PrideHouse TO unveils kids' art project (5 photos)

PrideHouse TO Sudbury Celebrates officially unveiled a collaborative art-sport project on Aug. 7 at Cambrian College's Open Studio.

The PrideHouse that kids built was a project taken on by PrideHouse TO, the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and SPOT's Better Beginnings Better Futures program.

Close too 600 cardboard bricks were given out to children in Sudbury ages four to 17 and they were tasked with designing them with images and messages that depicted what inclusion in sports meant to them.

The bricks were distributed back in February of this year in advance of the Toronto PanAm and Para PanaAm games.

Laurentian University architecture students then gathered the bricks and built it up into what third year student Alex Klein Gunnewiek described as a “blanket fort” kind of structure.

“The idea behind the design was to build it as something that a kid would build,” said Klein Gunnewiek. “We opted for a blanket fort design, it's simple and fun.”

PrideHouse TO inclusion ambassador Pam Pancel spoke about the partnership between the sports and arts community coming together to share a positive message.

“This project is an indicator that sports and arts can go together harmoniously,” said Pancel. “PrideHouse is in place to dispell phobias and to show that there is a place in sport for everybody.”

Another inclusion ambassador, Leesa Bringas, explained this art project was just one element of PrideHouse Sudbury Celebrates, and is the final event in the campaign.

“This will also fall in line with the Downtown Sudbury art crawl and Up Fest, and this will be on display and free for anyone to come in and view until Aug. 15,” said Bringas.

Once that day passes, the bricks will be distributed to local businesses and some will also be sent to PrideHouse in Toronto.

Ten-year-old Matthew Haan was one of the participants in the Better Beginnings Better Futures program at SPOT and was amazed at the final product, and was sure to seek out his contribution.

“I wanted to make sports part of my brick because sports should be for everyone,” said Haan. “I never thought they would make it look like this, it's awesome.”

The evening was wrapped up with a viewing party where those in attendance watched a live stream of the Para PanAm opening ceremonies.