Peter Bernier recalls Chapleau memories including roar of falling snow and hitching rides on ice sled skis

Peter Bernier, a member of one of Chapleau's pioneer families was having coffee recently in Sudbury where he lives now and started thinking on the subject of changes, so put together some anecdotes from his conversation about growing up and living in Chapleau and sent them to me. 

Peter was most active in Chapleau community life, especially during the 1970s when he served as a member and chair of the Chapleau Recreation Committee in 1978 when the Chapleau Recreation Centre was officially opened. He was also president of the Chapleau Junior 'B' Huskies Hockey Club when the team played in the International Junior 'B' Hockey League.

As an aside, Peter's father Gene Bernier, with Yvon Martel and their volunteers were mainly responsible for the construction of the airport at Chapleau -- now called the Eugene Bernier Airport.

Peter wrote that he seldom saw kids playing outside now adding:  "I remember some interesting things. In our area of town, There must have between six and eight rinks outside, built on gardens or driveways. It seems to me that they appeared some time in December and lasted until March or April. Skates were optional and tennis balls (pucks) were mandatory. 

Swings were on right.note teeter totter and merry go round

"Hockey sticks were expensive. A practice by Hespeller was $1.50 or so. To get the money it was necessary to do work around the house - shovelling walks etc.

"Games lasted until dark or until the whistle for shift change at C.P.R.

"Often a game would spring out on the street. This meant that you had to be on the lookout for vehicles. Then the call CAR!. Prompt move of the net - wave the car through - continue the game. Everyone was the ROCKET or TIM HORTON."

Peter lived on Elgin Street, and after all these years, I am delighted to learn that kids "on the other side of town" from where I lived also played road hockey. I had concluded that it must only have been played on Aberdeen Street and environs where Keith 'Buddy' Swanson, played and did the play by play a la Foster Hewitt at the same time.

Just think, today those games, on either side of town, would now be going viral on You Tube. And I am sure there would be playoffs for the all Chapleau Road Hockey Championship between teams from both sides of town, and likely the Planer area too.

Maybe Chapleau kids still take to the road?

Ice sled being pulled by tractor. Note skis

Peter also recalled the ice Houses of the CPR and the reason for the - Ice gang - (dream job for all young lads) He explained to his coffee partner  where the ice came from and how it was trucked by truck on those huge ice sleds driven by heroes who braved the ice with their trucks. Dalma Landry and Marcel Dion come to mind. I remember that we would try to jump on the skis to get a ride.

"Probably a dangerous thing but we were young and going to live forever."

The ice came from the Kebsquasheshing River, near the old water pump house, and hauled up Elgin Street to the ice houses at the CPR. In the summer it was used on the CPR passenger trains to air condition the cars. The summer ice gangs were also a dream job for many Chapleauites.

Moving to the other side of town, Peter wrote, "I remember the swings down by the old town hall. The big thing was to see if it was possible to pump hard enough to reach the top of the swing. 

"There was a merry-go-round there and it was mandatory that one would try to get it going fast enough to throw a person off. We did not know at the time we were experiencing centrifugal force ( having too much fun for science).

"Don't forget the teeter totter where you learned who your friends were ( the ones who did not jump off )"

I sure remember each of those and was also able to play on them during recess time at Chapleau Public School.

He also recalled the roars inside and outside the Chapleau Memorial Arena on Lorne Street during hockey games on a Saturday night. 

"Remember the roar of the crowds in the old Chapleau Memorial Arena. The musty smell from the steam heat from the CPR. The roar of the snow sliding off the arena roof onto roofs of cars parked there by unsuspecting out of town fans."

The fans surely must have wondered why those prime parking spaces near the main entrance to the arena were empty. They sure learned at the end of the game.

Peter worked at Smith and Chapple Ltd. and shared this anecdote about Joe Shannon, the manager of the men's wear. I worked in the store's men's wear department with Mr. Shannon while attending high school and university and can fully attest to Peter's comments.

"Joe Shannon was one of the best salesmen I ever knew. I was in the men's wear with him one day when a customer came in for  pair of laces. That was back when people still tied their shoes instead of just stepping into them as they do today. I watched in amazement as Joe innocently asked questions and gently led the man on a trip through his wallet.

