Perth Students Join Parks Canada at Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site

Posted on Tuesday, August 4th, 2015

Six Masonry—Heritage and Traditional students from the Algonquin College, Perth Campus cemented their training during a recent work-experience trip to Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site (NHS) at Churchill, MB. Accompanied by their program coordinator, Darrin MacDonald, the students spent two weeks (July 19-August 2) working alongside Parks Canada masons to repair the Cape Merry battery, a mid-1700s battery strategically overlooking the Prince of Wales Fort.

The Masonry program’s collaboration with Parks Canada began in 1991, when Parks Canada was invited to act in an advisory role for the program. In 2009, four Masonry students and an instructor also travelled to Prince of Wales Fort NHS to work on a wall-stabilization project, setting the wheels in motion for this year’s trip. MacDonald is enthusiastic about the opportunities for hands-on learning and mentorship that working with masons at Parks Canada offered his students.

“Parks Canada made our time at the Prince of Wales Fort NHS a rewarding experience. Their masons’ leadership and guidance was monumental for us,” MacDonald said. “I also have to commend the amazing work our team of Masonry students did on Cape Merry. It is so important to have a cohesive team working in such a remote area of the country.”

The students repointed (repaired and reapplied mortar) and stabilized the battery walls. As much as possible, they tried to use the same methods and tools as the site’s original masons would have used. There were a few nods to modern technology however, including the use of a helicopter to transport heavy equipment. While they worked, the Parks Canada masons generously shared their knowledge, taking the time to explain their processes and techniques in detail.

“I learned many things while working at Cape Merry,” said Michael Sobel, a student who was motivated to enroll in the Masonry program by his interest in historic buildings. “I learned the history of the site and its significance to Canadian history. I learned the techniques and procedures necessary for carrying out this type of project. I learned about the people of Churchill. I learned what working in this field of masonry is all about.”

“I decided to take part in this trip the minute I heard about it,” added fellow student Aaron Burke. “I love the North and an opportunity to go up there for a couple of weeks to work on something that is hundreds of years old really appealed to me…. Any extra experience that I can get is a bonus in my books. I am now much more confident at repointing. Before this, I had never worked on a masonry job site, and I have a better feel for it now.”

Now back in Perth, ON, Sobel and Burke are looking forward to their class’s final project before the program wraps up in August: repointing the Middleville Museum, which is housed in a 19th century schoolhouse in Middleville, ON. Like their classmates, these two students are both looking forward to a career with opportunities to travel to heritage locations and pursue their interest in conserving historic resources.

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