A new multi-purpose room in Sooke will give residents the opportunity to create, collaborate and educate.
The Sooke Makerspace was created out of an old shop room at Edward Milne Community School, which was unused for most of the year, to provide a work space, tools, equipment and materials for the public to use at their leisure.
“We wanted to create a space where people can feel welcome, engaged, and create any project they want,” said community school coordinator for the EMCS Society Ebony Logins, who helped organize the Makerspace, along with the Sooke School District and United Way Greater Victoria.
“There are so many creative people and entrepreneurs in Sooke, so the Makerspace can give them a place to socialize, collaborate, learn from each other, hopefully find inspiration, and work on any projects they’d like.”
The space will be available for operation from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It is open to residents in the region who are over the age of 18 outside of regular school hours, and to Sooke School District Students during school hours.
According to the Makerspace website, the room contains a wide variety of tools, equipment, craft supplies and materials, and will also “provide education, training and mentoring for the purposes of enabling community members to design, create, invent, tinker, explore, discover and make works that would not be possible with the resources generally available to individuals working alone.”
Some of the tools and equipment include: Various hand tools, power tools, a 3D printer, saws, drills, a sewing machine, electronics, textiles equipment, a planer, and more.
“Community workshops will be available for children, youth, adults, and seniors,” the Makerspace website notes. “It is a place where skills can be learned and shared and the inter-generational transfers of skills can be fostered.”
Drop in sessions to use the room cost $15, but those who wish to use the room more can purchase a punch card for 10 days for $95, a monthly pass for $30 a month, or an annual pass for $300 a year. Family passes are also available upon request.
If you would like to become a member, you must complete the membership steps online at sookemakerspace.com.
Logins said the space will open soon, the society is just preparing for a grand opening.