Nipigon

Nipigon ( /ˈnɪpɨɡən/, unlike the lake) is a township in Thunder Bay District, Northwestern Ontario, Canada, located along the west side of the Nipigon River and south of the small Lake Helen running between Lake Nipigon and Lake Superior. Lake Nipigon is located approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of Nipigon.

Nipigon is served by several transportation corridors:

• Highway 11
• Highway 17, both part of the Trans-Canada Highway
• Canadian Pacific Railway

Geography

For about 15 km, Highway 11 runs within Nipigon River and a lake. Nipigon is located northeast of Thunder Bay, southwest of Geraldton and Beardmore, west of Marathon and northwest of Sault Ste. Marie. The crater on Mars named Nipigon Crater or Crater Nipigon is named after this town.

Nipigon is surrounded with pine and other varieties of forests. The power line connecting from Lake Nipigon supplies electricity to Thunder Bay and area. The other power line runs between Thunder Bay and the rest of Ontario. Timbering has been common sporadically to the north, the northwest and further north within Lake Nipigon along with parts of the southwest which formed old forest roads to the northeast and north. The municipality of Greenstone lies to the north. A manufacturing plant lies to the south. Several other unincorporated municipalities were around Nipigon. A communications tower near Nipigon broadcasts a local radio station and television channels from Thunder Bay including CKPR (TBT) and CBQT.

There are two bridges at the east end of town spanning the Nipigon River, one a single-line railway bridge, and the other a two-lane road bridge. With the exception of the Canadian National Railway transcontinental rail line, they comprise the narrowest east-west land link in Canada's transportation system. Both Highways 11 and 17, and the Canadian Pacific Railway, route all their traffic across the bridges.

The Ministry of Transportation is currently studying this transportation link, with the possibility of widening the highway bridge over the Nipigon River to four lanes.

Demographics

Population trend:^[4]

• Population in 2006: 1752
• Population in 2001: 1964
• Population in 1996: 2210
• Population in 1991: 2338

Economy

The chief industries in Nipigon are forest products, fishing, and tourism.

Nipigon is a setting off point for fishing excursions onto Lake Superior and the Nipigon River system leading up to Lake Nipigon. Fish varieties common to this area include Atlantic salmon, lake trout, speckled trout (the world's largest speckled trout was caught in the Nipigon River in 1915, weighing in at 14.5 pounds (6.6 kg)^[5]), rainbow trout, walleye, northern pike, bass, and perch. There are a number of charter companies with skippers who have a knowledge of the waters and can usually land anglers right on top of the fish.

Mill fire

On February 6, 2007, a devastating fire ripped through Multiply Forest Products, burning the mill to the ground. The mill was the main employer in the town. Less than a month earlier workers at the mill had purchased it from Columbia Forest Products of Portland, Oregon. At the time of the sale, a $4-million modernization plan for the mill was also announced. More than 100 people were employed at the plant, which produced hardwood underlayment for vinyl, plywood and laminate flooring.

Al Hackner

Nipigon was the birthplace of two time world curling champion Allan A. "Al" (the Iceman) Hackner. Al Hackner won the Briar in 1982 and 1985.

References

External links

• Township of Nipigon