Big Nickel - Origin

Origin

The idea for the Big Nickel began in 1963 when Ted Szilva, at the time a 28-year-old City of Sudbury fireman, read about a contest in the Sudbury Star. The contest, sponsored by the Sudbury Canada Centennial Committee, chaired by Maurice Lacourciere, requested that citizens of Sudbury forward suggestions on how they would like to see the City of Sudbury celebrate the Canadian Centennial. Among the many entries, Szilva put forward the suggestion for a major tourist attraction featuring a giant replica of a five-cent coin, an underground mine and a mining science centre. Szilva’s idea was rejected because the committee felt that "it did not have sufficient use for the citizens of Sudbury as such".

By this time, Szilva had independently researched his idea, and had concluded that it could indeed be a very viable and worthwhile project. He began to make this dream a reality by scouting out all of the highest hills in Sudbury to find the best location. On December 11, 1963, he purchased 17.5 acres (7.1 ha) of land from Walter Holdich for $1,000.00 with a $25.00 down payment. The land was ideal because of its unique location just between Sudbury and Copper Cliff. From the west, the large, rocky mountain provided a sensational view of the INCO mining and smelting complex, including the nightly slag dump, while from the east one had a beautiful view of the city of Sudbury.

After the land was acquired, the city refused to give Szilva the building permit for the nickel or a road allowance for access to the landlocked property, so he visited the president of INCO, John Pigott, and requested a lease for 4 acres (1.6 ha) of adjacent INCO land in Copper Cliff. This acquisition would ensure that Szilva would have access to his land. The land was leased for 99 years at $1.00 per year. Eventually he bought the leased land from INCO, in addition to another 15 acres (61,000 m2). Szilva contracted a firm to build the Big Nickel road, and Pioneer Construction paved the new road. The Big Nickel was eventually built on the crest of the hill, exactly three feet outside of the city of Sudbury limits in Copper Cliff, which did not require a building permit.