Sundridge, Ontario

Sundridge
Village (single-tier)
Village of Sundridge
Highway 124 through Sundridge close to Highway 11. Highway 124 through Sundridge close to Highway 11.
Nickname(s): Sunny Sundridge
Sundridge
Coordinates:
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
District	Parry Sound
Settled	1870s
Incorporated	March 23, 1889
Government
• Type	Village
• Mayor	Lyle Hall
• Federal riding	Parry Sound—Muskoka
• Prov. riding	Parry Sound—Muskoka
Area
• Land	2.23 km2 (0.86 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	985
• Density	441.3/km2 (1,143/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code	P0A
Area code(s)	705
Website	www.sundridge.ca

File:Steirerhut Restaurant.jpg

Steirerhut Restaurant along Hwy. 11.

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. The village is located in the Almaguin Highlands region of Parry Sound District.

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.

Historical populations
Year	Pop.	±%
1991	937	—
1996	1,019	+8.8%
2001	983	−3.5%
2006	942	−4.2%
2011	985	+4.6%

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 461 (total dwellings: 515)

Mother tongue:

• English as first language: 90.9%
• French as first language: 1.1%
• English and French as first language: 0%
• Other as first language: 8.0%

Notable people

• NHLers Bill McCreary, Sr. and Greg de Vries.
• Canadian author Mary Susanne Edgar, founder of Glen Bernard Camp.
• NHLer Bucko McDonald, there is a street named after him.

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 Lyle Hall.

External links

• The Sundridge Sunflower Festival Annual Summer Festival in Downtown Sundridge
• Sundridge Ontario Almaguin Highlands Regional Portal