Parry Sound | |
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Town (single-tier) | |
Town of Parry Sound | |
Looking over the town and the sound
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Coordinates: 45°20′N 80°02′W / 45.333°N 80.033°WCoordinates: 45°20′N 80°02′W / 45.333°N 80.033°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Ontario |
District | Parry Sound |
Established | 1857 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Jamie McGarvey |
• Governing Body | Parry Sound Town Council |
• MP | Tony Clement (CPC) |
• MPPs | Norm Miller (PC) |
Area | |
• Land | 13.40 km2 (5.17 sq mi) |
Population (2016) | |
• Total | 6,408 |
• Density | 478.2/km2 (1,239/sq mi) |
Time zone | EST (UTC−5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC−4) |
Postal Code | P2A |
Area code(s) | 705 & 249 |
Highways |
Highway 400 Highway 69 / TCH Highway 124 Highway 518 |
Website | www.townofparrysound.com |
Parry Sound is a town in Ontario, Canada, located on the eastern shore of the sound after which it is named. Parry Sound is located 160 km (99 mi) south of Sudbury and 225 km (140 mi) north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It also has 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 a rival town, Depot Harbour on nearby Parry Island, but this setback was overcome through later developments in tourism and commerce, and the accidental destruction by fire of the entire town of Depot Harbour on August 14, 1945.
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 Wasauksing ("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.