John Tricco

ADVENTURES OF A CREIGHTON BOY AT LIVELY HIGH SCHOOL (LDSC)

Sadly there never was a Creighton high school.

With a population of only 2200 we didn’t have the numbers. We were a small town.

Nearby there was a bigger INCO town that had a high school. Most Creighton Mine kids went to Lively District Secondary School (LDSS). Some went to Copper Cliff High, Marymount, St. Charles and a few others went to Lo-Ellen Park Secondary.

Most Creighton people moved to Lively. As our Creighton Mine homes were being demolished INCO was offering homes in Lively. Many Lively renters were not interested in buying homes they had rented for so many years. Many moved out and we moved in. We bought at 223 Third Ave. Beside us at 221 Third Ave were Joe and Marion Skatula. Across the street were the Lazowiks and behind us on Second Ave were the Yaws who were both Creighton families.. Down the street there was a wonderful angelic lady …Stella Vagnini. There were many other Creighton families that migrated to Lively. It was a friendly invasion.

This story is about Lively High School. Let’s call it a Creighton/ Lively High story. It was another place that I remember like it was yesterday.

I looked through the Lively High 1974-1975 yearbook and I was amazed by the sheer number of Creighton Mine kids that attended LDSS. Family names included Hood, Rintala, Ansons, Barbeau, Quinn, Behenna, Cywink, Gliebe, Jones, Pattenden, Pretz, Risk, Wellings, Kaattari, Pettigrew, Pierini, Rechzin, Shannon, Vagnini, Vezeau, Weidmark, Bourgon, Chenier, Essensa, Furlotte, Gasiorowski, Greer, Guse, Hanuszcak, Lariviere, Larson, Mottonen, Horner, Roy, Spencer, Treasure, Wellings, Wunsch, Yaw, Zyma, Beech, Desjardins, Van Clieaf, Raynor, Kasperchuck, Kiley, LeBreton, Miron, Mulligan, Petrenko, Pinylo, Seminuk, Tricco, Galipeau, Gervais, Maki, Vignault and many more!!! I felt right at home. I lived just up the street and walked to school.

On August 20th1970 the tornado damaged Lively High. Partial repairs were done and the 1970 school year continued on schedule. I hung around with Danny Van Clieaf and Mark Raynor who were good old Creighton boys. We missed a lot of school for various reasons. Charlie Tuttle was the Principal and Gary Tushingham was the Vice-Principal. I got to know them fairly well. I was always polite and always honest so there was a sense of mutual respect. They often greeted me in the hallways with a “hello John are you here for the full day?” I would reply “yes sir.”

The new cafeteria area had been damaged by the tornado so the lunchroom remained on the second floor in the south-west corner. Do you remember we were allowed to smoke in there and at lunch time smoking stopped and the custodian would clean and remove the ash trays. It was a small room but had a full size juke box. You could play 3 songs for a quarter. Let Me Roll It by The Beatles, Sunshine of Your Love by Cream and other songs blared all day.

Some kids had lunch here while others went to the Lighthouse Restaurant on 6th Avenue beside the school. The Lighthouse was often standing room only. Eventually the large cafeteria near the north east area of the school was opened. My aunt Priscilla Furlotte was the custodian of the cafeteria. She was a beautiful lady who always smiled. Everyone knew her and she was always busy cleaning those ash trays.

Lively High dances were very “ Lively “. We had awesome bands. I remember bands like Powerhouse and Wild Cherry. Needless to say there was a lot of alcohol consumption and some “illicit” activities prior to those dances. Intoxicated kids were refused entry. I always got in but I was occasionally asked to leave.

One Friday night I got kicked out as I was somewhat inebriated. I ran home and as I rounded the corner of our house there was a parked police vehicle and an officer was standing on our driveway. I ran full speed between the officer and my stepfather Ken Jones. I thought I was being arrested!!!. Turned out Officer Gene Roy was visiting Ken as they were friends. I returned a few hours later. Ken Laughed as I had high jumped the backyard fence surprising both he and Officer Roy as it was about 5 feet high. It somehow reminded me of the movie The Great Escape with Steve McQueen!!!

HIGHLIGHTS OF MY LIVELY HIGH TIME

I had a Math teacher that told me she would give me my math credit if I promised not to take Math the following year. Imagine that! Of course I agreed to those terms.

Mr. Dunn was a History teacher. His nick name was “Rocky”. He was an interesting character and dresser. He loved plaid designs and often wore plaid shirt, pants, tie and jacket at the same time!!!. His wife Mrs. Dunn had been a teacher at Creighton Mine Public School.

