The blood tax of coal was 3.5 lives for every million tons of coal produced in Drumheller valley. 
    In all 207 lives were lost while working the black.  These names, gathered by a 3 year volunteer research project spearheaded by the Atlas Coal Mine Historical Society, are etched in black granite on a monument to be unveiled November 10 in downtown Drumheller. Guests for the unveiling will include sons, daughters, wives, nieces and nephews of men who perished in the Drumheller coalfield.

    The unveiling will take place at 2  p.m. on Saturday at the park next to the Civic Centre. The ceremony and reception will then move to the Badlands Community Facility at 2:10 p.m.
    The first mine fatality in Drumheller was a tourist.  In 1913, Harry Holden was visiting the booming new town and was taken on a tour of the Drumheller Mine. Not only was this tour illegal, it was deadly, as the hoistman neglected to hitch the mine car he was riding in to the cable before sending it down the slope.  According to the report, every bone in Holden’s body was broken.
    The worst decade was the 1920’s during which 77 lives were lost in the Drumheller mines.  This is the decade of biggest growth in Drumheller, when over 50 mines were operating and most of downtown Drumheller was built. These tumultuous years were characterized by “a civil war of miners” as various unions fought for the right to represent the miners and improve their working conditions.  Communism was huge, as many miners felt the companies paid little heed to their safety and working conditions.
    Some miners were also war veterans. Meredith Rowden was decorated with a DMO for extreme bravey in the Battle of Passchendaele, only to be killed in the Midland Mine when a huge slab of rock fell on him in 1928. 
    In WW2, miners were considered an essential service, and generally not allowed to leave their job.  Private George Hill Brown was serving his country in the Atlas Coal Mine. On January 4, 1944, he slipped beneath a car and was fatally injured.  His name also appears on the Drumheller cenotaph because he was in Active Service at the time of his death. Tragically, his brother Bertram was killed in the Murray Mine the year before, when a pony bolted. Ponies were used for hauling coal underground.
    The Miners’ Memorial is a granite and steel monument designed by James Smith of Ontario. The monument will be unveiled at 2 pm on November 10 in downtown Drumheller.  Everyone is welcome to attend. The park will be fully developed over the next few months, and dedicated on May 4, 2013.

    Three community organizations got a sizeable boost thanks to the World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund.
    On Wednesday, November 7, Badlands Search and Rescue, Nacmine Community Hall Association, and the Drumheller Community Football Association were presented with donations to put towards their respective projects.
    Badlands Search and Rescue was given $2,987 to put towards the purchase of an evacuation stretcher with wheels, an essential tool for rescuing anyone who is injured.
    The organization recently formed to provide search and rescue in the Drumheller, Hanna, and Strathmore areas.
    “We’re doing great. We’ve got our society status and are in the process of getting approved by Alberta Search and Rescue. We’ve been actively training for the last six months,” said Guy Latour, a member of Badlands Search and Rescue who accepted the donation. “This donation will go a long way to getting us operational.”
    The Nacmine Community Hall Association was given $2,669. Plans are in the works to add a new swing set to the park and beautify it for years to come. If all goes well, the swing set should be complete this fall and new plants will be added next year.
    The cost of a new, eight foot swing set is roughly $7,000.
    The final World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund recipient was the Drumheller Community Football Association, which received $1,700. The money will be used for the purchase of a new line-painting machine.
    The World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund invests a portion of the money generated by the attraction and its giftshop into the community.
    “We are happy to give back to the community through the World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund. When the dinosaur was built, one of the goals was to give back to the community. We’ve been doing that for many years and we expect to keep doing so many years into the future,” said Heather Bitz, general manager of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce.
    The Chamber of Commerce will open the application process again come February 2013. The Chamber is hoping to fund projects less than $3,000.

The Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce presented $2,987 to Badlands Search and Rescue for the purchase of an evacuation stretcher and supplies. Pictured are Heather Bitz (left), general manager of the Chamber of Commerce, Badlands Search and Rescue members Richard Tietge, Guy Latour, Kellie Smith, Merv Smith, and Chamber president Ed Mah.

The Nacmine Community Association got a $2,669 boost from the World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund, which will go towards purchasing a new swing set for the Nacmine Park. Pictured are Chamber of Commerce president Ed Mah (left), Nacmine Community Association member Sheila Marquardt, and Chamber general manager Heather Bitz.

The Drumheller Community Football Association received $1,700 from the World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund. The money will be used to buy a new line painter. Pictured are Chamber of Commerce president Ed Mah(left),  Bantam Titans quarterback Mitchell Ostergard, Drumheller Community Football Association member Mike Ostergard, Titans lineman Noah Clark, and Chamber general manager Heather Bitz.