The federal government hopes all or at least the majority of Canada’s coal-fired power generating plants will be closed by 2030. Along with other coal facilities across the country, Coronach’s Westmoreland Coal mine and the accompanying SaskPower generating plant outside of town will have their doors shut in less than a decade. However, the citizens of Coronach are devoted to keeping this community on the map.
“We’re anxious. This would cause anxiety for anyone. But we have eight to nine years to deal with this,” Jim Achtymichuk, the deputy mayor and town councillor said. He also added that while the provincial government seemed quiet about this issue, the federal government has stepped up to support the transition group.
“The citizens are unsure about the future. Along with this, the infrastructure in town has been showing its age,” Achtymichuk said. For example, many of the water pipes in Coronach were installed in the late 1970s and 1980s, Achtymichuk further pointed out.
Despite this apprehensive time, Coronach as a community has displayed a great deal of mettle in preparation for the mine’s closure. Thirty residents and businesses joined for two days in February 2019 to inaugurate a local action plan under ThriveSask. Heidi Watson, an occupational therapist in Coronach, helped to organize the Business Network. In the winter, this group hosted a unique workshop on signage and streetscapes. Also, the Business Network joined with Gravelbourg in a First Impressions program. In this arrangement, volunteers from both communities visited each other and wrote their first impressions. The checklist for their lists of initial impressions included road conditions, types of businesses and the general friendliness of Gravelbourg and Coronach.
The Thrive Coronach group will meet again in September and will be chaired by Kristin Catherwood – Coronach’s new Economic Transition Coordinator. Catherwood plans to expand the Thrive Coronach group. She is also reaching out to younger people in the community for fresh ideas.
Coronach had been an agricultural town until 1975. The town grew in the late 1970s when construction for the mine and the SaskPower facility began. According to Achtymichuk, Coronach’s population grew to about 1500 from 1979-1981 then dropped to about 900 and has been declining ever since. With the mine gone by 2030, Coronach’s population numbers might continue to dwindle, but the people in this town love their community and want to remain living in the town they love. “Council as a group and large amounts of citizens are committed to staying here, whether SaskPower has a facility or not,” Achtymichuk said.
Since the town is close to so many wonderful areas such as the Big Muddy Valley, an area for possible growth might include Coronach’s growing tourist industry. “We have lots of tourist facilities. There’s a great tourist industry south of the TransCanada that a lot of people don’t realize,” Achtymichuk said.
Coronach also has several amenities for community members and visitors, including a K-12 school where attendance is currently trending upwards. Moreover, Coronach has a health centre, an ambulance service and an RCMP detachment. The Coronach Recreation Sportsplex on 300 Centre Street houses a hockey rink and a curling rink. During the summer, the town operates a swimming pool and manages the adjoining Richardson Hart Spray Park. Baseball diamonds are also available for ballplayers. For readers, the town has a public library on 111 Centre Street, which is part of the Palliser Regional Library system. Finally, Coronach also has lots of shops with essentials including a pharmacy, a grocery store and a gas bar.
