Harry Collins as Winner of 1963 Golden Garbage Pail Award
(L-R); Rupe Wright, Gib James, Harry Collins, Borden McCallum (Fire Protection Officer), Jimmy Davidson, Doug Breckon, John Holland, Jimmy Hickey, Jim Graham
The Society for the Preservation of Canada’s Nuclear Heritage Inc. (SPCHNI) has amassed a large collection of photos showing numerous past activities and events at the Chalk River Laboratories. Many of these involve groups of former employees, all of whom the Society is attempting to identify.
Last year the Society received a number of small, high-quality prints from the estate of Harry Collins. These were forwarded to us by Fred Blackstein who assisted the Collins family with the dispersal of Harry’s estate. Some of the photos show a 1963 event whose origin and significance we have been unable to discover. It is quite different in nature than the Discovery or Voyageur awards that later came into vogue at the laboratories. This event was the awarding of the Golden Garbage Pail Award to Harry Collins.
One of the photos also displays a citation; “Awarded yearly to the man showing the greatest interest in the Golden Garbage Pail Campaign”. The Society would like to hear from anyone who can recall the purpose of this award so that its historic (?) significance is not lost.
The Society continues to welcome donations of group and branch photographs, especially those where the personnel are identified. It is hoped that in the future visitors to our museum or website will be able to see photographs of their family members, neighbours, colleagues or friends during their working days at Chalk River or any of the other nuclear facilities across the country. Please contact the Society at info@nuclearheritage.ca or the Artifacts Chair, Jim Ungrin, at ungrinjr@gmail.com about any photographic contributions you may willing to donate.
