High scoring trio of Pat Swanson, Ernie Chambers, Garry Prusky lead Junior 'B' Huskies to first place early in 1970-71 hockey season

Many played later for Junior "B" Huskies (David Mizuguchi collection)

The Chapleau Junior "B" Huskies were off to a fast start in the 1970-71 season finding themselves "all alone in top spot" after two weeks of play in the International Junior "B" Hockey League, according to Keith 'Buddy' Swanson, who doubled as hockey writer for the Chapleau Sentinel and team manager at the time. 

The Huskies had four wins and no losses after defeating their archrivals the Wawa Travellers at the Chapleau Memorial Arena 7-3, followed by a "thrilling" 5-3 win in Wawa on Sunday afternoon on the first weekend in November.

Both wins were "keyed up by their already high scoring trio of Pat Swanson, Ernie Chambers and Garry Prusky" who accounted for 10 of 12 goals, Buddy wrote.

Buddy also gave credit to the blue line brigade which was outstanding with lapses being few and far between.

As I read Buddy's coverage of the games 43 years later, I could not help but recall our road hockey games in the general environs of Aberdeen Street where he would play and do the play by play at one and the same time.

Also, I was refereeing in the International Junior "B" League  and Buddy and I played a little game with each other. As long as he was in the stands commenting on the general lack of quality of my officiating, even though he was the team's manager, there was little I could do about it.

However, one night, he made a mistake and went on the bench where he picked up his usual refrain, and very quickly I gave him a game misconduct, forcing him to the team's dressing room  for the rest of the night. We remained friends!

Those really were great days and a cavalcade of cars would leave Chapleau for games on the road especially to Wawa.

Back to the action! Buddy noted that the line of Allan Pellow, Richard Lacroix and Jim Morin had their moments in the Saturday night matchup but with no luck around the net in either game. The third line with "hustling" Maurice Blais skating between wingers Steve Prusky and Terry Bryson more than held their own any time coach Earle Freeborn sent them over the boards.

David McAdam gave the Huskies steady goaltending and in the second game of the weekend Billy Westerman played admirably when called upon.

Garry Prusky was the "spark plug" on Saturday as he "cashed two shots to put the Huskies ahead 2-0 after the first." Brother Doug Prusky picked up assists on both of the "picturesque plays". Ernie Chambers connected early in the second frame. 

Pat Swanson and Richard Lacroix upped the Huskies margin to 5-1 before the second ended while Jim Cannon scored for Wawa.

Garry Prusky finished off his hat trick 25 seconds into the third. 

Steve Prusky scored his first Junior "B" goal when his 70 foot slapshot zoomed past Real Samson in the Wawa goal. Over the years Steve became famous for his zooming slapshots after he started playing defence.

In the 1970-71 season Steve also played for the Chapleau Midgets where brother Garry was the manager. I was the coach and we had to plan Midget games around the Junior "B" schedule, but it was never a problem.

In the Sunday match in Wawa, Pat Swanson continued his "torrid scoring pace" and "blinked the light twice" in the first period giving the Huskies a 2-0 lead.

Ernie Chambers rammed home Chapleau's third goal  for a 3-0 lead but Gary Varin responded for Wawa.

With mere seconds left in the second period trouble erupted, and when it all cooled down, the Huskies were minus Garry Prusky and goaltender David McAdam with game misconducts. Buddy described it as a "violent fight" behind the Huskies goal.

The Travellers stormed to the attack with Gary Varin scoring two more goals but the defence of Wayne Murphy, Doug Prusky, Terry Higuchi and Tom Laframboise held their ground.

Richard Lacroix made one of his patented end to end rushes, passing to Ernie Chambers who scored and then followed up as he skidded a backhander the length of the ice to clinch things for Chapleau with 33 seconds left.

The Junior "B" Huskies started play in the International Junior "B" Hockey League in the 1966-67 season when they won the league and Northern Ontario Hockey Association championships. Lorne Riley started as coach with Buddy as manager but they reversed roles when Lorne was unable to continue. Tom Welch was the other founder of the team.

Teams for the 1970-71 season were Chapleau, North Shore, Soo Rapids, Soo Indians, Elliot Lake and Wawa.

Those really were the days, and on those cold winter nights in the Chapleau Memorial Arena, the community came together with crowds of 1,000 plus very common. 

Thanks to Doug Greig for sending me Buddy's account of the games. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

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

Chapleau $1.7 million water treatment plant officially opened in 1976 replacing pump house and water storage tank

Joe Clifford, Graham Bertrand, Clem Bernier,- water plant employees

Official opening ceremonies for the new Chapleau water treatment plant were held on October 21, 1976, although it did not go into full operation until January 25, 1977.

The plant, built by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment for the municipality at a cost of $1.7 million, replaced the pump house which had been built circa 1910. In due course, the pump house became the home of the Chapleau Air Cadets.

At the same time that the plant was being built, $500,000 was spent replacing old water mains, according to William Gibson of the ministry. Murray Cheetham of the environment ministry was master of ceremonies.

With the launch of the new water treatment plant, there was no further need for the water storage tank located on the hill on Elgin Street, near the CPR station. It was demolished but not before it buckled in some places, causing a scare in the community in 1977.

Floyd Laughren the NDP MPP for Nickel Belt which included Chapleau, was present to participate in the opening ceremonies.

The water plant project was initiated in 1967 when T.C. "Terry" Way-White was the reeve, and by 1972 an agreement had been reached between the province and the municipality which was confirmed by the Ontario Municipal Board.

Clem Bernier, First water plant superintendent

Mr. Laughren said he was pleased to be in Chapleau for the water plant opening, adding that he had attended a recent Habitat conference in Vancouver where "pure water" was felt to be the greatest need of people.

Rev. William Ivey of St. John's Anglican Church and Rev. Donald Maclean of Trinity United Church offered  prayers.

Clem Bernier was the first superintendent of the water plant while Graham Bertrand and Joe Clifford were the operators.

The water treatment system for the community provided for 1.2 million gallons a day, with the three reservoirs able to hold about three quarters of a million gallons in case of an emergency, which would last about four hours.

The plant included its own generator which started automatically in case of an electrical power failure.

Water was taken from the Kebsquasheshing River into a raw water well inside the plant.

The plant was staffed eight hours a day, and for the remaining hours the equipment operated automatically. In the event of an emergency, alarms would sound and staff contacted immediately.

Tours of the new plant were popular for school children. They would be conducted by the plant employees. My email is mj.morris@live.ca