Marco Polo Project

Members of the Simonds High School shop class will build three deck-houses for the replica of the Marco Polo II, the famous clipper ship launched in Saint John. Front row, left to right, are Christopher Goguen, Andrew Armstrong, William MacDonald, Christopher Ferris, and teacher Mike Boyle. Middle row, left to right, Christopher Carrier, Adam Bernier, Kristopher Tingley, Eric Dyker, Justin Cyr, Blake Vail and Robert Lawrence. Back row, left to right, Daniel Johnston, John Mailman, Kurtis Nicholson, Adam Cook, Ryan Cavan and Robert Silver.

Simonds students will help create historic ship replica
Heritage Shop class will build deck houses for scaled-downed replica of Marco Polo II

CANDICE MACLEAN
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

    Shop students at Simonds High School will soon become part of Saint John history.
   Mike Boyle's class will join other volunteers who have been planking away at building the Marco Polo II, a scaleddown replica of the famous sailing clipper. Once the wood is purchased, the class will build three deckhouses for the ship.
   "It's a two-fold thing, said Boyle, the shop class teacher, of the Simonds project. "Not only does it give students experience with the former talents that were involved in building these ships, but it also gets them involved in the history of shipbuilding in Saint John and the history of the Marco Polo itself. It broadens their knowledge of the former shipbuilding industry and how famous this ship is".
   This will be the second time the students contribute to the $300,000 project. Last year, they assembled ribs for the replica ship, which will be 18 metres high and 27 metres long.
   Barry Ogden, the Saint John school teacher and community leader who has been spearheading the project, has nothing but praise for Boyle and his students.
   The goal is to have the planking and decking on the ship done this year, Ogden said, noting that the final details, such as where the non-sailing ship will be located, will be left up to the Saint John Waterfront Development Partnership.
   Ogden thinks she'll be displayed at Market Slip or on Water Street.
   The deckhouses, which will be situated on the ship's deck, will be a vital addition to the replica ship, Ogden said.
   "They were part of the actual ship in the beginning; they're part of the architecture of the ship;' he said. "Because we're building a replica they won't be actually used, they'll be more ornamental."
   The deck houses were used to gain entry to the lower part of the ship.
   Details of the deckhouses, such as the size, have yet to be decided.
   Students in Boyle's shop class are eager to see the completion of the ship, he said.
   "They keep asking me ... the students who were in Grade 10 at the time are interested in the next step;" he said. "They really enjoyed it. They want to see it finished now, too."
   The opportunity to help the community and learn is ideal for the class, said Boyle.
   "They're taking the plans and transferring the old-style way of building it and the kids can actually see it from the math on paper to the existing part of the boat"
   Most important to Ogden is the team spirit and community pride the project is building.
    "If we can just create a sense of pride, we can create opportunities," he said. "That's what motivates me. I really believe how we feel about ourselves is extremely important"

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