Ted Szilva
Encyclopedia
Theodore Arthur Szilva, O.Ont
(born December 11, 1934) is a businessman in Greater Sudbury, Ontario
, Canada
. He is best known for creating the city's "Big Nickel
" landmark.
Szilva was born and raised in the old city of Sudbury. He proposed the Big Nickel monument in 1963, when he was a 28 year-old firefighter. It subsequently became one of Sudbury's most recognizable features, and Szilva owned both the monument and the surrounding park area until 1981.
Szilva is an active Roman Catholic. During the 1980s, he co-managed a successful private lottery named "Pot `O' Gold" that provided funding for Ontario's Catholic schools. When the provincial government
of Bill Davis
extended full funding to Catholic education in 1984, Szilva helped wind down the lottery and re-establish it as a charity fund. Some have suggested that Davis's decision to fund Catholic schools was predicated, in part, on his government's desire to re-establish control over the lottery sector. Szilva has continued to co-manage the charity fund into the 2000s.
Szilva is a longtime member of the Liberal Party of Canada
and the Ontario Liberal Party
, and has played an organizational role in several political campaigns. He ran for Mayor of Sudbury against Peter Wong
in 1985
, but was defeated. He endorsed Colin Firth
's bid to become mayor in 2003
, and unsuccessfully sought a seat on the Roman Catholic School Board in 2006
.
He is the inventor of the D-Best Keyholder, and is now president of D-Best Products.
In 2009, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario
.
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
(born December 11, 1934) is a businessman in Greater 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....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is best known for creating the city's "Big Nickel
Big Nickel
The Big Nickel is a nine-metre replica of a 1951 Canadian nickel, located at the grounds of Dynamic Earth in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada...
" landmark.
Szilva was born and raised in the old city of Sudbury. He proposed the Big Nickel monument in 1963, when he was a 28 year-old firefighter. It subsequently became one of Sudbury's most recognizable features, and Szilva owned both the monument and the surrounding park area until 1981.
Szilva is an active Roman Catholic. During the 1980s, he co-managed a successful private lottery named "Pot `O' Gold" that provided funding for Ontario's Catholic schools. When the provincial government
Executive Council of Ontario
The Executive Council of Ontario plays an important role in theGovernment of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system....
of Bill Davis
Bill Davis
William Grenville "Bill" Davis, was the 18th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the MPP for Peel in the 1959 provincial election where he was a backbencher in Leslie Frost's government. Under John Robarts, he was a cabinet minister overseeing the education...
extended full funding to Catholic education in 1984, Szilva helped wind down the lottery and re-establish it as a charity fund. Some have suggested that Davis's decision to fund Catholic schools was predicated, in part, on his government's desire to re-establish control over the lottery sector. Szilva has continued to co-manage the charity fund into the 2000s.
Szilva is a longtime member of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
, and has played an organizational role in several political campaigns. He ran for Mayor of Sudbury against Peter Wong
Peter Wong (Canadian politician)
Peter Wong was a Canadian politician, who served as mayor of Sudbury, Ontario from 1982 to 1991, and chair of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury from 1997 until his death the following year....
in 1985
Ontario municipal elections, 1985
The 1985 Ontario municipal elections were held on November 12, 1985 to elect mayors, municipal councils, school boards, and hydro commissions in cities, towns and other incorporated communities throughout the Canadian province of Ontario....
, but was defeated. He endorsed Colin Firth
Colin Firth
SirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
's bid to become mayor in 2003
Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2003
The Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2003 was held in the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on November 10, 2003. All municipal elections in the province of Ontario are held on the same date; see Ontario municipal elections, 2003 for elections in other cities.The election chose the mayor...
, and unsuccessfully sought a seat on the Roman Catholic School Board in 2006
Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2006
The Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2006 was held in the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on November 13, 2006. All municipal elections in the province of Ontario are held on the same date; see Ontario municipal elections, 2006 for elections in other cities.The election chose the mayor...
.
He is the inventor of the D-Best Keyholder, and is now president of D-Best Products.
In 2009, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
.
External links
- The Inventor (Ted Szilva curriculum vitae)