Did you grow up in the 1960s and 1970s in Sudbury? A pair of authors is collecting those stories for an upcoming retrospective book.
Lucy Brun, one of the women behind the project, said that time period was one of tremendous growth and prosperity in Sudbury. Some interesting, successful and even famous people grew up in Sudbury in that time period.
The book will examine the factors that contributed to their success.
Notable examples of people who grew up in Sudbury at the time include journalist Rita Celli, advertising producer and radio personality Terry O’Reilly, world-renowned designer Bruce Ma and Sister Bonnie MacLellan, general superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Growing up in Sudbury with Italian immigrant parents, Brun said she remembers bare black rock hills, few trees, outdoor activities like sliding and skating and hanging out at Laurentian Beach, and making friends of many nationalities.
Good jobs were available at Inco and Falconbridge, higher education was accessible at Laurentian University and Cambrian College, and the city had three hospitals.
“At that point, it allowed people to have hope and to see the possibility that they could go on to higher education and to good jobs,” said Brun.
Even if people faced adversity, “they seemed to have resilience and figure out a way through it, and never give up,” she said.
Brun, who now lives in Toronto, spent her career first as a nurse and then as a consultant in the health-care industry. She is putting together the book with Sudburian Kathy Pearsall, author of books including the 1994 pictorial history “Sudbury.”
They are also being assisted by friend Lorna Erwin, who’s a professor emerita of sociology at York University.
The book will showcase what life in the Sudbury region was like back then and how it influenced a generation.
The authors are looking for people’s stories about Sudbury in the 1960s and 1970s, especially what factors influenced their paths in life. Participants will also be asked to fill in an online survey.
Brun said she’s hoping to include Sudbury’s demographics during that time period, people’s personal stories and photos, common themes from those stories and a list of notable Sudburians who grew up in that time.
The book, which will be self-published through Amazon, is currently scheduled for production in late 2026.
Anyone born in the Sudbury region between 1950 and 1965, inclusive, is invited to join the project, with stories of about 1,000 words. Photos are encouraged. Email [email protected] for more information.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.