ShonTron
Moderator
Member Bio
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
- Messages
- 12,473
- Reaction score
- 9,285
- Location
- Ward 13 - Toronto Centre
Cobalt has a real ghost town feel to it. It had a boom early in the 20th century fuelled by a Silver rush, its population was over 10,000, now a population almost one-tenth that. It's heritage preservation is excellent, many buildings from the rush remain, including a huge railway station for its current size, mine shaftheads and other buildings.
To the north, Haileybury and New Liskeard feel much more like southern Ontario towns. Highway 11B is four lanes through much of it.
At New Liskeard and about 45 minutes to the north is the Great Clay Belt, a break in the Canadian Shield where there is a large agricultural industry. But saw mills and rock hills in the distance serve to remind you where you are.
Entering Kirkland Lake, population 8,248, which many Torontonians know due to the controversial plan to ship garbage to an old surface mine. Kirkland Lake is one of Ontario's fastest-shrinking communities (its 1996 population was 10,000), but has a very interesting main street.
On the way out, spotted a bear. Bear sightings are common due to the dry summer. McDonald's, Tim Horton's and other food places are more appealing with a lack of berries this year.
Gold surface mine.
Next set will be Timmins. Interesting Big Green Sign assembly in the middle of nowhere, I guess to draw attention to the 101/11 split where 101 goes straight.