60 Stories beneath North Bay is a complex the size of two football fields that could sustain 400 people for 4 weeks when completely sealed
North Bay, Ontario - Buried within two-billion-year-old granite of the the Canadian shield is the Canadian (and most critical) portion of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command). Along with Cheyenne Mountain in the United states, they provided aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for both countries. During the cold war, to attack the USA Russia would have had to cross Canada, so this was the most critical part of North America's defense. North Bay's Under-Ground Complex (UGC), known as 'the hole' was the only NORAD facility built underground - able to withstand a necular strike. Photo of entrance by Lucy Izon
This facility operated for 43 years until moving to an above-ground building in 2006. No longer open to the public, one young man that visited 'The Hole' in 2005 described to me driving down the tunnel for more than 2 km, then arriving at a mammoth door that was so well balanced, even thought it weighed tones, it could be swung open by a child. He found the stadium-sized cavern that when sealed could generate its own power, air for a month, and had storage for more than 5 million gallons of water, had an “other-worldly” feel to it. Members of the public cannot go down into it but you will get a feel for the historic stratigic military importance of this area when you see the mounted CF 100 fighter jet as you enter town, across the road from the mounted Beaumark missile (there were once 28 in Quebec and 28 in North Bay.) At the entrace to North Bay's airport you can see radar shields and another mounted military aircraft.
Where: North Bay, which is on the Trans Canada Hwy, sits on the eastern shore of big Lake Nipissing, one of Northern Ontario's largest lakes. You can explore the lake on the 320-passenger 'Chief Comanda II', which offers regular day-time and evening summer cruises. You can visit the Dionee Quituplets Museum (more than 3 million people came to visit the quints themselves during the Great Depression), and at Discovery North Bay in North Bay's historic CPR Station you can learn about local heritage. North Bay can be reached by road, rail and air. Want to see the fall colours? Ontario Northland often offers a 'fall colour' train trip from North Bay called the Dream Catcher Express, which travels the 100 km to Temagami and returns the same day.
In the News: Cyclsts take note - The Bike Train (a non-profit initiative) is now offering a service between Toronto and North Bay the weeknds of July 16, August 13 and Sept 24, 2010. "Knowledgeable Bike Train staff are available onboard to provide cycling maps and useful information. Passengers join a community of travellers who are happy to share stories and anecdotes about their trip during the train journey."
Lucy Izon
Canada Cool is produced by award-winning Canadian travel writer & speaker Lucy Izon. Her travel stories & reports have appeared in numerous leading North American publications including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and Chicken Soup for the Traveler's Soul. Bio page
Canada’s Coolest:
Welcome to a new feature on Canada Cool. I'll be presenting different 'Coolest' lists with my favorites and I encourage you to nominate suggestions from your own experiences. You can Twitter @CanadaCool or email Lucy@CanadaCool.com. Let me know what makes your suggestion exceptionally cool. Remember, by contributing your comments you are giving Canada Cool permission to quote you. Only a selection of submissions will be included, but all comments and submissions are greatly appreciated!
The first feature is: Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives
Here are some of my favorites...
The Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park, Alberta - This 229 km (142 mi) Rocky Mountain route from Banff/Lake Louise to Jasper passes 100 frozen rivers and nudges the base of the Athabasca Glacier - the most accessible glacier in the world. You can stop and explore it. It spills down from the Columbia Icefield, an area of ice so massive that you could fit the entire population of North America on it with each person getting at least a square metre of space.
The Corridor, Algonquin Park, Ontario – this 56-km stretch of Hwy 60 cuts through the southwest section of Algonquin Park. Less than three hours north of Toronto the park is a nature-lover's paradise with 7,725 km of lakes, rivers, forest, trails, camping, comfortable lodges and 2000 km of canoe routes. Offers hiking trails to stop and enjoy, but what makes it really cool is that it’s one of the best places in North America to spot moose (especially in May and June). And, on Thursday nights in August up to 600 cars will gather to listen to wolves howl.
The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia – Driving this 303 km (187 mile) route is like riding a roller-coaster: the road snakes around hairpin turns, rises to heights over 365 metres (1200 ft), weaves around headlands revealing spectacular coastal scenery, and plunges down to sea level taking you into the heart of small fishing communities. The most dramatic scenery is between the Cape Breton Highlands National Park entrance near Cheticamp and Pleasant Bay, so go slow. And, plan some flexibility into your schedule, so you can drive it on a clear day.
And here are some of your nominations for 'Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives'...
More from Canada’s Coolest
'Canada's Coolest' topics we'll be publishing in the future:
- Golf Course Features
- Haunted Hotels
- Hotel Special Services
Send your suggestions to lucy@CanadaCool.com
Recent 'Canada's Coolest' topics:
