Sudbury's re-greening success highlighted on The National

BY HEIDI ULRICHSEN

Greater Sudbury's transformation from a barren wasteland to the green, tree-studded city we know today was the subject of CBC's The National Monday night.

Starting at 9 pm, anchor Peter Mansbridge read the news from a truck in the parking lot of the Sudbury Catholic School Board on D'Youville St. He was broadcasting live to Atlantic Canada.

The National ran on CBC in this part of the country at 10 pm.

The parking lot was supposed to provide a great view of the city lights at night, but foggy weather blocked out most of the scenery.

Mansbridge also taped part of the broadcast earlier in the day in the rock tunnel leading to the Science North Cavern.

“For the last three or four years, we've been trying to take The National on the road as much as we can and get it out of Toronto,” he told Northern Life during a phone interview.

“I'm quite excited about this series because while the debate in Canada often turns to saying we're not doing enough to help the environment, it's clear in some parts of the country, real progress has been made. I think the Sudbury story is one people just don't know about.”

Mansbridge also interviewed local biologist Dr. Dave Pearson about the city's environmental reclamation.

“I hear that he (Pearson) is a wonderful guy and a great talker. They call him the Bob McDonald of the north. Bob is our science guy. He's able to take complicated subjects and make average people understand what he's talking about.”

The broadcast featured a short documentary about the city's environmental legacy put together by CBC journalist Leslie McKinnon.

She showed pictures of the landscape before and after million of trees were planted, and explored the city's plans to generate energy from methane gas produced in our landfill site.

“For those of us who have grown up in the 1960s, I don't think we'll ever forget the image of it being the closest thing to looking like the the moon. The astronauts were taken there and shown what it looks like, and things like that,” said Mansbridge.

The National will broadcast from Calgary on Wednesday, and will feature stories about how that city is working to improve its environment.

Estelle Scappatura, a trustee with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, was one of about 20 people who showed up to watch Mansbrige read the news.

“I think it's a privilege for Sudbury to have the national news aired here. I'm a great fan of the CBC news. I watch The National every night,” she said.

“From watching what's going on here, there are things that I didn't realize were part of the broadcast. They taped part of the news. There is a teleprompter at the back of the truck, and there's a heater on the side to keep (Mansbridge) warm.

“My husband and I are going to rush home after he's finished and watch the broadcast on television.”

Lisetta Chalupiak and her son, William, usually walk their dog in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board parking lot at night. They were excited to see Mansbridge broadcasting from their neighbourhood.

“I just wanted to see how they did this,” she said. “I watch The National quite often. I think Peter has an incisive view of the news.”