Wabana, Newfoundland and Labrador

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Wabana
Town
BellIsland (Wabana) NL PO 2016.jpg
Post office in Wabana
Canada Newfoundland location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Wabana
Location of Wabana in Newfoundland
Coordinates: 47°39′N52°56′W / 47.650°N 52.933°W / 47.650; -52.933
Country Canada
Province Newfoundland and Labrador
Incorporated1950
Government
 • MayorPhilip Tobin
 •  MHA Fred Hutton (LIB)
Population
 (2021) [1]
 • Total1,815
Time zone UTC-3:30 (Newfoundland Time)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-2:30 (Newfoundland Daylight)
Area code 709
Highways Ontario M508.svg Car Ferry to Portugal Cove–St. Philip's

Wabana is a Canadian town and the largest, and only incorporated, community on Bell Island in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. [2] [3]

Contents

Geography

The town is situated on the northeast end of the island and was incorporated in 1950. Bell Island's soil contains red hematite or iron ore and this resource was the main reason for Wabana's development. [4] In addition to Wabana centre, the municipality consists of three more neighbourhoods, namely West Mines to the west, The Green to the north and The Front (or Bell Island Front) to the southeast, near the ferry terminal.

Economy

Wabana came to prominence during the 1890s when the Butler family from Port de Grave staked mining claims on the north side of the island. These were sold to the Nova Scotia Steel Company and later sold to the Dominion Steel Corporation in the early 1900s. The first mine opened in 1896 and the site of the mines was named Wabana by Thomas Cantly, an official with Nova Scotia Steel Co. – the name being Abenaki for "place where the light shines first."

The mines saw Wabana's population swell to 14,000 within a few years, the second largest community in the Dominion of Newfoundland. A hundred and one workers lost their lives over the course of Bell Island's iron ore industry. [5]

A further 65 sailors on merchant ships were lost on two separate attacks by German U-boats in the fall of 1942; further, four cargo ships for carrying iron ore to the steel mill at Sydney, Nova Scotia sunk. [6] [7]

Wabana's population declined following World War II as the underground mines began to face shortfalls in production, being forced to compete with more efficient open pit mines in Labrador and Minnesota. The parent company, Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation (DOSCO), had been in operation since 1930 and was taken over by other conglomerates in the late 1950s. The steel mill and coal mines in Nova Scotia were facing uncertain futures and their shut down was announced in 1965 (although they were subsequently nationalized).

The expected announcement of the shut down of the iron ore mines in Wabana came on April 19, 1966. Following their closure, the mines were left to flood and the population of Wabana has since steadily declined. [8] [9]

Today, the working population mostly commutes to St. John's on a daily basis, while in the summer a tour of one of the decommissioned mines draws tourism to the island. [10] [11] [12] The island is served by the provincial government ferry system, via the MV Flanders and MV Legionnaire. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

Wabana houses the island's post office, a supermarket, a gas station, and several convenience stores.

Demographics

Bell Island Lighthouse Bell Island Lighthouse.jpg
Bell Island Lighthouse

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wabana had a population of 1,815 living in 951 of its 1,181 total private dwellings, a change of −15.4% from its 2016 population of 2,146. With a land area of 14.49 km2 (5.59 sq mi), it had a population density of

Historical Populations
YearPop.±%
1951 [18] 6,460—    
1961 [19] 8,026+24.2%
1966 [20] 7,884−1.8%
1991 [21] 3,608−54.2%
1996 3,136−13.1%
2001 2,679−14.6%
2006 2,418−9.7%
2011 2,346−3.0%
2016 2,146−8.5%
2021 1,815−15.4%

Notable people

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References

  1. 1 2 "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Newfoundland and Labrador". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. ↑ Mooney, Kyle (7 August 2021). "Bell Island's unincorporated communities sidelined in garbage saga". CBC News.
  3. ↑ Roberts, Terry (22 August 2017). "Did a Newfoundland town really sell its water system?". CBC News.
  4. ↑ Weir, Gail. "Pamphlet" (PDF). research.library.mun.ca. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  5. ↑ "Unseen wonders: Diving pros push to reopen Bell Island mines". CBC News. 2 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Divers visit WWII Bell Island shipwreck site to lay wreath". CBC News. 11 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "German U-boat may be at bottom of Labrador river". CBC News. 25 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "Iron Ore Mines of Bell Island". www.heritage.nf.ca. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  9. ↑ Mullin, Malone (15 August 2019). "Bell Island's water looks like 'chocolate,' and residents are fed up". CBC News.
  10. ↑ "U.S. diver dies while exploring flooded mine". CBC News. 2007-02-04. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
  11. ↑ "Air embolism killed Bell Island diver: autopsy". CBC News. 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
  12. ↑ "Bell Island adventurers resume dive in wake of death". CBC News. 2007-02-06. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
  13. ↑ Whiffen, Glenn (November 6, 2017). "Sending Legionnaire away not an option, Bell Island protesters say". www.saltwire.com. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  14. ↑ "N.L. ferries made 4,100 trips with no passengers last year". CBC. 2020-05-15. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  15. ↑ Wilhelm, Henrike (29 July 2021). "Bell Island residents reaching 'boiling point' over spotty ferry service". CBC News.
  16. ↑ Moore, Mike (5 March 2021). "Town of Wabana says it's taking the N.L. government to court over ferry disruptions". CBC News.
  17. ↑ Kelland, Ariana (15 April 2020). "Leave Bell Island only for work and essentials, Wabana mayor says". CBC News.
  18. ↑ "Canada Year Book 1955" (PDF).
  19. ↑ "Canada Year Book 1967" (PDF).
  20. ↑ "Canada Year Book 1968" (PDF).
  21. ↑ Statistics Canada 1991 Census Data Table.
  22. ↑ "A Fixed Link for Bell island". YouTube .
  23. ↑ "Jackman, David Ignatius". Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador . p. 88.
  24. ↑ "Harry Hibbs". Encyclopedia of Music in Canada . Historica Canada. December 8, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2019.

47°39′N52°56′W / 47.650°N 52.933°W / 47.650; -52.933

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