How does a Hackerspace benefit Hornby?
Most Hornby locals are in tune with our natural surroundings and connect with the physical spaces on this Island. The hackerspace is a project that will enable us to move into our future in a sustainable manner by providing economic, social and environmental benefits to our community.
HICEEC has determined that a hackerspace would have great economic advantages to Hornby and has given us a grant for creating a feasibility study.
This space would provide facilities for people to create their own work, varying from creating small crafts for sale at local markets to larger industrial projects such as vehicle or large machine repair. It could also function as an incubator to support residents creating products that can be shipped off island. Possibilities here are limitless but could include such items as prefab tiny houses, ikea style furniture, robotics and food products. The hackerspace would boost our communities resilience to changing economic times. It could provide a commercial kitchen accessible to all residents to use for catering jobs, pop-up kitchen projects, and processed foods for sale at markets. It could even be used to build food trucks for use on and off island. As well the space could function as a rec. centre for families and a meeting space for local businesses.
This project has the potential to build significant community capacity. It will be an educational space, with people offering training workshops and skill development, and with both formal and informal information sharing. We will be joining an internationally active network of hackerspaces, with a great range of research and information available to our community. Users will be supported in achieving self-sufficiency, with a space to create their own work using a communal facility and shared tools. People without much start-up capital would have the space to launch their business ventures immediately.
This project satisfies a number of community needs. It will be a business attraction, and can allow prospective new residents work opportunities that are often non-existent for people considering a move to Hornby. DIY projects are at the heart of our culture, and young families and could be encouraged to relocate here from other Islands lacking similar resources or opportunities. It will help build community in the strongest sense of the word, socially, by establishing a place for community members to gather together in a open-minded and inclusive environment where they can learn, socialize and build self-esteem. More local needs could be met on island, with the benefit of reducing the cost and environmental impact of transportation. We will be more able to embrace “up-cycling”, or taking a product otherwise destined for the land-fill and creating a value-added product.
This project engages the entire community by being open, accessible and inclusive. It is a location for mentoring from experts to apprentices, and allows inter-generational access by being a safe space for children to learn new skills and elders to pass on wisdom and knowledge.
A community gathering space is important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement and establishing feelings of a sense of place. Currently Hornby is missing a space like this that is open and accessible year-round, specifically in the winter and shoulder seasons. A hackerspace is a necessary building block to bring together community members from a range of economic means, experience and social interests.
Our current working vision statement is “A family friendly community work space and innovation centre”.
For more information visit our Facebook page “Happy Hornby Hackerspace”
Come out to our next meeting on Wednesday March 3, 7:00pm at the Fire Hall.
By Sasha LeBaron, Leanna Killoran, Jules Platt and Quana Parker
