Pinnguaq celebrates one year anniversary of Lindsay Makerspace

With a complete year since its grand opening, Pinnguaq is celebrating the Lindsay Makerspace.

On Oct. 3, 2019, Pinnguaq’s Lindsay Makerspace opened its doors for the first time, welcoming young innovators and creators to explore the endless possibilities in the world of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).

One year is a significant milestone, especially when that year includes a global pandemic, preventing the space from being used as a physical hub for STEAM education and play. Through these past few months, the Makerspace transitioned to a virtual learning environment, pivoting with their Pinnguaq At Home curriculum and delivering several virtual camps, including sending kits with required materials directly to participants.

Another example of the Makerspace team’s commitment to delivery is their TechXploration course. Prior to COVID-19, the course included free drop-in workshops at the Lindsay hub, which was transformed into an exploration station. Now, in light of the pandemic, a Digital Skills Teacher for Pinnguaq delivers the course virtually every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, offering STEAM-integrated projects such as coding a computer game to making a yarn pumpkin with glue and a balloon.

For those who are eager to learn on their own, the Lindsay Makerspace has also launched a lending library, allowing the community to access as many of the hub’s tools and materials as possible. Makerspace participants can sign up to rent an item on a Saturday and return it the following week.

Pinnguaq continues to be grateful for the support from the community and their funders, offering a special thanks to Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation, CanCode and the Kawartha Conservation Water Fund.

“We’ve fostered such an amazing makerspace community here in Lindsay where the kids are so excited to come and explore and learn. It has been a wonderful experience to help develop the makerspace and allow it to grow and change with the community that participates,” says Becky Wright, Lindsay makerspace manager and lead facilitator.

Visit www.pinnguaq.com for more information about the Lindsay Makerspace and other programming offered by Pinnguaq.