The Township of Wainfleet is now home to new boardwalks and bike racks thanks to the hard work of manufacturing and construction technology students at Port Colborne High School (PCHS). On June 21, grade 11 PCHS students, Tommy Falconer, Curtis Rowe, Flynn Thornton and Bailey Pelletier, as well as Port High teacher, Shawn Coers, joined Wainfleet Mayor, April Jeffs, Manager of Operations, Richard Nan, and Arena Recreation Coordinator, Jeremy Worrall, at Reeb’s Bay beach to install a student-built boardwalk and bike rack. “This project gave the students real-world experience,” said Coers, Co-op teacher at Port High. “It’s great for them to see what they’ve produced and interact with the Township.” In 2016, the Township reached out to Port High to see if students were interested in designing and building bike racks, as well as boardwalks, for Wainfleet.

Port High staff in the manufacturing and construction departments saw this opportunity as a great fit for their students and the program. Students took the lead in designing and producing prototypes for the Township to review. Flynn Thornton, a grade 11 student at Port High, said that he liked working on the two projects because they will help people who want to access the beach or keep their bike secure. “The project also helped me work better in a group,” he added. Richard Nan, Manager of Operations at the Township, said that he is pleased with the high school students’ finished products. “I was happy to work with the students and we hope to be able to support the program in years to come,” he said. “The quality and professional finishing of their work was very impressive.” For Mayor April Jeffs, this project is a great partnership between Wainfleet and Port High. “The boardwalks and bike racks enhance Wainfleet’s recreational areas,” she said. “We are grateful that we could call on the students to complete these two projects for us.” In total, Port High students built 18 boardwalks and 6 bike racks for the Township.