William Ennis
On the way to Elliot Lake.
Words by William Ennis
In the birthing days of Atomic Power, fissionable material was scarce, and as the demand increased, so did the price. Prospectors roamed the lands looking for bodies of radioactive ores. It was down there, a vein shaped like a snake and winding for 90 miles.
In the backwoods of Northern Ontario, in the area of present-day Elliot Lake, prospectors struck it rich in 1954. Far below in rock of the Algoma Basin, unleashed energy deposits waited for discovery, and once discovered, deep mines made it easy to get it out, processed and onto the market. Eleven giant mines grew over those hills of wilderness.
Within four years several mines punctured the Canadian Shield and 7,000 workers surged into the wilderness. With the addition of their families, 29,000 people needed homes and food. To avoid the boom and bust syndrome that affected so many other small towns that sprang up around the mines, engineers and planners decided upon a single central city. With only one town it was simpler to build services such as hospitals, stores, and homes.
The planners selected an idyllic location on the side of a hill with views down across Elliot Lake. In the beginning, there was nothing but thick forest, and bare rock. Civilization with split level homes, movie theatres, churches, and shopping plazas quickly emerged. It seemed like a great place to live. If you had time there were miles and miles in which to hunt, and lakes that teemed with fish.
Then came the blow. Uranium, the element that would always be in demand, suddenly lost its glow. A huge contract to the USA ended and was not renewed. Miners lost jobs, and store owners lost their shirts and left town with heavy mortgages against them.
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The Outdoor Mining Museum
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The colourful town.
Those who left may have been the fortunate ones, despite losing their savings. The mines continued with decreased production but by 1970 signs of high levels of lung cancer became obvious particularly for underground workers who breathed in the radioactive dust, and radon gas. The government decommissioned the mines in 1990. It was almost over.
Well-built homes worth very little blanketed the town. A not-for-profit group, the Elliot Lake Retirement Living group, has a goal of promoting the city to retirees and are managing over 1,500 rental units. Prices for homes are under $100,000 - many people have uprooted and moved to Elliot Lake.
Adventurous seniors have found nice homes amid wilderness. If you like to fish, you are always near one of the 4,000 fishing lakes in the area. Trout abound for eager anglers. There are lots of boat launching ramps too. Also, because it is a hunting and fishing country, many guides and fishing services willing to show you a great time. These lakes are not the overfished lakes of Southern Ontario, and big lunkers still wait in the depths for your lure.
There is an 18-hole golf course that merges into the Canadian Shield. However, the view down over the distant lake to the tree-clad hills will distract you from your game.
If you like to explore with an ATV there is a wonderful trail system of more than 300 km (186 mi) of looped trails organized in such a way that you are never more than 30 km (18.5 mi) from town.
A huge number of lakes offer long or short canoe routes. Stock up in town, gather your maps and emergency rations, and head out on a four-day trip. Remember you have to look out for your safety. You are going out to enjoy the wilderness and you are on your own.
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A cute plaza
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The golf course trail
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Quaint housing
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Beautiful surroundings.
In the winter, cross country skiing is popular on the many groomed trails within the city, and on several ungroomed trails in the outback that follow old roads. The Spine Road Trail has five loops with distances from 3 km (1.8 mi) to 15 km (9 mi). The skill level ranges from easy to challenging.
Snowmobiling has become a favourite sport, and with the local dry snow, rides are great. There are 500 km (310 mi) of groomed trails, with some extended trails that will take you as far away as North Bay. You will find an abundance of places to ramble and spend a few overnights along the way.
When the cooler nights arrive, and the leaves begin to colour, many people get the urge to seek Ontario's larger animals. When your Southern friends are readying ATVs and trailers for an annual pilgrimage into the northern bush to bag a moose or deer, Elliot Lake residents are already in the centre of great hunting. For outsiders, northern outfitters abound and lodges have special hunting packages.
Elliot Lake is partnering with nearby Mississagi Provincial Park and its financial help is keeping the park open. To visit the park drive north from Elliot Lake on Ont-108 onto Ont-639 until you reach the entrance.
If you want an enjoyable drive, try the Deer Trail by continuing north and turn west on Ont-546. It's a pleasant winding drive passing high rocky cliffs and cascading waterfalls. This trip goes southward to Iron Bridge on Can-17.
Your visit to Elliot Lake will display how man fought the wilderness and ended up merging with it. You'll have one foot in civilization and the other striving to go deeper into the forest. After you see the northland's several Provincial Parks, beautiful scenery, compact town, and you won't regret the trip.