Creepy occurrences at the derelict former St. Joseph's Health Centre on Paris Street form the basis of one of the stories in former Sudburian Mark Leslie's latest book, Haunted Hospitals.
It talks about a photographer who documented the building after it stopped operating as a hospital in 2010.
Among other scary happenings, when he went into the hospital's sub-basement, he heard a little girl giggling and the sound of marbles being dropped.
“Terrified, and not wanting to hear or see what might happen next, Tom beat a hasty retreat out of the sub-basement and never returned to the floor again,” the story said.
Since he wrote the story, Leslie said he's heard from a former employee who also talked about the ghost of a little girl, as well as a Sudbury psychic who gets strange feelings when she's near the building.
Leslie said the fact that St. Joseph's is supposed to be converted into condos makes the story even more compelling.
“It's a gorgeous, beautiful site right on the lake and would be an admirable place to stay because you have picturesque view,” he said.
“Oh, but it's haunted. I often wonder about that. I think there' probably going to be more stories coming from it. That's one of the reason I wanted to include it.”
Haunted Hospitals, which features stories about creepy hospitals and sanitoriums around the world, is the fifth book of short ghost stories that Leslie, who now lives in Hamilton, has penned.
One of his books, Spooky Sudbury, was co-authored by former Northern Life reporter Jenny Jelen. Leslie also worked with a co-author on Haunted Hospitals — Edmonton writer Rhonda Parrish.
He said he was chatting with Parrish at an authors' conference in Alberta, and when she learned he writes about the paranormal, she told him about a haunted hospital in Edmonton.
Leslie then told her what he'd learned about St. Joseph's Health Centre. They ended up deciding this was a good idea for a book to pitch to Leslie's publisher, Dundurn Press.
A lot happens at hospitals — people are born, die and receive life-saving surgeries there, he said. And, if the book is any indication, some people linger there after death.
Leslie said he loves writing about the paranormal because everyone has an opinion.
“Regardless of whether you believe in ghosts or not, everybody seems to be fascinated by them,” he said.
Haunted Hospitals is available for purchase at Sudbury's Chapters and Coles stores, and through online retailers such as Amazon.
