Sioux Lookout, Ontario

Infobox City
official_name = Town of Sioux Lookout
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motto = Hub of the North


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mapsize = 200px
map_caption = Location of Sioux Lookout, in the Province of Ontario
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Canada
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Ontario
subdivision_type2 = Region
subdivision_name2 =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Kathy Poling
leader_title1 = Council
leader_name1 = James Brohm, David Gordon, Ben Hancharuk, and Joyce Timpson
leader_title2 = MP
leader_name2 = Roger Valley
leader_title3 = MPPs
leader_name3 = Howard Hampton
established_title = Incorporation
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timezone = CST
utc_offset = −6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = −5
latd=50 |latm=06 |lats= |latNS=N
longd=91 |longm=55 |longs= |longEW=W
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postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code =
area_code = 807
website = [http://www.siouxlookout.ca/ Town of Sioux Lookout]
footnotes = Sioux Lookout is a town in north-western Ontario, Canada. It has a population of 5,336 and an elevation: 1280 ft / 390 m. Known locally as the "Hub of the North", it is serviced by the Sioux Lookout Airport, Highway 72, and a Via Rail station. Tourism, lumber, and health care are the primary sources of employment in the town. There are a number of fishing camps in the area that allow access to an extensive lake system fed by the English River. Several beaches are nearby including the historical site of Umphreville Park, a historical site that predates the town itself. During the summer months, Sioux Lookout's population rises as American tourists arrive to take advantage of the seemingly infinte amount of lakes and rivers in the area. Experienced guides, employed by the camps, can locate the best locations and also provide an educated tour of a unique land known affectionately as "sunset country".

History

The name of Sioux Lookout comes from a nearby mountain and a First Nations story. This mountain was used in the late 1700s by Ojibway Indians to watch for Sioux warriors coming to ambush their camp. A careful eye could see the sun shining off the birch of enemy canoes crossing nearby rapids. Women and children could be led away safely while the warriors could intercept the Sioux in the water. The front page of the local newspaper, The Sioux Lookout Bulletin, features the iconic image of a First Nations man, drawn by local artist Glen Keessic, holding a hand above his eyes and scanning the waters.

Present day Sioux Lookout was incorporated in 1912 and was then a terminal point on the National Transcontinental Railway. For many years, Sioux Lookout was simply a railway town. When gold was discovered in Red Lake, Sioux Lookout became one of the leading aviation centers in Canada during the twenties and thirties. During the Cold War Sioux Lookout operated a radar base to monitor any activity from Russia. Now, the Canadian National Railway is a significant employer, but it is no longer the base of the municipality’s economy. The forest industry is an important part of the economy. Its inherent instability is partly offset by the stability of the service sector. As a result, Sioux Lookout barely felt the effects of the recession of the early 1980’s. Urban Sioux Lookout fronts on Pelican Lake, and the municipality undertook a lakefront improvement program to beautify this area. There are now more parks, paths, and other recreational facilities along the lakefront. Numerous other lakes are easily accessible by car or boat from Sioux Lookout. Tourism makes a significant contribution to the economy, but its potential is just beginning to be tapped.

Geography and climate

The boundaries of Sioux Lookout were significantly expanded on January 1, 1998 to include a number of unorganized geographic townships surrounding the town itself.

Topography

Climate

Demographics

Government

Sioux Lookout elects one mayor, four "councillors-at-large", one councillor for Ward 1(Hudson), and one councillor for Ward 2 (Sioux Lookout). Mayor Kathy Poling leads a council of James Brohm, Don Fenelon, David Gordon, Ben Hancharuk, Joyce Timpson, and Sue Williams.

Federally, they are represented by Liberal Roger Valley MP, Kenora-Rainy River. Provincially, they are represented by NDP Howard Hampton MPP, Kenora.

Economy

The main industries of Sioux Lookout are:

* Services (68%)
* Forestry (14%)
* Transportation, (12%)
* Tourism (4%)

Education

Schools are located in the Sioux Lookout area include Queen Elizabeth District High School, Sacred Heart Elementary School, Sioux Mountain Public School, Cornerstone Christian Academy, and Pelican Falls First Nations High School.

