MEDIA RELEASE
March 25, 2023
$ 149,800 OTF Grant Brings Safe Education and Community Spaces to the Kawartha Lakes
Lindsay, ON – Since receiving a $149,800 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2022, the Pinnguaq Association has been busy on the refurbishment and enhancement of its Adelaide Street North Lindsay Makerspace. This grant program was developed to help non-profit groups rebuild and recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
“The investment provided to Pinnguaq Association from the Ontario Trillium Foundation is another step in the right direction to support education in our local community and beyond,” said Laurie Scott MPP, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. “Providing a safe, all inclusive, updated educational space will open doors to all those looking for unique futuristic learning opportunities.”
Funds from the OTF grant were used to renovate both Pinnguaq’s offices and Makerspace, ensuring they were safe environments for all in light of COVID-19. The grant also supported the expansion of Makerspace activities through the hiring of additional staff, and of mobile education activities in rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Ontario.
In the Makerspace, multiple walls were removed to create a larger, more spacious learning space, and investments were made in new air quality and purification systems, to enhance health and safety measures. In total, over 5,000 hours of learning have since taken place thanks to the refurbishments and team expansions that this grant made possible.
“This investment by the Ontario Trillium Foundation made it possible for us to vastly enhance our learning spaces and make them safe for learners in a COVID environment,” said Ryan Oliver, the Pinnguaq Association’s CEO and founder. “The impact of this grant has been felt by the thousands of learners in the Kawartha Lakes and across Ontario.”
Learners celebrating today are taking part in March Break Science and Technology and Digital Art camps at the Makerspace. Additional programming includes weekend discovery days and after-school programming for the rest of the year. The Makerspace is also being used to offer programming for adult learners and partner organizations. To learn more about the Pinnguaq Association, please visit the website at: pinnguaq.com.
About Pinnguaq: Working alongside rural, remote, Indigenous, and other communities, Pinnguaq delivers programs to cultivate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) skills through innovative technology, art, and play. It offers world-class Makerspaces and activities, and works with educators to introduce STEAM-based curriculum that brings learning to life.
About the Ontario Trillium Foundation: The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, celebrates 40 years of grantmaking in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
Contact
Ward Alsop, Marketing, Communications and Engagement Manager
ward@pinngauq.com
(705) 934-8322
