Carpentry students contribute to Saskatoon community development project in collaboration
with Architectural Technologies and Carpentry alumni
Carpentry instructor Michael Stang is good at building things. That includes relationships and opportunities—like the one he’s currently nurturing between his program and an alumna of Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Architectural Technologies program.
Stang recently took his Carpentry applied certificate students to work on a community-based initiative led by Crystal Bueckert, former Sask Polytech student and now head of Prolog Developments. Her company was selected by the City of Saskatoon to redevelop the old city bus barns in the Caswell Hill neighbourhood—a repurposing project that will breathe new life into industrial infrastructure previously slated for demolition.
Bueckert, who graduated as an architectural technologist in 2008, has been working passionately towards the redevelopment for more than a decade. She lives one block from the site and was a participant in an early design charrette the city hosted after it moved its fleet of buses to a new building in 2017.
Action to turn the old bus barns into a working community arts space is now solidly underway. Stang, who has worked with Bueckert on other projects over the years, saw an opportunity to collaborate and approached her with a proposal. She needed walls framed. He had carpenters in training with shop experience they’re ready to put into practice. Win-win.
Bueckert’s vision will see the former structure repurposed into an arts and culture hub, taking up half a city block. These commercial arts spaces, including a theatre, are sold to arts organizations and companies, giving them the opportunity to own rather than rent or lease their spaces. At its core will be a hub where individual artists can rent spaces. Future phases will see high-density apartments for rent and commercial condos, which, Bueckert says, are likely to attract professional services and health and wellness businesses and practitioners.
“What we’re developing now works because it’s not just a commercial project, it’s more grassroots and community based,” says Bueckert.
Stang’s students joined Crystal’s team onsite to frame out the interior walls for the artist studios. “We’re learning everything about wall framing,” says Sabrina Bussiere, whose career goal is to work her way up in her family’s modular portable building business. “From squaring everything up and making sure it’s plumb, to learning which way to face the wood and what to do with twisted boards—the end goal, honestly, is teamwork. We’re all learning together as we go.”
“It’s satisfying seeing everything come together,” says Ayden Masuskapoe from Sandy Lake Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation. “I’ll be able to do renovations and house building in my community with what I’m learning here.”
Stang is selective when choosing work integrated learning experiences for his students but this community-based project was a good fit for the program’s goals. “Our work on the Caswell Bus Barns project coincides with their recent learning and allows me to assess their hands-on work on a real project,” he says. “It’s been great for the students, instilling pride in their work and a sense of community.”
“That’s why we’re all writing our names on the wood,” says Riley Kiskotagan. “This is going to be permanent. We’re a part of the project now.”
“I’ll be able to say, ‘I helped build that,’” says Meeah Morice. She was inspired to enter the trades by her cousin, herself an electrician. “The carpentry program and this project are teaching us a lot—something new every day,” she says.
Stang says that working with Bueckert is a great addition to the students’ training. “As an architectural technologist, she’s able to see things from a design perspective and describe how that relates to their carpentry work. The students get to see the transition from the planning and design phase through to building.”
“It’s great seeing the process of drawings through to putting up the walls,” says Graeme McKay, who has worked in the industry for a few years and is now building his technical skills to take on more at his workplace. “If you go into the trades, you’re probably a hands-on learner and projects like this really help.”
“We’re experiencing what it’s like on a worksite, not just in a shop,” says Kiskotagan. It’s a good transition.”
Bueckert is happy to include Sask Polytech carpentry students on her project for a couple of reasons. “I’ve visited Michael’s program over the years to help students learn to read blueprints,” she says. Here, we have a situation where they can do that in the real world. What better way to apply your knowledge than assisting an actual project come together?”
Even better, notes Bueckert, the collaboration brought together three generations of Sask Polytech learners to one building site.
“My dad Roger did his Red Seal Journeyman Certificate back when I was a teenager. It was exciting introducing current students to a carpentry alumnus with a key role on the Caswell Bus Barns projects. He’s the general contractor for the artist studios!”
Learn more about Sask Polytech’s School of Construction programs.
