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travel / great places / canadian snapshots / northern ontario
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Northern Ontario
Places of Interest
Terry Fox Monument
The
100-kilometre stretch of the Trans Canada Highway from Thunder Bay to
Nipigon has been labelled the Terry Fox Courage Highway. A statue adorns
the side of the highway near the spot where Fox was forced to end his
legendary 5,432-kilometre run for cancer research. The stone monument
supports a larger-than-life bronze statue of the runner and is a tribute
to a man who inspired so many Canadians. It is well worth a visit. You
can also catch a spectacular view of Lake Superior from here. Many cross-country
travelers make a point of stopping to take in the view and read the
plaque that documents Fox's remarkable journey.
Science North, Sudbury
Learning by doing is the focus of this hands-on science museum. The
impressive stainless-steel structure sits proudly on the shores of Lake
Ramsey. It invites visitors to wander the facility conducting science
experiments, participating in organized activities and browsing the
exhibits, which are cleverly displayed and easy to absorb. Both adults
and children benefit from an afternoon at Science North. There is also
a five-storey IMAX screen, which shows gripping three-dimensional films.
Big Nickel Mine, Sudbury
See what Sudbury has to offer — underground. The Sudbury Basin, a 1,620-square-kilometre
geological formation, is rich with nickel-iron and copper, believed to orginate from a meteor that struck the earth
roughly 1.8 billion years ago.
The Big Nickel Mine was opened in 1964 by local businessman
Ted Szilva as a "numismatic park," or a park featuring coins.
As the focus of the attraction gradually moved away from amusement park
adventures and toward the industry of mining, train and space-shuttle
rides were replaced with the real-life adventure of exploring Sudbury's
underground world. Visitors can travel down a 50-metre vertical shaft
into the heart of the nickel mine. Above ground, the "Big Nickel" is all that
remains of Szilva's legacy, a nine-metre-tall replica of the Canadian
five-cent coin. The nickel monument was moved to Sudbury's Science
North in January — a temporary location while the city builds a
tourist attraction around the nickel's previous roadside home.
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