Students asked what the Gardens needs (8 photos)

A group of Algoma District School Board (ADSB) students were invited to give their input as to what types of new or improved features they would like to see added to the Sault’s GFL Memorial Gardens at a meeting held at the arena’s Bumbacco Room Wednesday.

The idea is to promote creativity among youth and make the Gardens more of a community centre for everyone, but youth were asked first as youth retention in the Sault is vital, with the younger set being the leaders of tomorrow.

“I would like to see more advertising of the star hockey players around here, like banners of them along Queen Street to attract more people” said Odyssey Hopkin, a Korah Collegiate Grade 11 student, speaking to SooToday.

“In the building, for the kids when they come to hockey games, there could be a place where you can test your slap shot, just to get the community involved more,” said Korah student Gavan Barrett.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing a place here where people could donate their old hockey equipment and sell it for a lower price so that more people can play the sport...a lot of our equipment either got stuck in my basement or it got given away. It could be a Value Village thing. I think it would be really cool,” said Abbey Engel, another Korah Grade 11 student, her schoolmate Heather Yanni nodding in agreement.

“I would like to see stuff for kids to do here in the off season, like an arcade, to get kids out into the community and out of the mall,” said student Sheldon Willison.

“I would like to see more things happen for teens. I’d like to see a trampoline park or mini golf here,” said Amy Dodson, a Korah Grade 9 student.

“We’re trying to engage youth (through the Gardens project),” said Todd Fleet, the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s  Future SSM arts and culture coordinator.

“We’re trying to make the Gardens a destination location in itself for the community and tourists,” said Rob Santa Maria, GFL Memorial Gardens manager.

“Nothing’s off the table. We (the Gardens staff, Future SSM and students) talked about interactive chess, shooting areas for hockey, outside basketball courts, things that would get you out and active in the community, things to get people to come out and see, to get out of towners to stop by and visit,” Santa Maria said.

In addition, about 80 students enrolled in the ADSB’s Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program will work with veterans, teachers, artists and project partners to design and install murals alongside the arena’s existing Soo Greyhounds Hockey Hall of Fame and War Memorial exhibits (along with interactive exhibits on TV screens).

The Soo Greyhounds Hockey Hall of Fame and War Memorial murals are expected to be done by students in time for a public unveiling May 22.

A number of partners are involved in the project, including the ADSB, the City, Future SSM, GFL Memorial Gardens, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25, Algoma Veterans Association, Sault Ste. Marie Museum, The Beanstalk Project (a southern Ontario-based creative, youth-oriented group) and the Soo Greyhounds, with Soo Video TV Sales & Service, Savoy’s Jewellers, McMillan Carpet and Compass Imaging onboard as sponsors for the murals and complementing materials.

“We’ll be asking people in the community to donate memorabilia we can rotate into that Soo Greyhound Hockey Hall of Fame,” Santa Maria added (the Sault Ste. Marie Museum having already provided many items to that collection).

As far as the veterans mural goes, Wilma Oliver, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 president, said “I would like to see the veterans portrayed not just as older people, but at different ages, male and female, not just fighting in war but doing the various jobs veterans do, in a collage.”

“We’d like to recognize the families behind the veterans, displaying all the people in the military such as mechanics, paramedics, and doing humanitarian work in Canada, doing such things as helping in firefighting, helping in ice storms,” said Debbie Rouleau, Branch 25 public relations officer.

“I’d like to see a before and after concept, the before seeing them in photos with uniforms on, the after being in civilian clothes with their families, their kids, not betraying the gore aspect of war but to show this is how they evolved. To be the veterans they are, they had to come out of the uniform and into civilian life, and part of that transition is tough for them,” said Ron Rouleau, Branch 25 2nd vice president, adding Branch 25 may be donating some of the thousands of items they have in storage at the branch office for the mural project.      

“We’re here to gather ideas and formulate a plan and see something put up there,” Oliver said.