Someone was recently asking for information on the Finnish Viesti Athletic Club that used to be on the back road between Porcupine and South Porcupine, Here is an account from my mothers sister and my aunt Sylvia (Koski) Aro about it. Mining had started in the Porcupine Camp in the 1900s and by 1910 immigrants from Finland had come to work in the early mines. The Finnish men missed their social lives in Finland so a chapter of the Finnish Organization of Canada (FO of C) was formed . They would continue their music, drama, ski-ing, gymnastics and track events and get-togethers. Union activities followed and eventually divided the Finnish people. The socialists of the group belonged to the FO of C. A hall was built probably after WW 1 when there was a greater influx of Finnish immigrants. The Viesti Athletic Club was formed in 1923 and the hall was used for gymnastics and the FO of C supported the club in its activities. There were ski-meets with other FO of C clubs throughout Canada. Every little community where there were Finns had a club. Viesti was a part of a Federation of Amateurs who held annual meetings. Instructors were difficult to find but eventually Viesti had a couple of excellent ones. Finland even helped them with that. There were slow periods in the 1930s due to the Great Depression but eventually it picked up. Then the government decreed the closure of the hall from 1940-43 before it was given back to the rightful owners. This was for “national unity”- which meant that the Finns were considered enemy aliens. During that time the athletes still kept meeting with ski-meets in winter (Timmins to Sudbury anyone???) and track events in the town ball park in summer. After 1943 there were over 100 paid up members in the small town of South Porcupine. Non-Finnish kids were welcome and there were a few. On the Saturday nights most of the senior high school kids would dance at the hall. Admission was a quarter, I believe. The older Finns, also, were great dancers and they would be there and you could buy pop and coffee in the kitchen. Some brave souls brought mickeys of whisky in their jacket pockets and they had to go to the basement often...to have a drink, of course. Liquor was not allowed in a public place except in hotel drinking spots. For many years Hank Bielek, a Timmins PS principal had a band and we danced to his wonderful dance music of those years. Drama was popular and plays in the Finnish language were often presented. The hall would be full. Viesti members could participate in all FO of C activities. All ages. There were young kids and middle age and older people participating in every aspect. of the activities. In the fall of 1945 a joint decision of the FO of C and Viesti AC was made to build a sports park on FO of C land to host the 1946 Liittojuhla (Sports Festival). The FO of C owned land on the back road from Porcupine to South Porcupine. This was to be a Track and Field Event and Music and Drama Festival. Many people would come from Sudbury, Toronto and communities in between. Some came to race, others to do gymnastics, and the whole group would do a joint gymnastic display. All the clubs marched into place carrying their own flags with the directors at the head of the group. All wore club uniforms. Viesti had a medium blue, sleeveless one piece suit ending at mid thigh with the Viesti crest below the V neck. Neat. In the evenings there would be plays presented and adjudicated. There would be music presentations. And dancing. It was a real festival, for sure. There was a ravintola (restaurant) and a sauna. I am not sure if all of this was available in 1946 but it was there eventually. People would attend from all over Ontario. The members of both groups built the park on their own. After shift, during the day, and go to work on night shift. They were workers! A lot of the pile of mud that was there was shovelled to the lakeshore. The town loaned a bulldozer for some of the work. A cinder running track was formed, grass planted, clubhouse-hall built. All the Finns were good carpenters. By the summer they had it done and it surely was a first class park. The other big festivals were in 1950, 55, and 1960 and 64. The older people were getting tired. The younger ones were going away to school or to other work rather than the mines. However, in the between years So. Porcupine athletes went to other venues and did very well.By 1970 interest had waned to the point that the property was sold and the Viesti Club folded. The hall in town burnt down, I believe. The Moose Hall took its place. All that was left was a lot of wonderful memories for Finnish-Canadians who were young people in those years.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 22:44:51 +0000
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