Lake Ramsey
Encyclopedia
Lake Ramsey is a lake
in Sudbury, Ontario
, located near the city's downtown
core. Until 2001, Lake Ramsey was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest lake located entirely within the boundaries of a single city, but when the Regional Municipality of Sudbury was amalgamated into the current city of Greater Sudbury, Lake Ramsey lost this status to the larger Lake Wanapitei
, approximately 20 kilometres to the northeast.
"Ramsey" is the correct spelling of the lake's name, although some sources refer to it as "Ramsay". The name is also frequently inverted to Ramsey (or Ramsay) Lake. Prior to the establishment of the modern city of Sudbury, the lake was known to the local Ojibwe population as Bitimagamasing, or "water that lies on the side of the hill".
Science North
is located on the southwest corner of the lake, and offers the Cortina boat tour of the lake several times daily during the summer. The city's Bell Park
is also located nearby, and the Jim Gordon Boardwalk connects the two sites along the lakeshore. Laurentian University
is also located near the lake's southern shore. Residential neighbourhoods immediately south of the lake are among the wealthiest in the city. On the eastern end of the lake, Moonlight Beach is a popular recreational facility, and the Lake Laurentian Conservation Area
is a large wilderness park which offers both recreational and environmental education programs.
, which dispersed smelter emissions from the city's mining
industry over a wider area, a major environmental project was launched to clean up the lake's water and reintroduce aquatic life.
The project, which was successful, led to further initiatives to improve the city's environment, including a major tree
-planting initiative. In 1992, the United Nations
presented the city of Sudbury with an award to recognize the city's innovative environmental reclamation strategies.
Lake Ramsey now has a diverse population of fish, which includes walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, white sucker, pumpkinseed, and rock bass.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Sudbury, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, located near the city's downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
core. Until 2001, Lake Ramsey was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest lake located entirely within the boundaries of a single city, but when the Regional Municipality of Sudbury was amalgamated into the current city of Greater Sudbury, Lake Ramsey lost this status to the larger Lake Wanapitei
Lake Wanapitei
Lake Wanapitei occupies a meteorite crater in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. It is located near the large Sudbury meteorite crater but is not related to it....
, approximately 20 kilometres to the northeast.
"Ramsey" is the correct spelling of the lake's name, although some sources refer to it as "Ramsay". The name is also frequently inverted to Ramsey (or Ramsay) Lake. Prior to the establishment of the modern city of Sudbury, the lake was known to the local Ojibwe population as Bitimagamasing, or "water that lies on the side of the hill".
Science North
Science North
Science North is an interactive science museum in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.The complex, which is Northern Ontario's most popular tourist attraction, consists of two snowflake-shaped buildings on the southwestern shore of Lake Ramsey, just south of the city's downtown core, as well as a...
is located on the southwest corner of the lake, and offers the Cortina boat tour of the lake several times daily during the summer. The city's Bell Park
Bell Park (Sudbury)
Bell Park is a large municipal park in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Ramsey.The park is named for William J. Bell, an early lumber baron in the city whose former mansion is also the site of the Art Gallery of Sudbury. The park site is part of his former...
is also located nearby, and the Jim Gordon Boardwalk connects the two sites along the lakeshore. Laurentian University
Laurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
is also located near the lake's southern shore. Residential neighbourhoods immediately south of the lake are among the wealthiest in the city. On the eastern end of the lake, Moonlight Beach is a popular recreational facility, and the Lake Laurentian Conservation Area
Lake Laurentian Conservation Area
The Lake Laurentian Conservation Area is a conservation area in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. Extending from the southeastern shore of Lake Ramsey to the Southeast Bypass, the park incorporates a large green space, several lakes , a self-guided nature trail, wetland areas, hiking trails, bird watching...
is a large wilderness park which offers both recreational and environmental education programs.
Ecology
Lake Ramsey was also the site of one of the city's first major environmental reclamation projects. Due to air pollution problems in the area, the lake — which has few water flow outlets — was considered a dead lake for many years. However, following the 1972 construction of the Inco SuperstackInco Superstack
The mine at the Inco Superstack is the source for 100% of the nickel used to make the batteries for Toyota's Pruis.The Inco Superstack in Sudbury, Ontario, with a height of , is the tallest chimney in Canada and the Western hemisphere, and the second tallest freestanding chimney in the world after...
, which dispersed smelter emissions from the city's mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
industry over a wider area, a major environmental project was launched to clean up the lake's water and reintroduce aquatic life.
The project, which was successful, led to further initiatives to improve the city's environment, including a major tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
-planting initiative. In 1992, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
presented the city of Sudbury with an award to recognize the city's innovative environmental reclamation strategies.
Lake Ramsey now has a diverse population of fish, which includes walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, white sucker, pumpkinseed, and rock bass.