Culture

The annual Blueberry Festival has been held in August since 1982. 2007 marked the 25th anniversarry of a festival which celebrates the town and its surrounding environment. The most popular events include: the Sioux Mountain Music and Cultural Festival, the Bocce Tournament, and a charitable social which incorporates an annual theme.

ites of interest

Sioux Mountain,

Media

Newspaper
* "Sioux-Lookout Bulletin"

Television
* CICA-85 (TVOntario) channel 2
* CBWDT-1 (CBC Television) channel 12

Radio
* AM 1240 - CBLS, CBC Radio One
* FM 90.1 - CKWT, Wawatay Radio Network, First Nations community
* FM 91.9 - CIDE, Wawatay Radio Network, First Nations community
* FM 97.1/AM 1400 - CKDR-2, adult contemporary
* FM 103.3/104.5 - CKQV-FM

Arts

Literature

Peggy Sanders, awarded the Order of Canada in October 2006, is Sioux Lookout's leading literary figure. She was praised by the Governor-General for "bridging cultures...and building relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities for decades". She continued to note that Sanders was: "a founding member of the local anti-racism committee...and has championed literacy by founding the town's first public library." Patricia Ningewance Nadeau, from Lac Seul, Ontario, is on the board of directors at the Indigenous Language Institute. She has published a textbook on language: "Survival Ojibwe" and works with Wawatay Native Communications Society in Sioux Lookout.

Richard Schwindt, a fomer resident of Sioux Lookout, published a collection of short stories titled "Dreams and Sioux Nights" in 2003. Most of the characters and settings are based upon Sioux Lookout and the surrounding area.

Phillip Neault-Pioneer is the collected songs and stories told by Mae Carroll to her grandchildren. Her book, edited by James R. Stevens, takes place in the two railroad towns of Fort William and Sioux Lookout in pioneer times. The Sioux Lookout Anti-Racism Committee won the 23rd Annual Media Human Rights Awards Winner for "their web site which deals with the effects and strategies of dealing with issues of racism and resources and strategies to deal with instances of racism".

The town also figures prominently in the novel "The Cunning Man" by Robertson Davies, as well as the 1952 novel "" by Richard Morenus.

Music

Lawrence Martin, a Juno Award winning musician, was the mayor during the nineties. Martin is now Mayor of Cochrane Ontario and was once a member of the TVOntario Board of Directors.

ports

Sioux Lookout hosts an Annual Northern First Nations Hockey Tournament. [ [http://firstnationshockey.ca/ Northern First Nations Hockey Tournament ] ]

Ryan Parent, first round NHL draft pick and two time World Junior Hockey champion, is from Sioux Lookout. As a member of the Canadian World Juniors team, Parent won consecutive gold medals in 2006 and 2007. A first-round draft pick (18th overall) of the Nashville Predators in the 2005 NHL entry draft, he has since been traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. Ryan Parent was recalled from the Flyer's AHL affiliate team the Philadelphia Phantoms on February 13 2008. He has joined Jason Smith on the Flyer's first defensive pair.

Infrastructure

New residential zones have been created in response to Sioux Lookout's continued population growth (which is one of the highest in Northern Ontario). In the past decade, Sioux Lookout has built an elementary school, a large grocery store, municipal office, police station, and a clinic,

Health and medicine

The Meno-Ya-Win Health Center is the largest construction project in the town and is nearing production phase. The proposed building complex will provide Sioux Lookout and several northern communities with advanced health care. Services that had to be outsourced to larger cities, forcing patients to travel or wait longer periods for results, will now be available locally. The three municipalities and twenty-nine northern communities that will be serviced by the center cover an area larger than that of France. The health center including a hospital, long term care, community services, patient hostel and other related services is characterized by its unique blending of mainstream and traditional Aboriginal care. It has been designated Ontario's center of excellence for First Nations' healthcare.

Transportation

Sioux Lookout Airport was opened in 1933; at the time it was the second busiest airport in North America next to Chicago. Today, the airport is a "Mini-Hub" facilitating travel to and from all northern communities in Northwestern Ontario. Sioux Lookout's Airport is recognized as the fourth busiest in Ontario. Three airway companies and ORNGE (part of Ontario's largest medical transport providers) take advantage of a large facility that is undergoing further expansion. Bearskin Airlines, Lockhart Air, and Wasaya Airways all operate out of "YXL". [CFS]

References

Footnotes

Other references

External links

* [http://www.siouxlookout.ca/ Town of Sioux Lookout]
* [http://www.siouxlookout.com/ Sioux Lookout Chamber of Commerce]
* " [http://www.siouxbulletin.com/ Sioux Lookout Bulletin] ", newspaper
* " [http://www.wawataynews.ca/ Wawatay News] "

Attractions