Highway11.ca Kirkland Lake Comments from 2008-2012

When I added a comment feature to each community profiled on Highway11.ca in 2008 I never expected anyone to really use it.

Between 2008 and 2012, almost 40 comments were posted on Kirkland Lake. Below are all of the comments that were posted, with the oldest comments appearing at the top.

Please click here to go back to the Kirkland Lake community page on Highway11.ca.

datetime: 20080413T093332
name: boyd albert (bud)
location: eastern passage ns.

I have not been home to KL for 40 some years.From the coments and remarks in this website nothing has changed much Good things do not need much change to stay unique.

datetime: 20080723T094127
name: alex campbell

location: virginiatown ontario

iam looking for postings of mining accidents at kirkland gold in 2002

datetime: 20090206T040725
name: Edmund

location: Kirkland Lake

Good article on KL, as for the km signs blame that on the Ministry of Transportation, they had that problem with the km signs regarding KL near New Liskeard for years. Hey did you know that Hwy 112 was originally Hwy 11? I apparently passed by Murdoch Creek ended up at the end of Main St passing by 5 Main the famous brothel then heading back through Chaput Hughes on to Swastika then to Ramore. The Kenogami bypass was not there until later on. KL is truly quite, You can go all over North America and the world and there a good chance that you will meet a good ol Kirkland Laker!

datetime: 20090206T041129
name: Edmund

location: Kirkland Lake

Correction in the previous post it was HWY 11 (Ferguson) which passed by Murdoch creek, not \"I\"
It was later changed to where it comes out now by the MNR Fire base and the cemetary.

datetime: 20090818T014426
name: Syl Belisle

location: Timmins

Hi Mark,
GREAT site...I really love it. So much information, where did you find the time to research all this?
Your comments about Kirkland Lake are too tru (except for the population which is now under 8,000 I believe. And their daily is now twice a wekk, the Northern News.
By the by, why no Timmins page?

datetime: 20091205T063836
name: Edmund

location: Kirkland Lake

This is addressed to all former K.L.C.V.I. students, whether you lived in Holtyre, Ramore, Wavell, Bourques, Kenogami, KL, King Kirkland, Harvey Kirkland, Dobie, Larder Lake, V-town, Kearns and others who came from other Towns.
I would like to inform you that sadly the power was cut from your school at 1351 (1:51pm) eastern time on Monday November 30th 2009.
Some lights stayed on for about a minute longer but soon dimmed then went out. The emergency lighting stayed on for a few hours too as if the old girl was on it\'s last breath then when every thing went out, KLCVI really felt dead! To walk the empty dark lifeless halls was a truly eerie feeling. I never attended KLCVI, in fact I attended ES Iroquois Falls SS, but I met a lot of good people who traveled Highways 11 and 66 by Harvey's Transportation or McLellans buses to attend this fine school.
Demolition began shortly after power was cut. By today Dec. 4th the whole tech wing has been demolished. Folks, I sympathize with you! I know it may not be a positive thing to write about but people do not dwell on her passing but celebrate KLCVI with all the good memories you have of that grand old lady!
Thanks!

datetime: 20091219T105120
name: helen hill

location: england

Does any one know anything about Ernest Martin who struck gold at Kirkland lake?

datetime: 20100104T200615
name: Mike

location: Townsend ON

Great website, I used to go to KL every year with my dad,we would camp in Matachewan and after about a week we would go to KL for Tim Hortons.
Although I have not been there for about 10 years now I always think about moving there to raise my family.
KL has been one of my favourite towns since I was a kid it was nice to see this site and keep up the good work.
Mike

datetime: 20100112T061826
name: Dave
location: Swastika

Good ol' KL. You can leave for 6 years and return with nothing changed. Oakes ended up being a philanthropist who was responsible for things like the first skating arena and public school in KL. As well as financing our early town developments, he used his KL gold money for beautiful gardens in Niagra Falls and other properties around the world. KL also has more than one suburb (although every one within a three township radius eventually has to admit they're from here), namely Harvey Kirkland to the southeast, King Kirkland (with far more than 20 houses), Chaput Hughes (1km west), Dobie (just east of King Kirkland), and Dane/Tarzwell/Boston Creek on hwy 112. Hwy 11 that runs north to kenogami did not exist in the 30's but the ferguson hwy ran between KL and Kenogami and on up to Timmins. Kirkland Lake is not only an old mining town, but a current and future one as well. As you read this post, work is still continuing on the very gold reserve that Harry Oakes discovered almost a century ago.

