Sundridge, Ontario

Sundridge
—  Village  —
Highway 11 through Sundridge
Sundridge
Coordinates:
Country  Canada
Province  Ontario
District Parry Sound
Settled 1870s
Incorporated March 23, 1889
Government
 • Type Village
 • Mayor Elgin Schneider
 • Federal riding Parry Sound—Muskoka
 • Prov. riding Parry Sound—Muskoka
Area[1]
 • Land 2.23 km2 (0.9 sq mi)
Population (2006)[1]
 • Total 942
 • Density 422.0/km2 (1,093/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code P0A
Area code(s) 705
Website www.sundridge.ca

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. Sundridge is a tourist destination in both winter and summer, with boating and snowmobiling providing the main attraction. Algonquin Provincial Park is accessible nearby. 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.

Contents

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.

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 162nd Canadian Battalion.

Demographics

Sundridge is located in the Parry Sound District census division. According to the Canada 2001 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.[2]

Population trend:[3]

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 431 (total dwellings: 473)

Mother tongue:[1]

Notable people

Local politics

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

References

  1. ^ a b c Statistics Canada 2006 Census – Sundridge community profile
  2. ^ Statistics Canada 2001 Community Profile
  3. ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census

External links