Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
With contractor bankrupt, transitional housing complex on pause
The general contractor for the Lorraine Street transitional housing complex declared bankruptcy earlier this month, leaving the project in limbo. Work continued on site until Oct. 13, a city spokesperson confirmed to Sudbury.com, noting the second-floor installation was completed, weather-proofed, cleaned and secured. Sudbury.com visited the site on Oct. 26, and found a vacant construction site and a partially completed building with bright red building wrap. An interview with the city was requested, but one was not granted. A written statement was provided instead, noting, “Nomodic Modular Structures Inc. was the general contractor for the Lorraine Street project. ... Nomodic declared bankruptcy on October 6, 2023. The completion of the Lorraine Street project continues to be a priority for the city, and city staff are working closely with the Surety and the Trustee to move the project forward as originally scheduled.” The city spokesperson added that until they hear from Surety and Trustee, “we have nothing further to add as it would be speculation.
Two moose visit students at Sacré-Cœur school
Two moose visited students at École secondaire du Sacré-Cœur on Oct. 26. “This morning, two moose, who are apparently attracted to the quality of education offered by École secondaire du Sacré-Cœur, were found on the Griffon campus,” CSC Nouvelon posted to social media in a translated Facebook post. “These original visitors did not go unnoticed and attracted several curious.”
Read our story and view the photos
Sudbury man arrested for Espanola break-ins
Manitoulin Ontario Provincial Police have arrested and charged a person they allege is responsible for multiple break and enters in Espanola. Police provided an overview of the three break-ins they say are linked to a Sudbury man. On Aug. 17 shortly after 7 a.m., Manitoulin OPP responded to a break and enter at a business on Centre Street in Espanola. Police determined that more than $4,600 in Canadian currency was stolen from the business. Then, on Aug. 29 shortly before 3 a.m., officers were dispatched to a report of another break-in at a business on Centre Street. “In this case, multiple items were stolen from the business, with an approximate value of over $1,000.” Finally, on Sept. 8 shortly before 7 a.m., OPP responded to another break-in at a business, this time on Station Road. More than $4,600 in Canadian currency and a Samsung tablet were stolen from that location, police said.
Leafs 365: Book gives daily reasons to keep loving the Leafs
Mike Commito has been a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey fan as long as he can remember. This wasn’t a choice he consciously made, but rather something he kind of inherited. His mom is an even bigger Leafs fan than he is, and she’s probably the reason he started cheering for the team. “I think when it came time to follow a path, I chose her path,” he said. “I think a lot of fans of my vintage probably had somebody in their life that influenced them, whether it was one of their parents or their grandparents or an older sibling.” Such is Commito’s love of the Leafs that he recently penned a book about his favourite team, “Leafs 365,” published by Dundurn Press. It includes 365 short stories about the team’s history — one for every day of the year — to remind fans why they still cheer for the blue and white season after season, despite the fact that the Leafs are under a “curse,” having not won the Stanley Cup since 1967. “I honestly think that when that becomes your team at such an early age, there's really nothing that can shake that fandom,” he said.
City receives 420 carbon monoxide/smoke alarms from Enbridge
Greater Sudbury Fire Services has received 420 smoke detector/carbon monoxide detectors from Enbridge Gas Inc., which will be distributed to residents of the city’s outlying communities. “It’s a great initiative by Enbridge, because they look after fuel-fired appliances, so carbon monoxide is their big concern,” deputy chief Nathan Melin told Sudbury.com. Although smoke detectors should be in every home, carbon monoxide detectors are only required in buildings with fuel-fired appliances, such as those powered by natural gas, propane and oil. Still, chief prevention officer Phil Doiron said, there’s no harm in having a carbon monoxide detector. The combination smoke/carbon monoxide detectors last for 10 years without the need for a change in batteries, and will be distributed by volunteer firefighters at the city’s various fire halls. They will be handed out free of charge to those who need them, with the city targetting the city’s outlying communities because volunteer fire stations tend to have a slower response time. The goal behind this targeted approach, Melin said, is “so those individuals who may have an increased response time from fire services have the devices necessary to alert them to an emergency and allow them to get out of the house in a timely fashion.”
