Latest news with #Superstack
Global News
2 days ago
- Business
- Global News
Ontario city skyline to undergo drastic change after ‘iconic' landmark toppled
For years, residents and visitors to Sudbury, Ont., knew they were approaching the Nickel City when they saw the Inco Superstack. 'For us, it's a beacon in our community,' Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre told Global News. 'You see Superstacks, you're near home, right? You're almost there because you can see it from pretty far away.' But the skyline of Sudbury is undergoing a drastic change as plans are underway by current owner Vale Base Metals (VBM) to tear down the structure, as well as its neighbouring copper sister. The company has made the Superstack and its little copper sister obsolete by finding more environmentally friendly way of dealing with emissions. Before the arrival of the chimney, which residents refer to as 'the Smokestack,' Sudbury was known as an environmental disaster, as spewing toxins made vegetation and wildlife in the area disappear. Story continues below advertisement 'Vegetation could not survive,' Lefebvre said. 'And certainly in the Copper Cliff area (where the mine is located) was really bad.' Then came the Superstack in 1972. Standing more than 1,250 Ft. high, it was, for a short time, the largest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere until it was surpassed by the CN Tower. Until it disappears, it will remain the largest chimney in Canada. 'If you look at the history of why it was built, it was just to get the sulphur to go further instead of having it landing right beside the community,' Lefebvre said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy He noted that while that was a major innovation for its time, things have continued to evolve. In 2010, VBM, which acquired Inco in 2006, first announced the Clean AER Project, which would see the towering chimneys replaced with environmentally friendly and efficient methods of dealing with nickel extraction. 'The Superstack and Copperstack have been iconic landmarks in Greater Sudbury for decades,' said Gord Gilpin, director of Ontario operations for VBM. 'While we appreciate that the city's landscape will look different after these structures are dismantled, our business has evolved and improved over time and this project is part of that evolution. We are modernizing our facilities and reducing our environmental footprint and, in so doing, laying the groundwork to ensure that our next century of mining in Sudbury is as successful as our first 100 years.' Story continues below advertisement The company says the move will eliminate 100,000 metric tonnes of sulphur dioxide emissions each year (equivalent to 1,000 railway tanker cars of sulphuric acid). It will also see the end of the Superstack and its copper counterpart, as they were decommissioned in 2020, and have been dormant ever since. The company is just about finished with the demolition of the smaller Copperstack and is expected to turn its attention to the Superstack this summer. 'It's a massive undertaking of how they're going to do this,' Lefebvre said. 'They had to prep for it the last five years and here we are, we're on the cusp of it.' The company says it will take about five years to pull down the towers and while some have argued that the towers should remain as a tribute to the city's mining history and effort to clean up, the mayor said that is not a realistic option. 'There are some folks in the community that think we should keep it, but again, it's not ours, right?' he said. 'It's the company's and it's a liability, because if they just leave it there, the whole thing will rust and the inside will, then it becomes a liability.' Lefebvre also noted that the structure sits atop an active nickel mine, so there is no way it could ever be an attraction for people to visit and would be something that would need to be admired from afar. Story continues below advertisement While he is sad to see it go, the mayor noted that it is a weird twist that a place that once held such a bleak landscape would hold such an important stake in the world's environment. 'The irony of all this is now Sudbury, that was one of the most polluted places back in the '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s, is now obviously contributing enormously with our critical minerals to our environment,' he said. 'All electric vehicles and all battery, it needs nickel and we are the ones providing that across our entirety in the world.'