It was 1972 the first day of the new school year. I was in Oscar Chapell’s Grade 11 Biology class. He entered the classroom pointed at me and stated “you are not going to be in my class this year”. He had been my teacher the previous year. I got up and said “goodbye everyone” and left.

In grade 11 History I was in Mr. Doyle’s class. He was also the football coach. In the hallways everybody got out of his way. He wore his glasses on the tip of his nose and often looked down while reading at his desk. That gave me the opportunity to drill a paper airplane at a fellow classmate. Unfortunately the airplane changed course and landed next to Mr. Doyle’s desk. He took off his glasses and said “who threw that?” The room got quiet. He said “I’m going to find out and when I do there is going to be trouble.” A couple of minutes later the buzzer went signaling time to go to the next class. I walked over to the paper airplane picked it up, crushed it and threw it in the garbage can. Mr. Doyle looked at me and said “Tricco you are an idiot” I replied “yes sir” and left.

Today Paul Doyle is an exercise enthusiast. He walks his beautiful German Shephard dog around Creighton Mine twice a day.

Dick Johnson was the hockey coach. He was a nice guy. The Lively Hawks had many years of awesome hockey teams. GO Hawks GO!

Mr. Trottier was the guidance councilor. He was everyone’s friend.

Des McGowan taught Marketing. He was awesome and was a great story and joke teller. He was always smiling and chewing gum. He often spoke of Crawley and McCracken which was the large red brick boarding house in front of Takkala’s garage in Creighton. He had worked for Crawley and McCracken. After demolition of that building Lando Vagnini would park his school buses on the open lot.

Mr. Neufield was an awesome teacher and taught Geology. He was always cool. He always wore a white lab coat. He told me that I did good work but missed a lot of classes. Sadly Mr. Neufield has passed away. Rest in Peace.

Mr. Fricker was the Welding teacher. I took 4 years of Welding to make up for lost credits from Grade 9 and 10. He had a handlebar moustache and was very cool. He was ex-military. He was very kind to me.

I did attend grade 13 but half way through the school year I had an incredible stroke of luck. At a Lively Hawks hockey game I was approached by Mr. Arnold Hansen who was Mickey and Billy Hansen’s father. He was a Superintendent at Inco. He asked me if I wanted a job at Inco. I said “sure.” He told me to attend the hiring office the following week. I did and worked at Inco for the next 5 years and I loved it.

While I worked at Inco I had taken some Cambrian College night courses. I did not have enough credits for my High School Diploma. I was short of the necessary 27 credits due to those years of slacking off. I went to see Charlie Tuttle who was still principal. I explained I would need my diploma to apply to the Ontario Provincial Police. He asked what life experience I had since leaving school. I was on staff at Inco and I had taken those courses at Cambrian. He applied those Cambrian courses towards my High School manuscript and granted me my High School Diploma. I guess I can “credit” Mr. Tuttle in helping me get my O.P.P. job and making my future much brighter. Thank you Mr. Tuttle. Rest in Peace.

I moved on to my next career with the OPP which I also loved for 30 years.

I did see Arnold Hansen when I worked at Dowling O.P.P I was working and saw him at the Stop 144 Restaurant north of Dowling. I again thanked him for his generosity in giving me my Inco job years earlier. He allowed me to buy he and Mrs. Hansen breakfast. I will never forget that awesome man. (RIP)

I did see Mr. Tuttle years later at the gas bar in Walden. I thanked him again for the kindness he had shown me. I will never forget that wonderful man.

Lively High was amazing. It added many benefits, opportunities and lessons to my life. Just a reminder we all have people who help us through life. Don’t forget them and if you see them thank them.

It was also the place I met my beautiful wife Carole Fusz. We will have been married 48 years this year.

Thank you Lively High.

Creighton High would have also been awesome…oh well.

Now where did I put that rabbit’s foot?

Did you go to Lively High? If I did not list your family name please add it via a comment or message me and I will add it to the group.

Did this story bring back any memories?

John Tricco

May 28, 2026.

Charlie Tuttle Principal LDSC

Gary Tushingham Vice-Principal LDSC

Mr. Fricker Welding/Shop Teach

 

Des McGowan Commercial/Marketing Teacher

Rene Trottier

Photo 5 Mr. Paul Doyle History Teacher/Football Coach

 

SWIMMING PLACES NEAR LIVELY

We did have places to escape the summer heat.

MEATBIRD LAKE

We all went to Meatbird Lake which was actually in Dogpatch. We travelled there by foot, bike and motor vehicle.

The YMCA sponsored swimming lessons there each year and this is where I learned how to swim. Meatbird was a great for swimming and I have many memories of this wonderful place.

