An Oasis at VACC
submitted by Terry Lin, VACC Assistant Centre Director
As part of the Youth Climate Change project granted by the Ministry of Education, students from various vocational training programs of the Verdun Adult and Career Centre (VACC) were mobilized to contribute their expertise and interests in the Oasis project. Although it is a small grant, we were able to make it a centre-wide project.
The Oasis project consisted of creating a small oasis conducive to the conservation and protection of butterfly and biodiversity around the school building. Through the different phases of the project, VACC was happy to have collaborated with McGill University’s Macdonald Farm Market, Ms. Tracy Bieszez’ classes from Beurling Academy and M. Papillon to make the project happen.
Phase 1
Our Residential and Commercial drafting students drew up a plan of the school’s exterior on Revit and identified the best locations for building the flowerbeds.
Phase 2
Students from the General Building Maintenance program measured, cut, and prepared the flowerbeds. In collaboration with McGill University’s Macdonald Farm Market, transplants of nectar-bearing plants and vegetable plants were ordered and delivered in the spring. A wonderful collaborative activity was organized for the students at VACC and Beurling Academy to plant and garnish the flowerbeds. The Beurling Academy robotics team made sure to capture aerial pictures of the garden using their drones.
Phase 3
For the purchase and education on the butterfly cycle, the center collaborated with Mr. René Boutin, Monsieur Papillon. We educated students on the development cycle of butterflies, from caterpillar to butterfly.
A first flight of butterflies was carried out with the students at the end of the day in early June.
Through the creation of this space, we hope to contribute to sustaining the biodiversity of the environment around our center and provide a habitat conducive to the conservation and protection of butterflies.