"When he left the store, he didn't need the laces. as laces came with the new shoes he bought. The shoes were coloured so they matched the new suit, shirt and ties. It istill impressive today and I do not remember Joe being pushy. He was just serving the customer.

"Joe was the one who also taught me that we had to keep the dollars in Chapleau. If we did not have the item in stock, it was far better to phone the competition to find it; rather than having them go out of town to get it. As he said it,  'The competition has to eat too - they just don't have to eat Steak!'."

Those were the days. Thanks for sharing some of your memories from Chapleau Peter. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Dr. G.E. Young transforms garbage dump into beach for citizens plus memories of growing up in Chapleau from Michael's email bag

Chapleau beach area over 40 years ago. Photo courtesy Bob Lewis

After hearing from Bob Lewis about the Chapleau beach. my thoughts turned to Dr. G.E. "Ted" Young, who returned home to practise medicine (for six months!) after doing his internship at Columbia University in New York City and was instrumental in transforming the town's garbage dump into a beach for the community.. Bob provided the photo of the beach area.

Dr. "Ted" Young

As World War II was drawing to a close, Dr. Young arrived home to replace a doctor for six months -- the rest of course is history as Dr. Young stayed, and within a few years had undertaken the creation of the beach behind Chapleau Public School, completing the project by about 1953.

Oldtimers will recall that the location was the site of the old town dump, and Dr. Young had to have all the garbage hauled away before he could begin the restoration, complete with change rooms, wading pools, grass, benches, picnic tables, diving towers on a dock and fresh sand hauled to the site yearly -- all at his own expense.

Also in the beach area were the bandstand where the Chapleau Town Band would give concerts on special occasions and summer evenings, a canteen and pavilion, a very popular spot for playing games of chance at community celebrations.

In 1948, the council led by Reeve B.W. "Bubs" esablished the first Chapleau Recreation Commission with Councillor J.M. "Jack" Shoup as its first chairperson, but the beach project was Dr. Young's, although in later years the annual "Beach Day" in August raised funds to maintain the area. Dr. Young served on the Beach Committee, as the recreation commission was commonly called, and interestingly his father George Young was a member of Chapleau council in 1951.

Dr. Young, who loved swimming, also became famous for his swim from the town dock area to his family's camp at Mulligan's Bay. When I once asked him about it, he played down his fame on this one: "Well, I started out to swim to the point, and when I got there I just decided to keep going and ended up in Mulligan's Bay."

I often think of Dr. Young's contribution in undertaking this project and providing a beach area for the people of Chapleau - especially the children. And modest person that he is, Dr. Young never took much credit for transforming the town dump into a scenic waterfront for his community. He just did it.

Growing up in Chapleau I sure played and swam at the beach -- so after all these years, thanks "Doc" for your efforts, not only on this project, but for all your contributions to life in Chapleau.

One of the great enjoyments of writing Chapleau Moments is that I hear from so many people who share some of their memories of life in Chapleau, so here are a few from my "email bag."

JODY THERIAULT

We walk back a bit. It is the early 60's. I'm staring at my feet, I'm in a yard full of small black cinders in the south end of town, near the railway yard. Then on my right as I walk north, i see a laundry mat with golden washers circling about in the window. I know that behind that laundry mat is Victor Sonego's house and I am thinking of him. I go into Mione's, a small strange smelling store that sells ice cream. and as I continue my walk down Lorne (?) I go to Desi's on the corner of Birch.

I look for new comic books, Betty and Veronica, Superman and Dennis the Menace. They are all displayed and I check to see if the latest issue is there yet. There are orange popsicles in the freezer but I am looking for a blue one. It will cost 5 cents. Ice cream and chocolate bars are 10 cents. Then I pass Collins and they have camping things and a tent in in the window, a male mannequin who is the father with a chipped chin and a small one who is the boy. They are wearing jackets. Graham's dog Joey sniffs me as I pass the house. I go into my yard through a white picket gate and up the cement steps into the back door. The shoes are piled into a jumble, running shoes and boots with mud.

