Greater Sudbury, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Dr. Ted Szilva, O. Ont., LLD, D.O.M.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 8, 2024

1. Dr. Ted Szilva, O. Ont., LLD, D.O.M. Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

[English] A proud Sudburian, Ted was the creator of the Canadian Centennial Numismatic Park, which was opened on July 22, 1964. Ted spearheaded the creation of the Big Nickel and the original Big Nickel Mine on the Dynamic Earth site. Today, the Big Nickel is an icon synonymous with Sudbury, the nickel capital of the world.

[Français] Ted, un fier sudburois, a créé le Parc numismatique du centenaire canadien, qui a ouvert ses portes le 22 juillet 1964. Ted a mené la création du Big Nickel et de la mine Big Nickel originale sur le site de Terre dynamique. Aujourd'hui, le Big Nickel est un icône synonyme de Sudbury, la Capitale mondiale de nickel.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Landmarks • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical date for this entry is July 22, 1964.

Location. 46° 28.414′ N, 81° 2.028′ W. Marker is in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. It can be reached from Big Nickel Road (Regional Road 34) 0.4 kilometers north of Lorne Street (Regional Road 55). The marker is located beside the "Big Nickel," on the Dynamic Earth museum grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this

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postal address: 122 Big Nickel Road, Greater Sudbury ON P3C 5T7, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northeastern Ontario

and specifically in Northern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Famous Big Nickel / Le célèbre big nickel (here, next to this marker); Nickel Mining in Canada / Production de nickel au Canada (within shouting distance of this marker); In Honour and Memory of the Holditch Family (within shouting distance of this marker); The Superstack / La Supercheminée (about 180 meters away, measured in a direct line); Austin Airways 1934-1987 (approx. 3 kilometers away); The Irish Regiment of Canada (approx. 3.7 kilometers away); The Sudbury Basin (approx. 3.7 kilometers away); The Founding of Sudbury / La fondation de Sudbury

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 8, 2024

2. Dr. Ted Szilva, O. Ont., LLD, D.O.M. Marker

Looking northwest from the “Big Nickel;” the marker overlooks the Dynamic Earth museum.

(approx. 3.7 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greater Sudbury.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . .
1. Theodore Arthur "Ted" Szilva (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: A Canadian businessman in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. He was 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. In 2009, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario.

(Submitted on August 21, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Ted Szilva: A legend as big as the Big Nickel.

Excerpt: Few people have left such an indelible legacy on Greater Sudbury as Ted Szilva, the creator of the Big Nickel. The monument that was erected in 1964 quickly became known around the world and made Sudbury something that it hadn't been before: a tourist destination. While a beloved
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 8, 2024

3. The “Big Nickel”
The marker is located a few steps to the right of the "Big Nickel" - along the access walkway.
monument today, Szilva had to overcome a number of obstacles to make the Big Nickel a reality. That tale became the focus of The Big Nickel: The Untold Story, a book father and son put together in 2014, to mark the monument's 50th birthday.
"When it started, it was all about the idea of what it could be and what it could represent,” [his son] Jim said. “And I think that's why he fought so hard to make it happen, even though so many people told him no.” But his father had a vision and the tenacity to make it a reality. And he had a vision of expanding the site to include a mining science centre. “That ended up becoming Science North and Dynamic Earth,” Jim said. “So he definitely knew that it was going to be an important thing for Sudbury.”

(Submitted on August 21, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 192 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 21, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.