Past meets present as Sudbury school time capsule opened

Students at École St. Augustin in Greater Sudbury unearthed a time capsule originally buried in 2000 and reopened in 2010 on Wednesday.

Students at École St-Augustin in Greater Sudbury, Ont., unearthed a piece of their school’s history Wednesday morning with the recovery of a twice-buried time capsule. The tradition began 25 years ago with teacher Linda Castilloux and her students.

“Our students wanted to do something special for the millennium,” said Castilloux.

“So, they decided to do a time capsule for 10 years … it was brought back up in 2010 and at the time, it was decided that as a school, we wanted to wait 15 years this time. So here we are in 2025.”

Capsule revisited

The treasure was first interred in the year 2000. A decade later, in 2010, it was exhumed, and a new generation of students added their own mementos before it was recommitted to the earth. Fifteen years later, the 2025 cohort continued the practice, adding contemporary artifacts to the collection.

Fascinating finds from the past

Upon opening the capsule, students examined relics from their predecessors. Among the items, a stale slice of bread that never decomposed and evidence of the cost of movie tickets in 2010 were cited by staff and students as particularly fascinating finds. The event elicited a mix of excitement and anticipation.

“I felt a little nervous because they were also digging up an old time capsule that’s been in there for 25 years,” said student Florernne Prevost.

“It was a little energetic, but also a little worrying to see what they actually put in there,”

Student Caleb Lesvesque shared his observations with CTV News.

“I see a lot of pictures of old families that used to go to the school and I found it very funny that there’s a piece of bread in the time capsule, which is, like, very funny. So that’s my thought,” he said.

A continued legacy

The time capsule’s unveiling brought back more than just memories; it also brought back retired principal Suzanne Borque, who returned to witness the tradition continue.

“They’re still excited about doing something special,” said Borque.

“I have a lot of faith in the new generations coming up, and it will be just as beautiful, I’m sure.”

Current students also considered their own legacy.

“I want them to know that I play soccer, that my favourite colour is blue, and that I love math,” said Maryssa Lessard, when asked what she wanted students in 10 years to know about her.

Seal away again

At the day’s conclusion, students carefully reburied the augmented time capsule, leaving behind their gifts for a future generation to discover in another decade, ensuring the continuity of a cherished school tradition.

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