sartoretto (Mayor of Cobalt), Louise Grondin (Agnico Eagle), Vivian Hylands (Cobalt Historical Society), Michele Lamoureux (The Temiskaming Foundation) and Jack Birtch (Historic Cobalt Legacy Fund).
Agnico Eagle got its start in Cobalt and has certainly not forgotten its historical roots. At a luncheon in Cobalt on June 1, 2016, Agnico Eagle presented the final payment of its $1 million donation to the Historic Cobalt Legacy Fund.
The first installment was presented in June 2015 during a ceremony honouring the former employees of Agnico Eagle’s Cobalt Silver division. At this ceremony, Agnico Eagle announced their generous pledge to the Legacy Fund in the presence of several past employees, town representatives, citizens and the Mayor of Cobalt.
The Historic Cobalt Legacy Fund was established in 2014 with The Temiskaming Foundation (TTF) to support the preservation of Cobalt’s historical past and cultural heritage. Income specifically from Agnico Eagle’s donation, being managed as an endowment fund, will be provided in the form of operating grants which are designated to support the Paul Penna Library, the Cobalt Mining Museum, the Bunker Museum of Cobalt, the Classic Theatre and the Cobalt Heritage Silver Trail. In fact $11,349 in interest has already been generated by Agnico’s first installment and is available for granting this year.
“Cobalt is the foundation of Agnico Eagle. We are happy to contribute to cultural and community organizations that will benefit the town and people of Cobalt and preserve the rich history of mining and Agnico Eagle’s role in it,” said Louise Grondin, Senior Vice-President, Environment, Sustainable Development and People.
About Cobalt and Agnico Eagle
Often referred to as the “Cradle of Canadian Mining”, Cobalt helped define the Canadian mining industry and Agnico Eagle’s history became closely tied to Cobalt with the creation of the Cobalt Consolidated Mining Company in 1953 which later became Agnico Mines Limited in 1957. Although the Company’s mining activities in Cobalt ended in 1989, (after producing 26 million ounces of silver from 1957 to 1989) activities in the area continue in the form of post-closure monitoring and maintenance at its previous sites and properties.