Posts Tagged "Makerspace"

Another Mile-Stone

Posted on 3 Jul 2017 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

We made it to the launch day, and what a day to pick. The weather was beautiful, we opened at the same time as the McMillan Arts Centre, upstairs, after the Canada Day Parade and we finished before the evening festivities began. The 1st of July was a good day. We pretty much had everything setup the way we planned (pretty much) and almost all the existing members and regular helpers were able to turn up on the day to offer their support, even on a Holiday weekend, a one-in-150 year, day.

People began to look-in as soon as I arrived, at about 11:30, and at 1pm the trickle turned in to a flood. We had a wide range of visitors, including individuals and families, old and young, arty and techy, curious and keen and several were so excited they joined on the spot, and went home to get things to donate and items to help make things work – a previously donated Commodore 64 came to life, for example (remember those?).

We had a 3D Printer making iPhone cases and another new 3D Printer being put together by a member. (we have a third, to be constructed – come see, Wednesday evening 6-9pm). There was a sign-making vinyl cutter being demonstrated, a Retro-Pi games emulator playing old computer games, a table of various Railway-Carts manned by our train enthusiasts. The tiny laser engraver was on show and all the 19″ Rack-Mounted old style electronics and computers were in a couple of parts of the Space.

Many people signed our guest book and I’ll be following up with those that left their email address.

We now have 18 members (on opening day) and still have a lot of work to do to make the Space fully functional, but we have the skills and the enthusiasm, we just need to work through all the tasks. The next big Milestone will be the end of the Summer Break, when we will need to have recruited more members, signed up a number of sponsors and have educational programs and regular events organised. Why not sign up and help, get a Social Membership for as little as $10/month (minimum period, 3 months). Making Things …

Milestone – we have a Space

Posted on 20 May 2017 in The Project, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Right from the initial thinking period, I had a couple of places in mind for hosting the Makerspace. One was in Qualicum Commons (the old elementary school) as we have a BLT Munchkinland in there and I live in QB, so it would be easier for me to access and respond to emergencies. The other option was the ground floor of the McMillan Art Centre, which just happened to become available around the time BLT was informed of its Grant allocation. So, after 3 months of project prep work, we now have a signed tenancy agreement with the InclusionPV to use 133 McMillan Street (lower floor), Parksville, as the location for the Oceanside Community Makerspace. We get access from the 1 June 2017 and plan to have some kind of open day session at the same time as the McMillan Art Centre on Canada Day – 1 July.

The Project Starts

Posted on 14 May 2017 in The Project, Uncategorized | 2 comments

The idea to try to create a local Makerspace for the Qualicum and Parksville area had been brewing for a while, but in mid 2016, the call for proposals for a New Horizons For Seniors grant came out, funding that we have been successful in getting in the past. So, we decided to make the effort and developed

In the Planning Process

Posted on 11 May 2017 in The Project, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Hello to all Oceanside Community residents. BLT are planning a new community club, especially for Maker people, that is people that like to make things. The focus will be on Computers, Electronics, Robotics, Science and Technology topics, with smaller wood work and metal work shop tools and some general crafts and hobbies support. Watch this space for more details of when we will open for business.