By Dan Marshall

Nanaimo inventors and innovators get creative at Makerspace

Nov 21, 2016 | 7:48 AM

NANAIMO — The world’s next great innovation could come from right here in the harbour city.
 
A group of about 45 members called Makerspace is getting together in a seemingly ordinary building in north Nanaimo to work on some fascinating projects. Member Clayton Bromley, who is also a construction administrator for RB Engineering, says the idea to bring Makerspace to Nanaimo began in 2012, with an actual site opening up in January of 2014.
 
“Makerspace is an international movement. It’s basically a conglomeration of inventors, creators, technologists, or anyone interested in creating. Getting together in a location with innovation taking the primary focus,” said Bromley.
 
The Makerspace site consists of a number of meeting places — a showroom and warehouse type area and a carpentry shop. Bromley says there is a wide range of projects on the go at any given time.
 
“Things as simple as electric guitar building, we’ve had guys build kayaks in the space. Some of the more interesting stuff is guys trying to create rugby dummies that will automate how to practice, how to hit them, if they’re hit correctly. The 3D printing is really big right now and there’s lots of experimenting with that, in fact we have a number of items in the space that are created with parts that are done by 3D printing,” he said.
 
Some collaboration does happen with other Makerspace members in Victoria, and new groups are popping up in Parksville and Comox. Aside from specific projects, Bromley says there are lots of event nights too. Everything from electronics nights, to 3D printing nights, kid focused workshops and game nights. Bromley says there was a kids activity that took place over the weekend.
 
“It’s for ages 6-14 where we utilize the idea of it being a space,” said Bromley. “We get the kids to come in and we provide what we do for the adults, the tools, the neat activities. We just break into sections and focus on electronics, carpentry and that kind of stuff.”
 
Makerspace members have the ability to come and go whenever they want, with 24/7 access with their own key. Bromley says anyone wanting to be a member can find all the information online. He explains that their membership creates the community, where people come in to do what they’re interested in and make it happen.

Information on what Makerspace is all about and details of upcoming nights are available at www.makerspacenanaimo.org and on the group’s Facebook page.