Science Village set for Timmins

Timmins will soon be home to a new community science centre, called Science Village.

The vice-president of Science Timmins, a group that already exists and promotes science and technology, said the 16,000 square foot facility will be located at St. Mary’s Gardens seniors’ residences.

Lorraine Cantin said the space will include a workshop, lab spaces, activity islands and provide visitors hands-on everyday science activities with themes changing every few weeks.

“Suppose that one theme is physics. Well, then we could explore all the physics in sports,” she said.

“Whether it be baseball or hockey or billiard table, and we would have activities which people would play, they would discover a concept … in this particular sport and they would learn.”

The development of a permanent science facility is moving forward, thanks to a financial boost from the provincial government.

One million dollars is being spent from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation to create the centre.

Cantin said renovations will start this fall and a soft opening is scheduled for next spring, with a grand opening set for next fall.

Science Timmins already offers programs to seniors and school aged children, including summer camps. Cantin said these programs will continue, and added it will be beneficial to have a permanent home people can visit.

“So what we’re hoping to do actually is get more and more people interested in science,” she said.

She added the centre will hopefully draw tourists to Timmins, and added to start, six jobs will be created, including three science communicators.

“We intend to grow as we go,” she said.

“We will make sure that we are sustainable.”

Science Timmins already has partnerships with other sciences centres, including Science North in Sudbury, Cantain said.

“We will be sharing some of their exhibits. We will give them space to put some of their travelling exhibits here.” she said.