Underground mine simulator project at Cape Breton museum delayed again

COVID-19 has led to another delay in the installation of an underground mine simulator at the Cape Breton Miners Museum.

The project was originally slated for 2019, but was delayed due to going over budget. The museum originally had $1.5 million in funding, but the simulator ended up costing more than $2 million.

Once they were able to get the rest of the funding, the installation began and the simulator was slated to open at the end of March 2020.

"I was really, really, really looking forward to it," said Mary Pat Mombourquette, executive director of the Glace Bay, N.S., museum.

She said the project was just about finished before everything got interrupted by COVID-19.

"The crew that was building the stuff to put the AV equipment in was two days away from finishing up their job. Two days!" said Mombourquette.

The installers were from New Brunswick and Alberta.Both had to pack up and leave before borders closed.

Hope for locals to visit museum this summer

The museum relies on revenue generated from visitors and without the regular influx of tourists, itwas hoping locals would visit this to summer to try out the simulator.

David MacKeigan, who is part of Bay it Forward Glace Bay's community development organization believes the simulator will attract more Cape Bretoners to the museum.

"A lot of Cape Bretoners haven't come to the mine to visit the miners museum, a lot of them can't because walking down the mine sometimes is not easy or some people may be claustrophobic. This simulator will take care of itall," said MacKeigan.

Unclear when simulator will be finished

He said he can't wait to try the simulator out with his father, a retired coal miner.

"You grew up listening to stories about the miners going down the rake and I'm looking forward to going in and experiencing that drive down in the rake and the experience that my dad went through," said MacKeigan.

The opening of the simulator depends on the reopening of the provincial border and when the crew can return to finish its work.The rest of the museum plans to reopen at the start of July.