Thunder Bay, Ontario

Thunder Bay ({{coor dm|48|23|N|89|15|W|}}, time zone EST) is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the second largest city in Northern Ontario (2001 population 109,016http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CSD-P.cfm?T=1&PR=35&SR=526&S=1&O=A; CMA 121,986http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CMA-P.cfm?T=1&PR=35&SR=26&S=1&O=A). The city takes its name from the immense bay at the head of Lake Superior, known on 18th century French maps as "Baie du Tonnerre". The city was formed in 1970 by the merger of the cities of Fort William, Ontario, Port Arthur, Ontario and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre. Its port forms an important link in the shipping of grain and other products from western Canada through the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence Seaway to the east coast. The city is often referred to as the Lakehead or Canadian Lakehead because of its location at the end of Great Lakes navigation.

Culture

The Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (seating 1500 people) is the primary venue for various types of entertainment, including the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra.

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• Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, with 30 full-time and up to 20 extra musicians, presents a full range of classical music.
• Magnus Theatre (founded 1971) is Northwestern Ontario's professional theatre offering six stage plays each season.
• Thunder Bay Art Gallery (founded 1976) specializes in the works of First Nations artists, having a collection of national significance.
• Thunder Bay Historical Museum (founded 1908) presents local and travelling exhibitions and houses an impressive collection of artifacts, photographs, paintings, documents and maps in its archives.