Miners museum in Glace Bay in race against time to repair building

The Cape Breton Miners Museum in Glace Bay, N.S., is struggling to raise money on its own while making a plea for governmentfunding to save it from closure.

A building audit done more than a year ago identified a badly leaking roof, air quality issues originating in the building's distinctive tower and other structural problems, according to museum director Mary Pat Mombourquette.

'The ceiling keeps collapsing'

"The ceiling keeps collapsing.We're losing more and more every day, and with the rain we lose a good chunk," she said.

"There's problems with the foundation, problems with the walls, with the window, with the doors.Everything is leaking heat and everything is letting in rain.It's like living in a sieve."

"If we're in an unsafe building, we're at risk of closure," Mombourquette said.

The museum is turning to all three levels of government for funding, along with its own efforts.

"We had a turkey dinner at the Miner's Village restaurant [adjacent to the museum], and they've been doing haunted walks around the museum."

Mombourquette said they're also going to do some other major fundraising throughout the fall.

Seeking help from ACOA

All of that money raised will go toward helping with the structural problems with the building, she said.

She added that the museum's board of directors has formally applied for just over $162,000 ayear for three years from the province, the municipality and the federal government through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

The MLA for the Glace Bay area, Geoff MacLellan, has said he will bring the concerns to the provincial cabinet.

"It's one of the most heavily sought after attractions for cruise ship tourists when they come into Sydney, so we've got to do what we can to protect it," he said.

The museum, which offers tours of an underground mine led by retired miners, has welcomed 11,000 visitors since June.

Visitor Janet East grew up in the mining town of Snow Lake, Man.

"Mining is part of my upbringing so we wanted to make this connection with coal mining," she said. "I've never been to a mining museum like this before and hopefully it will be there for a very long time."

Mombourquette said she is hoping to get a positive response from government by late falland hopes to start work on the tower and leaking roof as soon as possible.