I am glad to be home.

VIVIAN (EDWARDS) McLEAN

I read your articles in the Chapleau paper and I thought I could share some of my grandfather's life. My grandfather Bill Creighton was born in Chaput, Quebec and married Loretta Giroux in Pembroke. He was the last man to have a team of horses in Chapleau. He picked up people's garbage and was a proud man (he looked tall but it was because he was sitting on his wallet. )Grandpa would let me sit beside him and drive his horses(they knew where they were going )I felt like I was queen of the hill sitting beside him Grandpa took me to the Trainman dances at the old town hall I was about 15 and boy could he dance so many women loved to dance with him as Fred Astaire could of learned some steps from him.

My uncle Sonny and brother Bill worked for him and worked darn hard. Grandpa had worked on the railway at one time but gave it up as he loved horses basically he was a happy man in his own way . My grandmother was a very special lady we stopped at Granny's on the way home from school. She was always baking and we stood there until she said would you like a cookie.W we never refused . My grandmother and Mrs Deluce were best friends and loved blueberry picking. She always had a garden. We loved our little grandma. But Michael my Grandfather was a very intelligent person and I appreciated his stories . Well Michael as I said, love your stories in the paper .

MURIELE FORTIN

Everybody seems to have covered everything I was about to recall about back lanes , except maybe this part about the garbage pick up. We actually would hitch rides on the back of Mr. Chreighton's horse drawn wagon, filled with trash and thought that was great entertainment for the day. He would pretend not to notice us. Many dark evenings when I headed home down that unlit back lane did I imagine some creature jumping out and scaring me but it never stopped me from taking that short cut when I was late for curfew.

Interestingly, in the subdivision where I now reside in Kingston, a development behind me is being built using the lane way design. Folks will have access to their garages via this private lane way. I like that it will give more distance between their house and mine, for privacy. Thanks for the memories. Muriele

JACK POYNTER

Sadly I cannot remember anything extra exciting , or illegal , going on in our back lanes although they certainly did join the Community together. I do remember they were a great shortcut to UPTOWN as well as for CPR employees going to work. When we were facing Pine St. as you noted our directly opposite lane neighbours were the Kemps where there was always some activity going on , at least until they arrived home one noon hour and the house was sadly engulfed in flames.

On one side of us was the Anglican Rectory and of course the Tennis courts where a lot of us got daily exercise ( in the summer ) with a different type of exercise going on across the lane at the Legion..Down the lane in the opposite direction were the CPR houses of the Burrows and Dessons then Austin , Goheen and Chrusoskie. Remember when Howard G. was buried in the ground and left there when everyone had to go to supper ?

When we moved and faced Beech St. the same lane continued and we then had Dick Hoath , the oil man directly opposite us. We used to play baseball in the backyards before church Sunday... It is interesting to note that from our area the quickest way to get to all three Churches was by the back lanes albeit you may get a little dusty.

Clothes could always be seen drying from the lanes and Dr. Young's French poodle put on a show over the fence. There were also a lot of great vegetable and flower gardens evident from the lanes.

Yes , there are a lot of lanes in Chapleau and I am certain some have great stories but in the area I lived they were just fun ways to get home , meet kids and socialize.They were too narrow to play serious baseball plus the windows on the front of most houses were closer on the main drags and hence could be broken easier by a wayward ball. Neither were they wide enough for a rink .

ART MADORE JR.

I was recently on holidays at my camp in Dalton visiting my dad. Roger Mizuguchi has been collecting the Chapleau Express and giving them to my dad. There were two years worth of papers that I managed to read during my stay.I found your articles very interesting, and I was anxious to read the next as I went throught them chronologically.

You did an article this spring on the "CPR ice gangs", which was my favorite because "Dalmas Paquette" is my grandfather. I always knew he was a foreman for the CPR but never knew he was in charge of the ice for the trains. I was part of an ice gang one winter when Tommy (Sawyer) and I helped my uncle Ross gather ice for the bait shop. Thanks for the great writing.

Thanks to all the contributors. My email is michaeljmorris@ymail.com