Community Gardens Society partners with Scouts and Guides to build 150 birdhouses

Six-year-old Community Gardens volunteer Alice Rheubottom and Brownie Lachlan Smeets work on painting their birdhouses.

by Stephen Dafoe

Canada’s 150th birthday was recognized Wednesday night at the Morinville Curling Club and Aspen House as boys and girls joined forces with the Morinville Centennial Community Gardens Society to build 150 birdhouses to be placed around town on parks, paths, and in yards.

With paint donated by Mike Porlier of Home Hardware, treats from Tim Hortons the children, parents, and leaders set to work with hammers, nails, and brushes to get the project going.

“We thought it would be a great partnership to work with the Scouts and the Guides, and the Community Gardens, as well as Aspen Lodge,” Society President Paula Collins said. “The kids have the option of either taking them home and hanging them in their back yard, or we have a list of parks, paths and natural areas in Morinville.”

Collins explained the Town of Morinville assisted with securing a grant to cover part of the cost for the birdhouses and that Donald Fairweather with Morinville’s Public Works Department would assist further with the birdhouse builders to assist with instructions on proper placement.

“If they are hanging them on trees, they can’t use nails, so there is no damage to the trees,” she said. “It’s kind of exciting for the kids if they do decide to hang them in the town parks.”

For Collins, the birdhouse project is all about community partnerships and intergenerational programming between seniors and youth.

Pathfinder and Brownie leader Aimie Williams said taking part in the initiative is all part of what Girl Guides do.

“It is important for the Girl Guides to do this because we, as a group and our district, give back to our community in any way that we can,” Williams said. “It’s to leave a legacy – 150 birdhouses for Canada’s 150th birthday.”

Adam Roddis, Group Commissioner for 1st Morinville Scouts.

“We feel with the Scout group – 1st Morinville – that we have community-based environments, not only for the kids but the wildlife as well,” Roddis said. “It’s a great opportunity for the kids in the community to help our environment in many ways.”

In addition to a sizeable number of workers at the curling club, a small group of Pathfinders worked with residents of Aspen House on some birdhouses for the courtyard at Aspen.

Scout Danai Roddis and father Adam work on a birdhouse together.

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