Celebrating 125 years of coal mining in the Pass

Book 1 is for sale now, and Book 2 will also be available at Crocketts Trading Company and Tuesdays Bookshop in Bellevue, on September 2nd. Ron Hunger photos

Event pays tribute to miners, families, and the communities they built

A major milestone in Crowsnest Pass history will be recognized later this month as the community marks 125 years since coal mines first opened in the area.

The anniversary will be celebrated through a three-day gathering at the Coleman Legion, organized by Bellevue native and author Ron Hungar. The Western Crowsnest Pass Coal Mining Reunion runs August 29 to 31, paying tribute to generations of miners and families who shaped the region.

Hungar said the event is meant to honour the “great grandfathers, grandfathers, fathers, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbours who worked underground or at strip mines.” Attendees will be able to hear stories directly from retired miners such as Gary Taje and Bob Crawford, view a large exhibit from the United Mine Workers of America-Canada, and share memories of what Hungar describes as the “hard but good” old days.

The schedule includes a casual get-together on Friday, followed by brunch and supper on Saturday, and lunch on Sunday. On the final day, participants will gather for a memorial at the Miners’ Path in Coleman to honour the fallen McGillivray miners, before joining historian John Kinnear for an interpretive walk up to the mine entrance and Rainbow Falls.

Music will also play an important role throughout the reunion. Background selections will include Hungar’s own ballads about coal mining history, songs by the Men of the Deeps and the Coal Creek Boys, as well as classics by Johnny Cash and others from the 1950s and 60s.

Hungar has also published two photo-books capturing the heritage of coal mining in the Crowsnest Pass. The first features 120 rare photographs, while the second expands to 277 images and includes sections on topics ranging from sports and societies to slang, nick-names, and the RCMP. Together, they document 30 different mines across the Pass, while offering insight into the tools, occupations, and methods that defined an industry.

He has also written songs such as “Coal Miners’ Song of the Crowsnest Pass,” “Miner Man of the Crowsnest Pass,” and “Hard Working Wives of Coal Miners,” which reflect both the hardships and the camaraderie of mining families. One line from his ballads asks, “We lived on coal, will it ever come back?” This is a sentiment Hungar says resonates deeply, though he has made clear that the event is not connected to current coal mine proposals.

“This is about celebrating the men and women who built our communities from 1900 to 1983, when Coleman Collieries shut down,” Hungar explained. “It has nothing to do with opening up any new coal mines in the Pass.”

Community support has already been strong, with more than 100 people expected to attend. The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass provided financial assistance for both this year’s and last year’s anniversary events. Hungar also credits the UMWA for their…