Parry Sound, Ontario

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Parry Sound (population 6,500) is a town in southern Ontario, Canada, located on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay). Parry Sound is located 160 km (100 miles) south of Sudbury and 225 km (145 miles) north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents increasing the town population to approximately 75,000 during the summer months. It is also the world's deepest natural freshwater port. During the early part of the 20th century, the area was a popular subject for the many scenic art works of Tom Thomson and members of the Group of Seven. There was a slight decline in economic activity shortly after World War I with J.R. Booth's construction of the rival town on nearby Parry Island, Depot Harbour, but this setback was overcome through later developments in tourism and commerce, and the destruction by fire of the entire town of Depot Harbour during Parry Sound's celebrations of V-E Day, in 1945.

View of downtown Parry Sound near the intersection of Seguin and James Streets. A portion of the Sound and the a CN railway trestle can be seen in the distance.

The body of water that gives the town its name was surveyed and named by Captain Henry Bayfield in the 19th century, in honour of the Arctic explorer Sir William Edward Parry. In 1857, the modern townsite was established near the Ojibwa village of Wasaukwasene ("shining shore") at the mouth of the Seguin River. In the late 19th century, rail service was established, making the town an important depot along the rail lines to Western Canada.

During the late 1920s and early 1930s, an explosives and munitions factory was established in the nearby town of Nobel, making Parry Sound an important part of the Second World War effort.

The town is host to an annual sailing regatta and a performing arts festival, The Festival of the Sound. It is the birthplace of hockey legend Bobby Orr, the namesake of the local community centre. Canadian actor Don Harron's alter-ego, "Charlie Farquarson" remains one of the Town's most cherished personalities. Former Ontario premier Ernie Eves also called the town home for many years; he was the MPP for the Parry Sound—Muskoka riding from 1981 through 2001.

Other attractions include the 30,000 Islands tour aboard the Island Queen, and the newly opened Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts in conjunction with the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. The Stockey Centre has, since it opened, hosted many Festival of the Sound concerts.

Although construction on Highway 400 is scheduled to continue, Parry Sound is currently the northern terminus of Highway 400, where it changes into Highway 69.

Bus service from Toronto is available by Ontario Northland, the government-owned transportation company, and buses arrive daily en route to Sudbury. In addition, VIA Rail (Crown corporation passenger railway) serves the town with passenger rail service twice a week, on its line between Toronto and Vancouver.