datetime: 20100115T234703
name: Judy Ann
ert@cogeco.ca
location: Thorold, ON

I can't believe no one has mentioned the sign over the highway that used to welcome us to Kirkland Lake ..."Welcome to Kirkland Lake...Hub of the North on the Mile of Gold" No KLCVI!! So sad...but so much has disappeared from KL, it's hard to find very much that is familiar..the Fed is still open isn't it? No Capitol? What about the Golden Palms? I ate many a "fries and gravy" there!

datetime: 20100526T195459
name: lenny ashton

location: hamilton

I lived in Kirkland Lake for one academic year (1960-1961) and haven\'t been back since. I will be camping in the area this summer and am curious to see what memories come back to me as I explore the town. I will try to locate Queen Elizabeth elementary school (I was in grade 7)as it was my favourite school. I wish I had kept in touch with classmates because after my family moved, I missed Kirkland Lake for years!

datetime: 20100605T035314
name: andre roy

location: North Bay

KL is west of the Quebec border, not east.

It's _THE_ Adams Mine. It was _THE_ Adams Mine when I worked at the radio station (CJKL), it was _THE_ Adams Mine when I worked at The Adams Mine. It's just jarring for someone who's been there, done that.

And the community wasn't against the garbage plan, at least not officially. Everyone else seemed to have been, though.

And for Judy Anne form Thorold, The Fed is still there, or at least it was last time I checked a year or so ago, though it's called "Club Fed" now. And the Capitol Theatre burned down in 1987 or '88.

I don't recall the status of the Golden Palms.

datetime: 20100609T232929
name: vivian

location: earlton,ont

is there an archives of school pictures? i am looking for photos or info of shirley finch(later daigneault)who lived in area until her death in 1957. thanks

datetime: 20100610T232928
name: Marlene Parrott

location: VancouverBC

My dad was killed in a mining accident there In JUNE 1943.We left immediattely after his death. Are there any resourcers avalible to find out what a miner's life3 was like at that time?

datetime: 20100619T212627
name: Bonita (Bonnie) Astle
location: Victoria, BC

What a nice site of KL and keeping our memories alive. Good job, and I appreciate it. I was raised in KL from the age of 6 yrs until I married in 1966. I went to Queen Elizabeth School from 55-62 and KLCVI from 63-66. I don't have my year books anymore but what a wonderful surprise when I typed in KLCVI in my search engine to find all of our pictures for the 1963 yearbook. Charles Dobie has been kind enough to take the time to add as many as he could with the information he was given and says he'll continue when he can. He's always looking for more information for other yearbooks too. If you're on Facebook and lived in KL during my years there, say hello. I'd be glad to hear from you.

datetime: 20100702T163236
name: Editor
location: Ontario

Thanks for the updates everyone (and for catching the east/west typo AndrÈ)

datetime: 20110106T042531

location: Windsor Ontario

I had a sister that I never knew, she has now found me in her 80th year, we met at the grave of our grandparents in KL, her nick name is "Peanut" and her name is Lorraine, my name is Jim Church and I love KL

datetime: 20110223T191856

location: Chaput Hughes

I truly enjoyed your site. I was born and raised in Kirkland Lake and after leaving for College I returned. One thing about KL - sometimes you get out, sometimes you don't. My husband and I are raising our family here. It is a good community to raise children, though we don't seem as close knit as we were when I was growing up. Over the past 30-some years I have watched our town slowly die around those of us who stayed, but there are new mines opening and expanding operations, property values are going through the rough right now. I hope against hope that Kirkland Lake will remember what it used to be and return to it's former state one day. Thanks so much for the web site!

datetime: 20110321T024337

location: London, Ontario

In response to the question from Helen Hill from England in late 2009, I have written a book about Harry Oakes\' prospecting partner, Ernie Martin, my great uncle. It will be released this fall.

datetime: 20110522T073536

location: amherestburg ont

reading all the comments of good old K.L.see a binnie astle i went to queenie too. you lived at rowan and queen. will try to cintact her yeas my dad worked at lakeshore in the office for some 35 years. chip i will watch for this book it will really interest me as from the great north.

datetime: 20110528T142813

location: england

Chip Martin Where can I get your book? I would be very interested in reading it as Ernie Martin was my great great uncle.

datetime: 20110922T190105

location: Elliot Lake

Found this while I was looking for Quen Elizabeth school bpics and yearbooks. I remember the rink in the school yard all the hockey and the rink shack, good times.

