Sudbury

Winters are very long in Sudbury, but they certainly aren't boring. Be sure to try some of the following winter activities:

Skiing: There are four downhill skiing facilities in Sudbury; Adanac Ski Center, Onaping Ski Center, Capreol Ski Center and Walden Ski Hill. Ski rentals are available at all four locations. If cross-country is more your style, the 10 km Naughton Ski Trails run through a quiet forest. The tracks are groomed regularily and the trail is illuminated at night. Call the Walden Ski Club for passes. There are numerous other groomed ski trails in and around town as well.

Ice Fishing: Fishing is not limited to the summer. All you need is a hook, some fishing line and an ice auger to enjoy this popular winter pastime. There is usually enough ice on Sudbury lakes to support a truck, so don't worry about falling through the ice! Be sure to enquire about licences before heading out. Local bait shops can issue temporary fishing permits. Be advised that ice fishing huts MUST be off of the ice by March 1st.

Skating: Science North has cleared and polished an ice skating surface from their grounds to the Bell Park beach area about 1.5km. Use of this ice surface is free of charge. There are numerous hockey rinks and skating ovals in and around town, so grab your hockey sticks and try to join a game!

Also, have fun at the local rink at Carol Richard Park, in Val Caron! Join up with other locals to play some good, old-fashioned rink hockey, or if no one is playing, feel free to skate around. There is a small kids rink outside of the boards of the main rink, meant for toddlers and pre-teens or for those inexperienced at skating, or who may not want to play hockey on the larger rink, and there is also a playground area, too. As well, there is a shack to get changed and warm up, and it is surrounded by the beautiful wilderness, of snow-covered trees and a nice neighbourhood.

Sliding: Sudbury's rocky terrain is excellent for sliding. If you have small children, this is a great activity that the whole family can enjoy. Hills range from small hills to near-suicidal mountains complete with jumps. Sliding areas are not well advertised, so the best way to find them is to befriend a local, or look for a place on the side of the highway where cars are parked for no apparent reason. Another great place to go sliding is Queen's Athletic Field in downtown Sudbury. It has a large oval skating surface, and a medium-sized sliding hill, appropriate for both younger and older kids. There's also a nice warm hut for putting skates on.

Sudbury Wolves-A member of the Ontario Hockey League OHL, a junior league that supplies players for the NHL and minor league teams. The Wolves play at the downtown arena during the months of October to April.

Collège Boréal

Collège Boréal, (http://www.borealc.on.ca/) is a French college of applied arts and technology with several satellite campuses in other Ontario communities.

The Trans-Canada Trail runs right through Sudbury. The trail twists along the shores of Junction Creek through much of the city. Put on some good shoes and stroll through Sudbury's "urban wilderness".

Laurentian University

Laurentian University, (http://www.laurentian.ca/) is a bilingual university which offers primarily undergraduate programs, although some graduate degrees are available as well. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine, (http://www.normed.ca/), shared between Laurentian and Thunder Bay's Lakehead University, opened in September 2005.

Sudbury is home to three major postsecondary institutions.

Sudbury is a city of lakes, in fact holding over 300 lakes within its borders, including Lake Wanapitei, the largest city-contained lake in the world, and Lake Ramsey, the central lake within the city. No matter where in town you happen to be, it's never more than a short walk to a beach. The City of Greater Sudbury has five supervised beaches with professional lifeguards during the summer, but there are uncountable smaller beaches with nothing but sand and water.

Sudbury has one of the largest systems of groomed trails in the world. The Sudbury Trail Plan connects to the trail systems of other communities, creating a network of 1300 km of trails. Contact the Sudbury Trail Plan Association (http://www.sudburytrailpl...) for more information, as they are considered the authority on trail closures, maintenance, and the monitoring of lake ice.

Dinosaur Valley Mini Golf

Play 63 custom holes and choose any combination.

Fishing is a popular activity in the summer. Species of trout, splake, pike, pickerel, muskie and bass can be found in most of Sudbury's lakes. Be sure to inquire about seasons and licences before heading out on the water.

Some lakes especially the urban lakes have strict guidelines for operating watercraft. Be sure to ask about them before launching a boat.