For more than 25 years, the Safety Village in Windsor's east end has been providing safety and injury prevention education programs to thousands of children and families in Windsor-Essex.
It was originally incorporated in 2000 through the efforts of the Rotary Club of Windsor 1918. But the facility was becoming dated and in need of a refresh.
"Today, we take a giant step forward," said Shawn Boutette, the Chair of the Board. "We don't forget the wheels on the bus that brought us here, but we acknowledge the tires needed to be changed."
And on June 18, the Village was re-launched as the Zekelman Safety Village, thanks to generous support from the Stephanie and Barry Zekelman Foundation and the work of dozens of community partners, who stepped up to refurbish the interactive ‘mini city' outside the education centre.
"I'm really proud to walk out there and see everybody who's contributed, and all the people who came and refurbished what they had," said Barry Zekelman. "It's remarkable to see that commitment here, and I know this place is going to thrive and succeed for a long time."
"Giving children the knowledge, the confidence to stay safe, to make smart decisions and to succeed in life only helps build their future," Zekelman added.
St. Clair College has a building on site modelled after the Ford Centre for Excellence in Manufacturing. The paint was fading, and the façade needed an uplift.
"Education is a core pillar of what the Stephanie Barry Zekelman Foundation does. And over the years, St. Clair College has become one of our most valuable community partners in bringing that vision to life," said Amber Hunter, the Director of Philanthropy at the Stephanie and Barry Zekelman Foundation. "Whether it's the Zekelman School of Business, the Zekelman Tennis Centre, student scholarships or innovation initiatives, time and time again, we've partnered together with a shared belief that investing in education creates strong communities and bright futures."
The Zekelman Foundation reached out to the College, looking to engage students in the refurbishment project, and students in the Architectural Technology program quickly stepped in to assist.
"I remember coming here as a kid, so I think continuing that legacy is always a nice gesture," said Noah Nicoletti, a recent graduate of the Architectural Technology program who worked on the refurbishment project. "The architectural technology program gives us some good experience in the online and digital areas, so I thought it'd be a good experience to get hands-on and kind of understand this stuff from a construction and working perspective."
The students put their craft to practice, getting experiential learning opportunities during the refurbishment project, including painting the stucco exterior walls, removing and replacing old signage, fixing the streetscaping, pouring concrete, and cleaning up the interior space.
"It was honestly a great opportunity," said Jayne Foreman, a second-year student in the Architectural Technology program who also assisted with the project. "I find that hands-on work on top of the technology and the software we learn about in class is very beneficial for future jobs."
"Thank you for being such outstanding champions for education in our region and thank you for continuing to be an integral part of the foundation's commitment to education and everything you do for the community," Hunter added.
Dozens of other community partners also stepped up to refurbish their buildings to refresh the entire property and ensure another generation of area youth will benefit from the safety-awareness programming offered at the facility, in partnership with local police, fire and EMS.
"As our community continues to grow, so does our commitment to expanding programs, strengthening our impact, and ensuring every child has access to meaningful safety education," said Melissa Lauzon, the Executive Director of the Zekelman Safety Village. "That vision has been made possible through the extraordinary generosity and leadership of the Stephanie and Barry Zekelman Foundation."
Since its opening, the centre has provided safety programs to more than 87,000 local school children – with many more to benefit in the coming years.
"Together, we're doing much more than just building a village, we're building a community of safety and learning, and we're building a strong community," said Hunter.
"Most importantly, we're building the future for children."
