Students in Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School's construction class are on track to complete its annual log cabin build before the end of the school year.
Dave Torrie, teacher of the specialist high skills major class, says log and timber-frame projects at the school have been an annual tradition for 15 years.
"We've done them for Fern Resort, the Orillia Lawn Bowling Club, and other places," he explained. "People provide us with the logs and plans, and then we as a class set out to build the project."
This year’s cabin is 40 feet long by 28 feet tall and constructed with white timber logs.
"It takes teamwork," Torrie said. "As part of the class, the students earn their working at heights, First Aid, and safety certification at no cost to them."
The construction class is also building a timber-frame gazebo that will be situated near the front entrance of the Commerce Road school.
"It's all custom-built timber frame," Torrie explained. "It's all done by the students. It's been an ambitious semester."
Students began working on their timber frame projects for two periods a day in March. They plan to have both projects completed by the end of June. Once the cabin is completed, it will be disassembled and shipped to its buyer.
"We have to have good work," Torrie said. "The joints have to be good; the measurements have to be good, and the students have to take pride in their work."
Students are equipped with steel-toe boots and hard hats every day.
"It's just like any other job site," Torrie said. "They learn teamwork and basic construction skills."
Many of the Grade 11 and 12 students in the class will be going into the skilled trades industry after high school.
"It doesn't get more hands-on than this," Torrie said. "They learn to rely on each other. It's a good group."
While the class can be hard work for students, Torrie says it's also a lot of fun.
"It can be a lot more stressful than a regular class," he chuckled. "But it's good and we enjoy doing it."
Sarah Van Dam, a Grade 11 student, says she's enjoyed working on the construction projects this year.
"I think we are pretty lucky to be one of the only high schools to provide this class," she said. "I've learned a lot about (how) to build a log cabin."
Van Dam says she hopes to go into the framing industry after high school, and says the construction class is preparing her well.
"I've learned how to work with limited tools," she said. "It's more fun learning outside with hands-on than in the classroom."
Liam Parton, a Grade 11 student, says working on the cabin has been a highlight of his high school tenure.
"This is really the first time I've worked with saws," he said. "I've learned a lot of work experience stuff."
Parton says it's been rewarding to see the hard work come together.
"We had a slow start, and I didn't think we were going to get it done," he said. "The last couple of months we've pushed to get a lot done."
Parton says he's enjoyed working on the project with students that he had never spoken to before.
"I've met some new people," he said. "It's actually been a pretty good experience for me."
