MV Miner cleanup project to be clear of Scatarie Island within 2 weeks

Crews are removing the final remnants of the ill-fated MV Miner from Scatarie Island off Cape Breton and people who live in the areaare getting ready to celebrate.

Antigonish contractor R. J. MacIsaac has removed the last bits of scrap and the workerscamp from the shoreline where the bulk carrier ran ashore more than four years ago.

Nova Scotia Lands has been overseeing the cleanup work.

President Gary Campbellsays after some weather delays, the only work that remains is some tidying up.

"By the end of this weekend, everything will be out of there. Next week, they'll get the site back to normal and next week, we'll be back to the way it was before the Miner landed on the shore," he said.

The MV Miner was being towed from Montreal to Turkey to be cut up for scrap when the tow line snapped in September 2011. Over time, weather and waves eroded the body of the vessel, which raised concerns for nearby fishing grounds.

Pristine shoreline once again

Roughly 30 tonnes of asbestos was removed during the salvage. The provincial government has estimated the final bill will be more than $14 million.

Piece by piece, the ship was dismantled and by August there was a huge heap of scrap metal.

Campbell says the island will is being returnedto its original, pristine condition.

"We picked up the topsoil and saved it and the grass and everything and that will be all be put back in place," he said said.

Campbell says some rock will be left behind to protect the shore, but most of the rock has been taken back to the mainland.

The Main-A-Dieu Community Development Association, which fought for the ship's removal for the past four years, is now preparing to host a huge community celebration.

"You can succeed. We're a prime example. So many people said no and ignored our pleas to clean up the Miner. We kept going and look what we did," said Amanda MacDougall.

Shesays the group is meeting next week to plan a big party. They're even considering the idea of printing T-shirts with the words, "I survived the MV Miner."

The removal of the MV Miner was expected to be completed by November2014, but work was delayed when30 tonnes of asbestos were found. Originally, it was estimated that there would only be 6.6 tonnes of asbestos present.