Children participate in the Northern Nature Trading. Submitted photo.
The North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce and Science North are collaborating to bring a new visitor experience to North Bay.
Visitors to the Northern Nature Trading experience in North Bay are encouraged to bring in their own items from nature and trade for other natural items that can be found in the constantly changing collection at the centre, which may feature items such as:
• shells – augers, cowry, olive, periwinkle
• rocks and polished stones – agate, amethyst, garnet, jasper, sodalite, tiger eye
• plant parts – cones, acorns, driftwood, twigs, pressed leaves and flower petals
• fossils – amber, ammonite, nautiloids, shark teeth
The goal of each Northern Nature Trading experience is to motivate people of all ages to be inspired with the science in the world around them. Learning as much information as they can about a particular item, and sharing that information with the staff will give visitors the opportunity to rack up points. The points can then be used to add new items to their own collection, or banked for use at a later date.
Science North currently has more than 50,000 registered Traders. Northern Nature Trading experiences are now available in North Bay, Kenora and Red Lake. Future locations of additional Northern Nature Trading experiences will be announced at a later date.
“The Northern Nature Trading experience is based on a model that currently exists at Dynamic Earth through the Rockhound Lab and at Science North through the Nature Exchange,” said Guy Labine, Science North CEO. "This project allows our science centre to strengthen existing relationships, and build new ones, with important partner attractions across the North. Our end goal is to create a new visitor experience at these attractions that encourages first-time and repeat visitation to each attraction.”
Mayor of North Bay, Al McDonald added, “I am pleased to see Science North work with our community to create an interactive visitor and informal learning exhibit that meets the needs of both the tourist and local audience. On the behalf of the City of North Bay I’d like to thank the federal and provincial government for their support of this initiative.”
“We were pleased to collaborate with Science North to bring this new satellite attraction that complements the permanent installation at Science North. We recognize how popular the Northern Nature Trading experience has been over the years at Science North and we are sure this will also attract current and new audiences to our centre,” said Jake Lacourse, President of the North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce that operates the Regional Tourist Information Centre in North Bay. “We applaud the funders for their support in this partnership and this certainly meets our goals of developing more tourism products for our region.”
As a major tourist attraction and tourism driver for the North, Science North is interested in expanding its reach in Northern Ontario. Thanks to an investment by Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), Northern Nature Trading experiences are being installed in six Northern Ontario attractions.
“Our Government is proud to have invested in this new visitor experience to enhance tourism and educational activities in North Bay and across the region,” said Greg Rickford, Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor). “We’re pleased to support the efforts of tourism operators working together to further position Northern Ontario as a destination of choice for travelers.”
“Science North is one of Northern Ontario’s major draws, providing interactive, educational experiences for residents and visitors alike, in communities across the North," said Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines and Chair of the NOHFC. "I’m proud that the NOHFC’s investment in the Northern Nature Trading project is bringing this tourist attraction to North Bay for all to enjoy and discover,”
