These elders told me that there are stories of people who disappeared when traversing the land, and tales of others who went mad after travelling across the area. There are also stories of sudden and uncharacteristic violent acts by people that are attributed to this piece of land.
Strangely, many of these stories mirror modern occurrences with only minor cultural and historical differences. It would seem there is still an energy that runs as dark and deep as the mines the city is built upon.
So, is that creepy enough for you?
Enjoy the book.
Mitch Ross
President ORP.ca
Overlord of ParaNorthern.ca
Spring 2013
Preface: There’s No Curbing
This Sudbury Spirit
I have a tendency to be a little bit impulsive, and sometimes I struggle to contain my enthusiasm. I occasionally say things before I think them through, and I often get tangled up in the moment. Keep that in mind as you read on.
It was just another day at the office when I first “met” Mark Leslie. During business hours, I am the entertainment and lifestyle reporter for Northern Life, Sudbury’s community newspaper. Mark and I had an interview lined up to talk about his book Haunted Hamilton. I’ve always loved reading about ghosts and paranormal stuff, so naturally I was excited about the phone conversation we had scheduled.
During the interview, we talked about his childhood fear of monsters in the closet, and we talked about his career as a professional writer. We talked about growing up in Onaping Falls, and we talked about the family names we both knew. It was my job to ask the right questions to make the former Sudburian’s book relevant to the local folks reading the paper. It only seemed fitting that I ask if he had plans to write a similar book about his hometown. According to my recollection, the conversation went something like this:
Jenny: Have you ever thought about writing a collection of short ghost stories about Sudbury?
Mark: Huh. (Pauses to think about answer)
Jenny: Well, I think it’s a great idea! If you want to do it, I’ll even help!
Mark: Ok.
Jenny: Cool!
I’m not entirely sure how serious either of us was about the idea initially. But we must have both thought there was some value to it, as did Mark’s connections at Dundurn Publishing, because, well, you are reading the result of that conversation.
Looks like that damn inability to keep my mouth shut has, in fact, worked out for the better. During the last few months, I’ve gotten an entirely different perspective of the city I know, love, and call home.
I already knew there were some amazing people living here and making the city a better place. What I didn’t know was just how many non-living beings had stuck around.
The stories people have shared are nothing short of spectacular. After learning about Sydney Brown, I made a point of whispering “hi Syd” every time I walk into the Sudbury Theatre Centre. I no longer shrug off the vibes I get whenever I drive by the old hospital on Paris Street. And I certainly had a few sleepless nights along the way as well.
It’s probably fair for me to tell you that I have never personally come in contact with a ghost. I’ve been in situations that left my skin sharp with goosebumps, but none of these experiences have ever made me think, “I just experienced something paranormal.” Despite my scatterbrained nature, I like to think I’m at least a little bit logical.
During the writing of this book, author Jenny Jelen has gained an entirely different perspective of the city she loves.
Jenny Jelen
“There has to be a reason the cat keeps fixing his stare toward the living room, meowing that awful screechy meow. He probably just sees something outside. Maybe he’s just bored.”
Maybe there is more to it, but for the sake of sleeping comfortably at night, I choose not to explore it.
That being said, I’m open-minded about this sort of stuff. Just because we can’t see or feel these things doesn’t mean they don’t exist, right? If you disagree, consider the same questions while contemplating the existence of your brain.
After compiling stories for this project, I think I would like to one day meet a ghost.
Who knows, maybe I’ll even become one!
Jenny Jelen
Sudbury, Ontario 2013
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all of the amazing people who took time to share stories, talk with us, write to us and otherwise relate tales that could be turned into elements that became a part of this book. Speaking, writing and connecting with you was an absolute pleasure and we can’t thank you enough for being so willing to share your experiences, expertise and enthusiasm. In particular, we would like to thank Matthew Del Pappa, Kimberly Fahner, Michael Kavluk, Melanie Marttila, Charlie Smith, and Steve Vernon for letting us reproduce their eloquent words as part of their chapters. Thanks to Creepy Guy Mitch Ross for a helping hand to beautifully set the scene for the book’s foreword. And thanks to Roger Czerneda, Steve Ripley, John Robbie, Greg Roberts, Eugene Lefebvre, and Rob Sacchetto for their amazing photos and images. The authors would also like to thank the great team at Dundurn, in particular Laura Harris, our editor, for her patience, vision, and guidance; Sheila Douglas, for keeping our paperwork in order and the project on track; for Beth Bruder and Margaret Bryant and the sales, marketing, and editorial team for believing in this project and the little northern Ontario city that could.
Jenny’s Notes
Confession: I had no idea how consuming a book writing project could be. It’s a pretty big ordeal.
That being said, I’m so grateful for everyone who encouraged me to write, and especially to those who encouraged me to write well. Mick Lowe, thanks for the regular emails about style and flow (sorry about the short, choppy sentence I expressed this thanks in). Also, I don’t think I’d have even tackled a project like this if it wasn’t for your friendly spurring to continue pushing myself as a word person. I am so blessed to have the best of the best — people like you — to call my mentors.
Whitman the cat — I am not the least bit thankful for the eerie way you stared off into space, looking at something I apparently couldn’t see, while I was compiling notes for the really scary stories. That’s why I never made you fish sticks.
Mark’s Notes
I would like thank two very important people for believing in and helping me, particularly the limitless patience that my beautiful wife Francine and my incredible son Alexander displayed while I spent countless evenings and weekends locked in the basement working madly on this book. My sequestered moments of writing and research are always met with support, good humour and enthusiasm that I appreciate more than I can ever express.
Introduction: Monsters in My Closet and in My Head —
Why Sudbury Has Always Been Spooky to Me
As I revealed in the introduction to Haunted Hamilton, I am afraid of the monster under my bed. I’m also, of course, afraid of the monster in my closet, not to mention the one that is hiding under the stairs, just waiting to reach out from between the risers to grab my feet if I don’t launch myself at full speed up the basement steps.
One of the reasons why I believe that I write the things I do is because, despite the fact that I’ve reached adulthood, in many ways I’m still the young child peeking out from under the covers at night in that small, remote mid-northern Ontario mining town; curious about what that