Sundridge, Ontario

Sundridge is a village in central Ontario, Canada, approximately 75 km south of North Bay, Ontario along Highway 11, on the shore of Lake Bernard (The largest freshwater lake in the world without an island). Sundridge is a tourist destination in both winter and summer, with boating and snowmobiling providing the main attraction. There is also access to golf courses and provincial parks. Cities within a reasonable driving distance include Toronto (approximately 300 km south) and Ottawa (approximately 500 km east.) The village has long been known as "The Pearl of the North" to residents of central and northern Ontario.

History

Originally it was supposed to be named Sunny Ridge, but when the name was applied for in the late 1800s, an error at the post office department resulted in the name becoming Sundridge. Residents at the time were more interested in mail service than in correcting the name, so Sundridge it was.

Sundridge developed largely as a result of the extension of the Canadian National Railway (CNR) northward. The first settler in the area - usually considered the village's founder - was James Dunbar in 1876. The CNR route in the area was completed in 1885, and the Village of Sundridge was incorporated in 1889. Protestant churches (Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian) were established in the mid 1880s, and in 1897 the first municipal library was established. During World War I Sundridge was the location for basic training for the 162^nd Canadian Battalion.

Population

Sundridge is located in the Parry Sound District census division. According to the 2001 Canadian census, the village has a population of 983, which represented a decline of 3.5% from 1019 in 1996. Combined with the neighbouring Townships of Strong and Joly, the population of the area in 2001 was 2642. The Village is approximately 85% Protestant, and is 96% Canadian-born, with no self-identified visible minority groups among its population. It has an area of 2.23 square kilometres.

Notable people

* NHLers Bill McCreary and Greg DeVries.

Local politics

The municipality is governed by a five-member council consisting of a reeve and four councillors, each elected at large every three years. Many local services (such as the library and arena) are run by committees jointly established by Sundridge and its surrounding townships. The current reeve of Sundridge is Elgin Schneider.

ee also

*List of communities in Ontario

External links

* [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/Details/details1.cfm?SEARCH=BEGINS&ID=7353&PSGC=35&SGC=3549048&DataType=1&LANG=E&Province=35&PlaceName=sundridge&CMA=&CSDNAME=Sundridge&A=&TypeNameE=Village&Prov= Statistics Canada 2001 Community Profile]
* [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CSD-N.cfm?T=1&SR=5000&SRCH=1 Statistics Canada 2001 Population and Dwelling Counts]