Experience the relaxed pace of life in the Municipality of Greenstone's safe, family oriented communities that lie within the expanse of Northwestern Ontario's vast boreal forest. Clean air, beautiful wilderness, deep blue lakes, pristine rivers, and an abundance of wildlife provide the ideal back drop for recreational pursuits and comfortable living. You'll find that Greenstone offers everything necessary to enjoy an unparalleled lifestyle of peace and serenity. A more in-depth community profile follows:

Greenstone's History

The Municipality of Greenstone was created on January 1, 2001 through the amalgamation of the Towns of Geraldton and Longlac; the Townships of Beardmore and Nakina; the Hamlets of Caramat, Jellicoe, MacDiarmid and Orient Bay; and a large expanse of rural area.

Distances & Population

Greenstone is situated in the District of Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. Its western boundary is 150 kilometres from the City of Thunder Bay (pop. 109,016). The total land area is over 3,000 square kilometres with a population of 5,600. The communities are tied together with a 200 kilometre presence along the Highway 11 corridor. The corridor communities include MacDiarmid, Orient Bay, Beardmore, Jellicoe, Geraldton, and Longlac. The Administrative Centre for the Municipality is located in Geraldton, which is situated five kilometres north of the intersection of Highway 11 and Michael Power Boulevard. The community of Nakina is situated 67 kilometres north of Greenstone's Administration Centre on Highway 584. Caramat is situated east of Longlac and 30 kilometres south of Highway 11 on Highway 625.

Transportation to and about Greenstone

The communities of Caramat, Longlac, and Nakina are located on the main line of the Canadian National Railway with both passenger and freight train service.

Air service is provided at the Greenstone Regional Airport in Geraldton, and the R. Elmer Ruddick Municipal Airport in Nakina. There are two public helipads, one in Beardmore, and one at the Geraldton Hospital. The Greenstone Airport is also the site of the Ministry of Natural Resources Northwest Fire Management Centre which operates at full capacity in the summer months. In addition, there are private air services used by outfitters and industrial establishments throughout the Municipality.

Scheduled transportation is provided with the para-transit buses to assist seniors with shopping, attending appointments and attending special events. This bus is equipped with a wheelchair lift for easy access.

Shopping and Services in Greenstone

Greenstone offers a wide range of retail establishments. Service enterprises are also well represented, with numerous grocery, pharmacy, clothing stores, hair salons, motels, auto services, dry cleaners/laundromats etc... Banking can be carried out at various financial institutions in Beardmore, Geraldton, Longlac, and Nakina.

Health Care in Greenstone

Seniors have easy access to Health Care in Greenstone. The Municipality has four medical clinics. These include the Beardmore Health Centre, the T.H. McKillop Clinic in Nakina, the Northern Horizons Health Centre in Geraldton that is immediately adjacent to the Geraldton District Hospital, and the Northwest Community Health Centre in Longlac.

Greenstone is serviced by the Geraldton District Hospital. The hospital is equipped with 23 acute care beds (including two monitored cardiac care beds and two pediatric beds), 26 long term care beds a new birthing room and a palliative care suite. The hospital services include: full lab services, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, social work, diabetes education, nutritional services and they have an Anishnabe resource worker.

Greenstone is designated as a Family Health Team (FHT) area. A FHT is an approach to primary health care that brings together different health care providers to co-ordinate the highest possible quality of care for you - the patient. The FHT is designed to give doctors support from other complementary professionals. The FHT will consist of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals who work collaboratively, each utilizing their experience and skills so that you receive the very best care, when you need it, as close to home as possible. Family Health Teams are patient centred and you will have access to a number of primary health care services from a variety of team members, including your family doctor.

