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| On the floor of the hall, a mosaic recalls the original function of the building. PHOTO: MATHIEU ALLARD |
The City of Greater Sudbury has some unusual places. Of these, rumor that a tunnel exists between the current Villa Red Oak and the building that houses the Diocese of Sault Ste Marie, on Chemin Sainte-Anne in downtown Sudbury.
The tunnel does exist and we have visited for you! Formerly host of the St. Joseph Hospital, a beacon for the francophone community in Sudbury, the building now houses a home for retirees. Right behind is a large building over five floors in yellow brick that houses the Diocese of Sault Ste Marie.
At one time, the building welcomed students to the formation of "nurse" of the St. Elizabeth School. It is in this way that we designated the nurses at the time. The tunnel therefore served them to go directly from their residence to the hospital.
Jeannine Larcher Lalande, a resident of the neighborhood Mill flowers, lived there for three years during his training. She remembers through the tunnel every day during those years. "Usually we put two and two, because it was a bit scary to cross. " She said the tunnel has changed since. The floor is much less rough at the time and, especially, the lighting is best.
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| The tunnel has undergone some slight changes over the years. Among other things, the lighting was added. PHOTO: MATHIEU ALLARD |
She still maintains links with many of the women she has known in the classrooms of the St. Elizabeth School. She was keen to take part in the visit of the tunnel. For her, the fact of walking again was a way to pay tribute to all those women that have circulated in the corridor to go heal the sick at St. Joseph Hospital.