datetime: 20110923T161923

location: Brampton ON

Can you change the font on your web site please. The dark gray on black is almost impossible to read.

datetime: 20111129T003250

location: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Kirkland a place that you always want to come back to. Raised in the Federal, remembering the Federal School rink, the rink shack, crack rock, the slimes. K.L.C.V.I, Holy Name School and the best growing up years a kid could have. Thank you K.L.

datetime: 20111211T124153

location: Mississauga

Great website, but please yes change the background/font The black and dark grey is very very very hard to read.

datetime: 20111220T152144

location: Stony Plain AB/ HOLTYRE

The long weekend in july2012 is Matheson\'s 100th, so they are having a reunion, because so many former residents of Holtyre are going, we are having a get -to- getter on the sunday of that weekend in Holtyre so if you know of anyone who lived in holtyre could you let them know, we will be more then happy to have you if you rode or even dreamed of riding on the world famous HOLTYRE FLYER...

datetime: 20120215T001828

location: http:www.regina.ca

the darkness of this website is refective of many peoples opinion of the community. YES i would brighten it up. i lived in kirkland lake for five years. had a great experience. also spent some time living in Swastika. brightewn up the site and you will brighten up the town!

datetime: 20120219T232340

location: matachewan

who was the reeve or mayor in 1952?

datetime: 20120301T063329

patico.ca

location: timmins, ontario

i am from the big town of wavell. rode to klcvi highschool on harvy's buses and every day as we went under the underpass i read thatign. on a histry test i was the only one who got that question if you live with it every day i guess you dont notice these things

datetime: 20120330T205254

location: winnipeg,mb

Hello,Kirkland Lake,It has been a very long time since 1967-68,this is when our family moved from burnside drive and moved to thompson, then winnipeg. Just found this site and had to say hello after all these years. Iwent to federal school,the old one,anyone remember me from those years ? i am married,with2 sons,10 and 12 today and work for lewis instruments in winnipeg. any gold miners will know our company.take care all. ps , my address is 956 mulvey ave,R3M 1J2,Winnipeg,MB. Plwease drop us a line and catch us up. The Nord's would love to come back and see you all. Bye for now,from Kelly Nord.

datetime: 20120501T171406

location: Toronto

You can take the boy out of the north, but not the North out of the boy.

I left there with my family when I was 13 and haven't lived there for 25 years, but now return every fall to take my young son partridge hunting. He thinks KL is the greatest town in the world, and would happily leave Toronto to live there. How the grass is always greener....

datetime: 20120606T060156

location: Arlington Texas USA

Hi just wanted to thank you for the web site as i used to live in KL for 40 years met my hubby and moved to Texas goinging on 9 years since i have been home but i do know i miss Kirkland and my family that is still there many things to love about KL good people and yes at times snow that four letter word as far as Queenie school is tore down years ago but was on the corner of park street and poplor last time i was home the base ball feild was still there

datetime: 20121008T023654

inson@sympatico.ca

location: bolton ont.

Hi long time since i was home . did a little work there about 6 years ago. was happy to come home was sad to see her grow old. still proud to be from the north

datetime: 20121009T123837

location:

I luv the piece about kl i miss home havent been there since 17 yrs and god i miss it so so bad , i have kids know and i wanted to raise them there, but it,ll never happin it is amazzin place , you never know it until you leave pretty much,when you are a teenager,its partying with your friends but good damn memorires,but when you become an adult,its a good place to raise your children....thank you for the reminder......

datetime: 20121031T164441

location: Fargo, ND

Came across a page from the 1962 KLCVI yearbook(?) It was quite by accident, but it was a wow moment for me. A full flood of memories of my time in KL from March 1960 to January 1962 came back. I went to school there, played football, worked at the Dominion grocery store, and met some absolutely wonderful people. I have the very fondest memories of Kirkland Lake, Swastika, and the people who resided there. It was a wonderfully friendly, kind community to a kid from the States. My father was stationed at the Ramore Radar Station, and after we left Kirkland Lake I returned to Detroit, finished high school, went into the US Air Force, was discharged after 4 years, went to college, graduated and taught school and coached for 38 years recently retiring. I now work at the North Dakota State University's Research & Technology Park. Thanks for having this site. You really should reverse the order tho...the most recent ones on top of the page. Again,thank you

datetime: 20121226T060856

location: Toronto

my mother was born kirkland lake 1923,daughter of E B Knapp mine manager Lakeshore and others.mom and pops were family friends of the Oaks. I have little to scetchy info to work with to find info. ,relitives? and to announce passing of Mary H Mackay