I loved swimming out to the dock and sitting on the bench with the Creighton, Dogpatch and Lively kids. The Olson boys were the “Kings” of the dock. They swam to the dock as fast as anyone and sat together on the bench. They did great cannon balls and nobody pushed the Olson boys off the dock.

People from Lively that I remember at the dock were Marcel Girard, Ken Nowlan and Leo Mclaughlin who were also “Kings” of the dock. Rest in Peace Marcel.

The dock had limited capacity so as new kids arrived other kids would leave. In an afternoon you might swim out there several times depending on availability or who was out there.

Remember seeing “Cowboy” ride up on his trusty yellow steed? (Harley). Cowboy was “too cool for school” and was just fun to be around. Cowboy ( Lorne Vetters RIP) was our Elvis Presley character who was larger than life. Rest in Peace Cowboy.

Sadly Meatbird Lake is no more. The site was been purchased by Vale and is no longer available to the public. (boo hoo)

The former lake has been completely emptied and filled in with gravel. There is a fence around the property.

BARE BALLS BAY (BBB)

Bare Balls Bay was another aqua location. It was located North of Meatbird lake on the other side of the Inco trestle. It was very private hence the name BBB. The water was crystal clear, cold and it was a great spot for skinny dippers.

I did go there occasionally but I preferred the excitement of Meatbird. BBB no longer exists as Vale extended their tailings area destroying the formerly pristine water and area. It is now a wasteland.

THE QUARRY

It is time to discuss the ultimate swimming and diving spot. It had been popular for many decades. It was situated just off Santala Road which was a road between Lively and Waters Township. You parked your vehicle on Santala Road. There was a bush path directly across from a small white house which at one time was the Koski home. You walked the bush path eastward for several minutes. You are wearing a T shirt, shorts and sandals. You have a towel wrapped around your neck. Soon you reach a wide open area. It was a former Inco quarry area which which had water 200 feet or more in depth. It was explored by Inco and abandoned. Mother Nature filled the huge hole in with water. You walked onto a rock ledge which was about 20 feet above the water. This was a wide ledge where most people gathered. You sat on a towel. You jumped off the ledge into the cold sparkling water. You could walk around the ledge and walk into the water if you chose not to dive. People who wanted more height would walk up to the next ledge which was about 40 feet above the water. Hold on there was one more ledge. It was about 90 feet above the water surface.

This level was for the very brave. I was not one of those. I stuck to the first level as I was afraid to hit a rock below the surface. There were some Daredevils who dove off the top ledge. Some of them were Creightonites.

THE OLSON BROTHERS

These brothers Larry, Lloyd (Bim) and Vernon had no fear. Can you imagine three fearless brothers!!! They were excellent swimmers and divers. They would dive off the top ledge. This was a spectator sport and we would watch these Olympic style divers pierce the water far below. Not only were they great divers but they were built like Olympians. The Olsen’s would dive one at a time and we would then wait for them to surface. They held their breath for a near impossible amount of time and we wondered if they would resurface. Did they hit a rock and drown? Finally they would surface and spectators would applause enthusiastically. Then it was the next brothers turn and he would dive and followed the script. The brothers did not react to the applause as they casually walked from the water’s edge. They were just cool. Rest In Peace Larry and Bim (Lloyd). I hope Vernon is doing well.

The quarry no longer exists as it was filled in possibly due to liability issues.

Did I mention your favorite swimming spot?

Do you remember the Olson’s boys at Meatbird, BBB or at the quarry? Who were the divers from Lively?

Who do you remember swimming/diving at these locations

Norm Dodds – thoughts on Meatbird

There was an airplane hanger on the big side of Meatbird . There was a seaplane and floatplanes would land there. My uncle Chink (Marcel Cayen) was on the ground crew in WW2 and he’d go there every now and then I guess to work on planes. My dad took me there once. The road was opposite Dogpatch hardly noticeable between the trees. It was gated and locked. Apparently there were speckled trout in Meatbird before INCO started polluting the area. My brother Tim would pick blueberries on the islands and make a little raft and float them to back to shore. He was a good berry picker and I was a good berry eater! I remember there was a small house a little farther off the road past Dogpatch on the same side near the end of the straight stretch. There was a rickety wooden bridge to cross a creek and an old two track road that got you there. I was there once as well with my dad I recall him buying eggs. I was pretty young then. Nothing can replace the growing up having Meatbird, Vermillion River and the quarry to bike, walk or hitch hike to. I learned to swim at Meatbird with the YMCA teaching. They used the old wooden dock that was there for years. You’d get slivers and cuts from the wood or nails that stuck out also tearing clothes and skin. I’d bike there every day, in the summer many days 2-3 times. There was that one huge rock just below surface infront of the beach that many kids struck. I don’t think anything could ever replace that lake. No indoor pool can do it!