Schumacher, once known as Aura Lake, is named after early settler and mining prospector Frederick W. Schumacher, who sank the first
mine shaft in the community during the
Porcupine Gold Rush. It was once home to one of Canada's largest
Croatian communities. Although it still has many people of Croatian and other European descent, more recently, many people of Aboriginal heritage (mainly
Cree) have taken up residence. Schumacher was part of Tisdale Township until the township was amalgamated into the City of Timmins in 1973. Porcupine Gold Mines is currently engaged in a surface diamond drilling program on the previous
Hollinger and McIntyre properties. This activity aims to better determine the location and extent of underground mine workings in the area, which have caused
sinkholes to appear. In addition, it is done to evaluate the potential to mine remnant gold mineralization as part of a possible future open-pit mining operation. The ongoing evaluation of the properties is part of the closure planning process that Porcupine Gold Mines is completing for the
Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. Preliminary indications show the possibility of more than 4 million ounces of gold in the area. The area is also home to the McIntyre mine and the
McIntyre Community Building, the primary sporting facility in Timmins, both of which were named for another early prospector, Sandy McIntyre. The McIntyre arena is also where Schumacher's most famous resident first donned his skates;
Frank Mahovlich, a recipient of the
Order of Canada, a
Senator for the
Liberal Party of Canada, and a
Hockey Hall of Fame member, was born in Schumacher. Mahovlich's
National Hockey League (NHL) contemporary,
Dean Prentice, was also born in Schumacher. This arena was also where Canada's own
Barbara Ann Scott taught figure skating in the 1950s.
Gold Centre Gold Centre is a small planned town site situated just southeast of Schumacher. The town site though small is still an active community of less than 100 residents today. Although still identified by its name, many consider it to be a part of Schumacher. ==South Porcupine==