If you missed PIF’s panel on constructing futures, there’s still time to see what Stratford's potential is

The MakerSpace’s Multiverse, a cardboard recreation of Stratford, has been built each year – though it is the vehicle for local residents to express their hopes for the future in this year’s Maker Universe: Constructing Futures event, put on by the Provocation Ideas Festival.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Provocation Ideas Festival (PIF), in partnership with the Stratford Public Library and the BMI Group, staged a panel discussion on constructing Stratford’s future on Oct. 16, though residents that missed it can still participate in this year’s Maker Multiverse project.

Eric Ball is the MakerSpace coordinator at the library, helming the workshop where local makers can run labs and programs. He explained that the library has been running what they have been calling the “Multiverse” for the last four or five years, where residents build a giant carboard model of Stratford.

“Not quite to scale, but close to scale,” Ball said. “With it being Stratford multiverse. You can dream whatever you want, you can design whatever you want, and you can make it happen. We happened to have included in the multiverse a volcano and an all wheels skate park that had hot air balloon floating platforms. I believe there was also an eye of Sauron and the Stratford water tower might have cat ears on it.”

Then, when they heard about PIF’s focus of City of Dreamers, Ball said it was a great connection and partnership to develop.

In conjunction with this year’s PIF events, in August the Multiverse project was created. Unlike other years it was taken on the road and transported down the road to Copperlight, the former Knox Presbyterian Church on the corner of Ontario Street and Waterloo Street.

“And we're going to continue to build upon what we built this summer, add more to it. And the beginning of that is kicked off with the speaker’s panel on future cities,” Ball said, adding that the project has already been a fantastic success.

The panel was held on Oct. 16, after press time. It featured Helen Kerr of KerrSmith Design and the University of Waterloo Future Cities, Devon Fernandes, a sustainable community builder, Hanna Domagala, director of land development and design with BMI Group, youth voice Rory Auster, Ball and was moderated by Kendra Fry of investStratford.

Audience members were invited to pose questions and ideas that feed directly into the maker labs, but also to explore what makes a small city future-ready – healthy, affordable, culturally vibrant, sustainable and economically dynamic. Panelists explored planning for future cities, Stratford’s global links, tourism, social infrastructure and resilience, youth attraction and the technologies we should embrace or avoid.

Part two of the Maker Universe: Constructing Futures event, which features the MakerSpace’s Multiverse, is where the public can contribute to the conversation. On Oct. 17 from 3-7 p.m., Oct. 18 from 1-4 p.m., Oct 20 from 3-7 p.m. and on Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Multiverse project will be in the Copperlight basement. Residents are invited to contribute, bringing only their imagination. Tools, materials and friendly guidance will be provided.

From Oct. 23-25, the finished product will be on display at Copperlight for a public exhibition.