‘I like to keep busy’: replicas of Port Colborne a labour of love
Inspiration comes while riding around city and surrounding area looking at buildings
If one were to try to recreate in miniature the fire hall on Killaly Street in Port Colborne, they would likely find the multiple roof lines to be one of the most daunting aspects.
Certainly, the various slopes, each a different length, create a distinct look for the building.
But for Denis Roy, who’s in his early 60s and has been a client of Community Living Port ColborneWainfleet for about 16 years, it’s what’s inside that counts.
“The stairs,” Roy said, referring to the winding staircase. “It took me two days to get that done.”
Not that he minds. For Roy, taking on projects such as recreating the fire hall, something he started roughly a year ago, is like a full-time job, or at least a full-time hobby.
Speaking over the phone, with the assistance of support worker Natalia Doroszko, Roy said he usually tinkers away on his models around five hours a day.
“I work on it from 10 to three o’clock,” he said. “I like to keep busy.”
Doroszko said Roy’s been creating models for decades and was influenced by his grandfather who often made dollhouses. She said working on his crafts is good for his mental health.
Roy finds inspiration while riding around the city and the surrounding area, looking at the various buildings.
Once he settled on the hall, Roy talked to fire services staff and was taken on a tour during which he took several photos, inside and out, so he could create detailed plans on paper. After that, there were several shopping trips for supplies.
Roy’s recent projects are financially supported through the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services’ Passport program, which helps adults with developmental disabilities pay for community participation services and supports.
Helen Rodgers-MacCabe, community and residential manager for Community Living, said the funding for people like Roy, who are often on a limited budget, allows them to pursue their passions.
And for Roy, it is a passion, she said.
“He figures out what he needs, does all the measuring and goes out and gets supplies, and then works away on his project until it’s finished,” Rodgers-MacCabe said.
‘‘ Once he’s involved in his project, he works out the plans, he figures out the size of it. He does it all on paper and then he builds it from scratch.
HELEN RODGERSMACCABE COMMUNITY LIVING RESIDENTIAL MANAGER
“He’s very serious about it. Once he’s involved in his project, he works out the plans, he figures out the size of it. He does it all on paper and then he builds it from scratch.”
The fire station model was a more complicated than previous efforts, as it is the first that has a removable roof to allow people to see details inside — from the walls, to the lights to the spiral staircase.
On Friday, Roy returned to the fire hall to present his work. It will be kept in the museum at the front of the fire hall for all who visit.
Fire prevention officer Charles Turpin said he was impressed with the work Roy put into the replica hall — as well as the final result.
“It’s a very good representation of the hall, very detailed,” he said. “Denis does a good job in building these items. I’ve seen some other examples of his work.”
A previous example, the most recent prior to the hall, the Tim Hortons/Little Caesars Pizza building on Westside Road, shows just how unpredictable Roy’s whims can be; one never knows what will capture his imagination.
“He’s very artistic when it comes to putting stuff together,” RodgersMacCabe said, adding the piece is among the items Community Living keeps on display. “He’s a very talented man. It’s amazing what he’s done. And he’s very proud of his work.”