THUNDER BAY — Bees, butterflies and birds will find a warm welcome in the new garden at Ogden Community School, designed and built by students in honour of a former principal and his passion for the environment.
The Kiwanis Club of Westfort, in partnership with the school, unveiled the pollinator garden on Thursday — dedicated to the memory of Scott Harris, the former principal of Ogden School and longtime Kiwanis member, who passed away in January.
The garden, designed and built by students, replaces a former rain garden and has been expanded to twice the original size.
Its purpose is to support local biodiversity by providing food and shelter for bees, butterflies, birds, and other essential pollinators. The garden features stepping stones painted by the kids, birdhouses, multiple plants, flowers, and a sign designed by the students.
In preparation, local environmental organization EcoSuperior visited classrooms to teach students about the importance of pollinator gardens and guide the planning process.
Nathaniel Hanna-Gardiner, student co-president of the pollinator garden committee, shared his thoughts on the project:
“It’s to attract the animals and the pollinators to help the environment grow,” he said. “The stones are my favourite because they had the most effort put into them. A lot of people worked really hard painting them.”
His fellow co-president, Aubrey Nielsen-Pope, added: “It’s also a memorial for the old principal that used to be here.”
She also described the process: "The old stones were from when it was a rain garden. We started by planning it out on paper and figuring out where to put the plants and how we wanted them.”
Gladys Berringer, president of the Kiwanis Club of Westfort, reflected on Harris’s legacy:
“Scott Harris was a former principal here for a number of years and a member of Kiwanis. Unfortunately, we lost Scott last year. He was a strong advocate for the environment and environmental issues. Had he still been with us, this would have been his project to see through to completion, so it was my honour to bring this to the community in his place.”
She emphasized the importance of youth involvement:
“The idea is that it’s student-led, they make the decisions. What they take away is a belief that they can make a difference. With a little effort, they can contribute to making our world a better place. They have strong ideas, and by working together, they can make things happen. That’s our goal: to help them become leaders for the future.”
The unveiling ceremony brought together friends, family, and former colleagues of Harris, who passed away last year. Speakers included Gladys Berringer; Ken Allan, board member of the Kiwanis Foundation of Canada; Ogden School teacher Jennifer Hanna-Gardiner; K-Kids student president Nathaniel Hanna-Gardiner; and Scott Harris’s daughter, Jodi Velasquez.