Family Health Teams:

• provide better access to care, closer to home.
• work as a team to keep patients healthy. Teams will include physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and other health care providers. Additional members, such as dieticians, pharmacists or other service providers may be added to the Team depending on the needs of the community.
• provide extended hours and after hours access to a registered nurse through the Telephone Health Advisory Service. Patients can speak to a registered nurse with access to patient information. If necessary, a member of the Family Health Team will call the patient back.
• help patients navigate their way through the health care system.
• provide primary health care, chronic disease management and self-help tools to improve health.
• use 'state of the art' information technology giving providers access to patient information and test results.

Recreational Activities

Greenstone's Recreational Department offers a full range of activities for all ages.

Within Greenstone you will find community centres that house both an ice rink and curling club. Many "active living" programs exist, such as aquatics, tennis, baseball, figure skating, hockey, karate, volleyball, basketball and badminton. For people who would prefer to just walk, there's the Walk N' Talk program which operates out of the Geraldton Composite High School.

In having such a variety of outdoor activities, you could say Greenstone is one big outdoor playground. You can indulge in viewing wildlife on one of the many viewing platforms on the Discover Greenstone trail system. Hiking and walking trails exist for everyone - from the beginner to the experienced hiker. In addition, canoeing opportunities abound within the Greenstone area with five wilderness canoe routes through the rugged beauty of the boreal wilderness. For more about the Discover Greenstone trails or to read Canoeist Extraordinaire Becky Mason's testimonial regarding the Namewaminikan canoe route, visit www.discovergreenstone.ca.

Situated within Greenstone is MacLeod Provincial Park which is operated by the Municipality and is home to the much celebrated Geraldton Music Jamboree. Greenstone also borders on the sixth Great Lake ? Lake Nipigon. Lake Nipigon can be accessed from the excellent marina facilities developed at High Hill Harbour on Highway 580 in Beardmore.

The original nine holes at Kenogamisis Golf Course designed by renowned golf course designer Stanley Thompson have been expanded to offer golfers a unique 18 hole challenge.

Greenstone offers a municipal elderly persons' centre. In addition, five other seniors clubs exist for both English and French speaking residents which host a variety of events and activities to enhance the senior's lifestyle. They include Beardmore Evergreens Inc., Nakina Senior Citizen's Sunrise Club, La Joie de Vivre in Geraldton, Longlac Senior Citizen's Club and the Senior Citizen's Pioneer Club of Geraldton. Some of the events and activities in which these clubs engage are; special occasion luncheons and suppers, club socials, cards, shuffleboard, carpet bowling, crafts, celebrating special milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries, and some clubs engage in tea and bake sales and other fundraisers. There are para-transit buses utilized in Geraldton and Longlac to assist seniors to traveling to appointments, shopping and other special events.

For those who enjoy learning, there is a variety of courses to choose from. These include a variety of crafts, beginners/advanced oil painting and digital photography courses offered by the Parks and Recreation department. Also, post secondary education (distance education and training programs) is available within the Municipality.

Seniors' Residences

There are three seniors' residences in Greenstone. They include Neil Court in Geraldton with 21 units, Fisher Court in Geraldton with 20 units and Chateaulac in Longlac with 21 units. All three residences are equipped with a refrigerator and stove in each unit, laundry and garbage facilities, common room, and parking.

In Conclusion

Greenstone residents enjoy a small-town lifestyle with a balance of indoor and outdoor leisure activities right at our doorstep. Visitors to Greenstone will find a natural playground with a vast multitude of clean, clear lakes, rivers and air free of big city pollution. In the summer, swimming, fishing, canoeing, rock climbing and hiking are favourite pastimes and in the winter we provide natural settings for ice climbing, snowmobiling, skiing, skating and ice fishing.

Greenstone offers you the greatest range of experiences in all seasons and for all ages. There are no line-ups and the quality of your experiences within Greenstone last a lifetime. Greenstone has something for everyone.

While you can search for seniors' specific information within the Seniors Info website category listings, you are encouraged to visit www.greenstone.ca to find detailed and descriptive information about the Greenstone area.