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Collecting memories of the Sudbury Superstack
Sudbury Writers' Guild is collecting stories, photos & other memorabilia to memorialize the Superstack in an anthology they hope to publish.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Looking back on the legacy of Sudbury's Superstack
More details about plans to dismantle the Superstack in and a look back at the impact the structure had on Greater Sudbury. Sudbury's landscape will be changed forever in the next five years as the Superstack and smaller Copperstack are dismantled by Vale Base Metals. Ahead that, some people are remembering what has been and looking forward to what could be. Superstack coming down The second-tallest freestanding structure of any kind in Canada, the Superstack was decommissioned in 2020 after advances in technology made it no longer necessary. (Photo from video) The second-tallest freestanding structure of any kind in Canada, the Superstack was decommissioned in 2020 after advances in technology made it no longer necessary. Officials detail the dismantling process in a YouTube video. 'Basically, you're going to see a structure going up,' Vale's Gord Gilpin told CTV. 'And slowly but surely the structure will come down. From a schedule point of view … we're scheduled to have the Copperstack -- which is the shorter one -- down by the end of 2025. And we're finalizing plans for the Superstack. It'll be more of a five-year project.' Built by Vale's predecessor Inco to disperse sulphur gas out of the city, Liisa Kovala 's father worked to build the giant structure. 'He worked on stacks across the country and into the United States,' Kovala said. Liisa Kovala Built by Vale's predecessor Inco to disperse sulphur gas out of the city, Liisa Kovala 's father worked to build the giant structure. (Photo from video) 'I want to say upwards of 24 or 25 stacks. He also went across the country pulling them down when they were needed … to be demolished. And this was his very last stack. So, I mean, I thought, that's amazing. But if you're going to go out, go out on the biggest one there is.' As part of the Sudbury Writers Guild, Kovala was part of an anthology titled 'Sudbury Superstack: A Changing Skyline, which was released in May. 'Sudburians have lots of opinions about it,' she said. 'Whether they hate it or love it or have some personal connections to it, people have opinions. And so we decided to bring writers together, but also community members. So others contributed to the book who maybe never wrote anything at all before but wanted to share their memories.' Gilpin said Vale has a plan in place on how it will commemorate the stacks. 'We do have a bit of a plan, a competition, if you will, or vote for the community to help us choose one of three options on how we can commemorate and remember the stack,' he said. 'One being a mural, another being sort of a statue, and the third being, a picture book -- a coffee table type book.' Residents are invited to visit Vale's website to vote for one of the three options. Voting will close at 4 p.m. Sept. 27 and the winning proposal will be shared on Vale's Facebook page in October.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Once the tallest structure in the world, Sudbury landmark to be dismantled piece by piece
The Superstack is 381 metres (or 1,250 feet) high, 35 metres wide at the base and 16 metres wide at the top. It is the second tallest chimney in the world, exceeded only by a power station chimney in Kazakhstan. Dismantling of the famous Superstack in Sudbury will begin in August. While many are sad to see it go, Vale Base Metals said it's an important step forward in its environmental stewardship program. Superstack 1972 When completed in 1972, the Superstack was the tallest structure in the world. It dispersed emissions from mining, a critical step in improving Sudbury's heavily damaged environmental landscape, which used to be dominated by black rock. (Photo from video) The Superstack is 381 metres (or 1,250 feet) high, 35 metres wide at the base and 16 metres wide at the top. It is the second-tallest chimney in the world, exceeded only by a power station chimney in Kazakhstan. When it was completed in 1972, it was the tallest structure in the world. It dispersed emissions from mining, a critical step in improving Sudbury's heavily damaged environmental landscape, which used to be dominated by black rock. More recently, however, Vale's $1 billion Clean AER Project led to the elimination of 100,000 metric tonnes of sulfur dioxide emissions each year (equivalent to 1,000 railway tanker cars of sulphuric acid), bringing emissions down to 30 per cent below the provincial standards. Superstack CleanAER Vale's $1 billion Clean AER Project led to the elimination of 100,000 metric tonnes of sulfur dioxide emissions each year (equivalent to 1,000 railway tanker cars of sulphuric acid), bringing emissions down to 30 per cent below the provincial standards. (Photo from video) That meant the stack was no longer needed. Paul Guenette is the project lead for the Superstack demolition project, a process that began in 2020 when Vale decommissioned the stack and began planning how to take it down. Since then, elevators have been built on the side to bring workers up and down. For the last two months, workers have been building a platform at the top. 'It's 95 per cent completed,' Guenette said. 