Sudbury: A City Shaped by Nature and Industry
Sudbury is the largest city in Northern Ontario and the fifth largest in Canada by land area. It boasts a rich history and stunning landscape. Mainly known for its mining industry, particularly nickel mining, Sudbury has contributed a lot to Canada’s industrial development. Beyond its mining legacy, Greater Sudbury is home to many cultural institutions and educational services, making it a destination worth visiting.
Sudbury’s rich past can be observed in many of the area’s historical attractions. Indeed, engaging with the city’s museums and landscapes is essential for any visitor exploring the city, as this is an excellent way to understand more about its industrial roots and indigenous heritage. Let’s uncover both the past and present of this fascinating city through its historical attractions.
Gateway Casinos Sudbury
Before exploring Sudbury’s history, if you’re looking for a place to unwind after a day of traveling, Gateway Casinos is a popular choice for both locals and tourists. It is one of the most renowned casinos in Northern Ontario. Located just off the Trans-Canada Highway, Gateway Casinos has a large range of slots, tabletop games, and even poker rooms. Apart from casino games, this casino also has a variety of dining options, where you can enjoy a delicious meal and drink, even if you don’t want to play casino games.
Forming part of Gateway Casinos & Entertainment, which has over 30 casinos in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, this location is a go-to choice for anyone looking to try their luck. Alternatively, if you prefer to stay in after a busy day, you can explore online casinos. You can find a list of trusted options here.
Now, let’s look at Sudbury’s historical attractions!
Dynamic Earth and Big Nickel
One of Sudbury’s most iconic historical landmarks is The Big Nickel, which can be found just outside the Dynamic Earth Museum. Built in 1964, The Big Nickel is the largest coin in the world and is about 64,607,747 times the size of an actual nickel. This coin was erected as a symbol of Sudbury’s mining heritage, particularly its role in the nickel industry, which helped shape the city’s growth and development.
Apart from the Big Nickel, Dynamic Earth offers a variety of exhibitions and activities, all of which can help you learn about the city’s fascinating history. For starters, you can take a guided tour of some of the city’s actual mines, located seven stories underground. Here, you’ll learn a lot about the evolution of mining from the 1900s up to the modern day.
Beyond the guided tour, they’ve also got an immersive audio and visual attraction that they project on the rocks, where you can learn about this city’s mining history in an engaging and interactive way. For anyone interested in learning more about earth sciences, the Earth Gallery is another must-see.
Here, you’ll learn how to identify different rocks and minerals and even learn about how a large meteorite shaped Sudbury and the mining community today.
Bell Park
Located on the western shores of Ramsey Lake, a stroll through Bell Park is highly recommended when visiting Sudbury. Named after William J. Bell, an early lumber baron, Bell Park is the city’s largest urban waterfront and, again, is a favourite local spot for both Sudbury residents and visitors looking for scenic walks.
Bell Park also serves as a cultural hub for the city, with many festivals and community events occurring all year round. For history buffs, it provides a glimpse into Sudbury’s industrial past, with remnants of the city’s mining history still visible.
Additionally, Bell Park is home to Science North, one of Sudbury’s most popular science museums, which we’ll explore in the next section.
Science North
Another important attraction in Sudbury is Science North, an interactive museum owned by the same organization that runs Dynamic Earth. This cultural institution features the second and eighth-largest science centres in Canada. As mentioned, they feature various interactive exhibitions, including an IMAX Laser theatre, a digital planetarium, and butterfly galleries.
The museum’s third floor houses the Northern Ecosystems, and here, you can learn about all the popular wildlife that inhabit Northern Ontario, including the fish species that live in Ramsey Lake. They even have a tech lab where you can learn about how to build race cars, explore space, and dive into more biology topics. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a MoonWalk feature lets you virtually walk on the moon using a harness that simulates lunar gravity, paired with VR for an immersive experience.
Sudbury Community Arena
In the downtown area of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, you’ll find the Sudbury Community Arena, one of the most important gathering places for sports enthusiasts and community members alike. Built in 1951, the area hosts both indoor and outdoor sports, including baseball, soccer, and ice hockey. It’s also an important venue for local sports leagues and competitions.
In addition to its sporting events, the Sudbury Community Arena hosts various community activities, including charity fundraisers. Live music performances from big acts also take place here from time to time. If you’re interested in checking out what’s going on here while visiting, simply head over to their site, where they’ve listed all of their upcoming events, together with links for tickets.