The Best Seats
In The House

For many people, a reference to the “saints” may conjure up a very specific image. For example, some might associate the title with religious beliefs or medieval artwork. Others, however, may connect the word to a pop culture or sports reference -- such as the film Rudy or the New Orleans Saints. For the people of Thunder Bay, Ontario, however, the term serves as a reminder of St. Patrick High School.

The school’s motto, “Fide Et Labore Valebo”, loosely translates to, “by hard work and faith I will prevail.” Recently putting their motto to the test, St. Patrick High School invited Sport Systems to
come and revamp their upstairs gymnasium. Now with a larger gym to accommodate games and events, the smaller, original space was deprioritized. Upon recent evaluation, however, the school determined that it was time for the secondary gymnasium to receive much needed upgrades.

The amount of hard work and patience that went into this project cannot be understated. One of the biggest obstacles during the course of the project was the removal of the pre-existing bleachers. Not only were they large and heavy, but they also needed to be removed from the second story of the building. It was through the professional assistance of M Builds, a local construction company, that we were able to utilize a mini backhoe to safely remove the structure.

The removal of the old bleachers resulted in a spacious room for practices and gym classes to be held. Wanting to upgrade the room even further, the school chose to invest in new basketball systems for the main and side courts. New wall padding brandishing the school’s team name and the team’s symbol of a bright green shamrock was installed beneath each basketball system to add the finishing touch.

Despite the school’s emblem being the historic representation of good fortune, the outcome of our project was a result of much more than just luck. It was through expertise, hard work, and collaboration that we were able to renovate an outdated space into a beautiful gymnasium. It is our hope that, whatever it is used for, the space is able to accommodate students for years to
come.

Works Cited

“About St. Patrick.” Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, https://www.tbcschools.ca/st-

          patrick/about.