'Probably in mid-July, we're going to see … the actual machine that's going to be doing the dismantling being set right on top of the rim.' Superstack dismantle The special equipment Vale will use to dismantle the superstack is like a jackhammer that will cut away panels. (Photo from video) He said the machine is like a jackhammer that will be 'cutting away panels in the stack and making them fall down on the inside.' Rubble will be removed as it accumulates inside the stack using a remotely controlled loader similar to what's being used underground. 'Again, (it's) super exciting piece that we're utilizing technology from underground to the above-ground, doing this monumental project,' Guenette said. Work will begin within weeks, but the process itself will take three or four years, he added. 'It's a lot of work, a lot of hours,' Guenette said. 'We have to respect all the bylaws, obviously, for the noise and other things just to make sure everybody's happy.' Work has to stop in winter because of the cold and extreme winds. He said that the water sprayer they use to control dust wouldn't work in winter because the water would freeze. 'That's why it's really going to take quite some time,' Guenette said. Vale hired Commonwealth Dynamics Canada, an external contractor, to help with the demolition and also has a team of about 27 employees working on the project. For people like Erin Newell, the Superstack has been a constant in her life. Newell's family has lived in Copper Cliff for 90 years. Superstack 4 While many are sad to see the Superstack go, Vale Base Metals said it's an important step forward in its environmental stewardship program. (Photo from video) 'My grandparents came here from Toronto, and they were down on Peter Street, where they raised nine children and there's still quite a few of us in town,' she said. 'I grew up on Crighton Road across from the park and I've lived on this street beside my sister for about 12 years.' Newell said the stack has always been a compass for her. 'Coming back from camp or a trip, you would always know that you were close to home (when) you started to see that in the skyline,' she said. 'It's going to be very different' 'And I think it's going to be very different now that it's not here. Definitely, a big piece of history that's always been a part of my life.' As the demolition moves closer to reality, Guenette said he knows it's bittersweet for many in the community. 'The stack, for certain generations of people, it was a sign of prosperity, right?' he said. 'You see smoke coming out of the stack, that means Inco or Vale, it was making money. People were working. We'd be able to put food on the table.' But the fact that it's no longer needed is a good thing since it means that emissions from mining have been drastically reduced. 'Look at Sudbury now -- it's completely green,' Guenette said. 'Thirty years ago, you wouldn't recognize this place. So there's two sides to it, I understand, but it's time to turn the new page as far as Sudbury and really showing the world that we care about the environment and we want to improve the world.' In addition to the Superstack, Vale is also taking down the less-famous Copperstack. Guenette said there are about 95 feet left to be dismantled. As for the Superstack, residents are being encouraged to share photos and memories of the stack while to company works towards creating a monument.
National Post
10-06-2025
- General
- National Post
Half a century ago, 'Andy the Cat' helped build Sudbury's Superstack
Article content As workers begin to chip away at the Superstack, slowly dismantling it from the top down, a Val Caron retiree is thinking back on the time he spent climbing with it into the clouds as a member of the original construction crew. Raising the mega chimney went remarkably fast, given the scope of the task at hand. The metre-thick base started to take shape in the spring of 1970 and, by the end of that summer, the concrete shell — which split the horizon like a giant dinner candle — was basically complete. (It would also need a steel liner, however, and would not go into operation until 1972.) 'You could go one foot an hour pouring concrete, and even faster as it tapered off,' said Andre Gallant. 'I was working 12-14 hours a day, but it was a good experience. How many times do you get to go up that high?' The stack would ultimately reach 1,250 feet, exceeding the level of the observation deck on the CN Tower. Gallant, in his early 30s at the time, would be among the group gathered at its dizzying peak to celebrate the occasion. 'I was there when they poured the last bucket of concrete,' he said. 'We put up a Canada flag at the top when we were done.' Some guys, including Gallant, also scrawled a few words on the structure. 'I took a paint crayon and printed out the names of my wife and three kids on that white ring you see at the top,' he said. A welder by trade and member of the Ironworkers local in Sudbury, Gallant's main job was to manage the placement of the steel rods required to reinforce the concrete. More than 1,000 tons of this rebar — with rods ranging in size from a half-inch to nearly an inch-and-a-half — went into the structure, according to an Inco Triangle article from the time. 'The people down below would send up a package of rods to the scaffold where I was standing on the chimney,' said Gallant. 