Imagine a 60,000-square-foot playroom, filled with robots, huge building blocks, a cyber space centre for programming fighting bots and a realistic robotic dinosaur.
And that’s just the start. There are rooms with all sorts of gadgets and parts that you can assemble; there is a play space for toddlers to explore; a conference room, a teacher training centre and a café that serves Starbuck Coffee.
That describes Timmins Science Village located on Pine Street North in the basement of St. Mary’s Gardens Seniors Residence.
“It’s for kids two to 102 years old,” said Antoine Garwah, a retired engineer and teacher who has made his retirement project the creation of Science Village.
Garwah, along with Lorraine Cantin have long been advocates for science appreciation.
Cantin is a retired teacher, who along with Garwah has served for twenty years as the co-chair of the Timmins Regional Science Fair. She is currently chair of the Science Timmins Fundraising Committee.
Science Timmins has been around since 1969 and for years its mobile science lab has been a familiar sight at local events such as Urban Park and the Kayak Festival.
Cantin and Garwah even have a popular spot on Eastlink TV called Play Science that appears every 20 minutes after 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Science Timmins is a charitable organization run by volunteers.
Its first venture was the founding of the Northeastern Ontario Science Fair.
As their website states - Science Village is Science Timmins’ most ambitious initiative to date.
It’s designed for people of all ages to experience the joy of science with hands-on experiences.
It opened on November 16, 2015, with an exhibit on dinosaurs. The current theme at Science Village is robotics
“During March break we are hosting a week-long science camp, a place where parents can drop off the children between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.,” explains Lorraine Cantin.
“Or if they wish the parents can spend the entire day with their children and participate in the activities,” she adds.
Admission fee is $8 for adults and $5 for children under two are free
There are sections on robots, building structures, rocks and minerals, and a portable planetarium. In the back, Dili the dinosaur has its own exhibit area.
At the robotics area, eight-and-a-half-year-old Megan was busy programming movements in the robot named Meccanoid. Using an iPad, she inputs various commands and instructions.
“Meccanoid, dance,” she says.
The robot responds by spinning and waving its arms over its head. Megan joins in he dancing.
There are at least a dozen Meccano robots in the section, a crew ready to enthrall children and adults.
“They are made from Meccano pieces,” said Cantin. “But they are not like the Meccano sets you grew up with – these are made of plastic.”
“They were all assembled by volunteers” said Cantin of the Meccano robots. “Some volunteers took two kits or more to put together.”
Science Village is all about children and adults having fun while learning about science.
Science Timmins and the Science Village are independent organizations that get funding from Industry Canada, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and private sponsors to promote science in the community.
In the adjoining room Alexander, a pre-teen is developing a computer program for sumo wrestling fighting robots for a robotics fair beginning on Friday, April 29.
“It’s like sumo wrestling in that each robot tries to knock the other robot down,” he said.
Behind Alexander is a section with everyday objects like plastic cups and straws.
On the floor is a thing that looks like a giant size Slinky.
“It’s made of clear plastic cups, and when you move one end, it moves the entire sequence of cups, like a snake,” Garwah said demonstrating how it works.
As we approach the area where Dili the Dinosaur resides the dinosaur appears motionless, but as we get closer the lifelike replica let’s out a roar and waves its front paws menacingly giving one a fright.
Garwah is beginning to collect first old first generation home computers such as classic Apple McIntosh for a display on modern technology.
Every Wednesday from 3:30-5 p.m. seniors gather to have a coffee or engage in a little woodworking. Classes are held on how to use iPads and other modern technology.
“We want the Science Village to be a community centre where the public is welcome to meet and enjoy science,” explained Garwah.
The Astronomy Club meets there every third Wednesday of the month in the conference room for those interested.
For more information on Timmins Science Village click here
