Walkerton District Secondary School shop teacher, Robert McCulloch, tells a bit about the School Construction Shop. “In addition to the students’ own projects, we take on jobs from public service organizations and private individuals. They provide the materials and our students get quality materials to work with that we otherwise could not afford. We don’t take on factory-type production work, and we usually have enough jobs to choose from so we can take the most interesting and appropriate for any grade level.”

The Lifestyles Committee of the 2008 International Plowing Match is planning to have a beautiful courtyard encasing their three large tents which would feature Local Artisans, Quilts, and a Theatre Tent with demos and entertainment. Committee member Liz Fry knew WDSS Shop class had built two large gazebos recently, the last for the Walkerton snowmobile trail at the south end of Walkerton. She wondered if the shop class would build one for the plowing match to be used to enhance the landscaping in the Lifestyles area. It will be auctioned at the IPM on Sat. Sept. 20, 2008 at noon, along with other donated items. The auction will take place in the Lifestyles Courtyard at the Gazebo.

Teacher McCulloch queried, “That posed a problem for us, as the structures we had built before were one-piece units weighing thousands of pounds and moveable only with a high-hoe or crane. This new one would have to be disassembled at the IPM, and reassembled in the new owner’s yard. A whole different approach is required for a structure like that, as everything needs to be built identically, in modular units. Add to this the complicated angles inherent in an octagon structure and we had a real challenge.”

The grade eleven class took on the project and the results speak for themselves. Trevor Robinson, Greg Walter and Jason Weber built a scale model of the base, and then began the construction with the deck floor, which was built in three sections, bolted together, and fits easily in a pickup truck. Nearly everyone in the class helped in the final rush during the last week of school. The gazebo now sits in class until the IPM site is ready. Student volunteers will disassemble and reassemble the building. Then when it is auctioned they will once again disassemble it and reassemble it on the owner’s property, if they live with 50 km. A book of detailed assembly instructions will be provided to anyone who wants to do it on his/her own.

Who would not want to own this beautiful gazebo? You will have your chance to bid on it at the IPM auction held the last day of the Match. For more information on the 2008 IPM call the IPM Headquarters and Souvenir Shop in Teeswater at 1-877-IPM-2008 or visit the website www.ipm2008.ca.