'I would undo the hook from the crane, lay it down, and then two or three other guys would spread the rod all around the stack.' He also welded angle-iron fixtures for aircraft warning lights and performed various maintenance tasks, including greasing the wheels for the hoist. Workers travelled up and down in a small cage — it could fit four men, squeezed together — that ran inside the chimney, while concrete was hauled up in buckets and delivered to the forms by rubber-tired buggies. All this happened atop a 200-ton construction platform, elevated by a system of hydraulic jacks that supported an erection tower. Safety nets were strung below, inside the stack, but workers were often performing tasks near the edge and fall-prevention gear seems to have been optional, or at least not strictly enforced. 'They promoted (that) you have a harness with you all the time, but most of the guys didn't bother with them,' said Gallant. He was among that cavalier camp. Photos taken at the time show him navigating narrow walkways at great heights, or casually clinging to a part of the spidery superstructure, with little more than a hard hat and work boots for protection. Old habits die hard, apparently. 'A couple of years ago, I found him on top of a ladder with a shop vac in one hand, vacuuming leaves out of the eavestrough,' said daughter Rhonda. 'I couldn't handle it and had to walk away.' Gallant, now 87, admits he wasn't quite so confident in his first year as an ironworker. 'In those days, if you put a building up, you had to climb a column (a vertical I-beam or H-beam) by hand, like a monkey,' he said. 'If you asked a foreman for a ladder, they would say 'go home.'' Over time, however, he got quite adept at scaling various structures and any acrophobia he might have had to begin with was gone. A few years before he joined the crew on the Superstack, he had even acquired the nickname The Cat for his fearlessness and agility. 'I was going up to the top of an A-frame at Stobie (Mine) and the guy down below said, 'Hey Andy, you look like a cat up there,' ' he said. 'It stuck and I was Andy the Cat after that.' When the stack was nearly complete, a tornado swept through Sudbury, killing six people in the city and putting the lives of many workers on the Inco edifice at risk. Rhonda was a child at the time and recalls her mom looking anxiously out the window of their home, in the direction of Copper Cliff, as the storm was brewing. Gallant was on the job that day, but as fate would have it ended up experiencing the blow from a lower level than he would have ordinarily. 'I went up in the morning and I could tell we were going to have a storm,' he recalled. 'But when I got to the top, I realized I had forgotten my respirator (which was important on days when fumes were coming from an existing Inco chimney). I said I'm going to choke today, so I went back down on the elevator, and when I got about 15 feet from the ground, the power kicked out.' He didn't want to stay trapped in the cage, especially if some debris started flying down as a result of the tempest, so he opened the door and jumped down to a pile of gravel. 'I lay on my side, curled up, in case I was going to get hit by 2x4s and plywood.' Six workers were on the construction platform at the time, all of whom luckily survived. Many crew members weren't eager to keep working after that, however, said Gallant, so he found his hours increased in the aftermath of the scare. Quite a few people packed it in over the course of the project, he said, either because they found the shifts too demanding or the heights too scary, but he was determined to see it out. 'I had too much pride,' he said. 'I said if I quit now, it would be chickening out. After I was there, I wanted to finish it.' He also enjoyed the views from such a lofty vantage point. During the daytime, you could see clear to Silver Peak in Killarney. At night — the concrete work went 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday — there was a spectacle of lights from communities spread over a huge distance, not to mention the stars above. Some days, you couldn't see anything, as mist or smoke enwrapped the stack, and you would gag on sulphur if your mask wasn't handy. But that could be survived through a sense of purpose, decent pay, and a few moments of levity. One day, about a week before the stack was complete, Gallant — an avid golfer to this day — smuggled a five-iron up to the top, hidden inside a pant leg. He had also pocketed a ping-pong ball. The tee-off occurred on a couple of planks of wood, balanced more than 1,000 feet in the air. Gallant isn't sure where his shot landed but he's pretty sure the hollow plastic orb didn't injure anyone. His happiest memory of the job? 'That moment when it was done,' he said. 'Being able to say, I did it.' He and the other workers celebrated at the top but also when they got down to terra firma. Some of the Americans on the project had brought in bottles of bourbon and they all clinked glasses in a construction trailer. 'I don't like bourbon, but I took a shot anyway,' said Gallant. 'It would have been better if it was Wiser's (Canadian whisky).' In subsequent years, he could always look up at the stack, from pretty much any place in Sudbury he happened to be, and feel some pride and nostalgia about the time he spent making it happen. But he's not actually that upset about the fact that it is coming down. 'It was a great summer for me,' he said. 'Now it's just more work for the younger guys coming up.'
