Future Shop funds technology classrooms for pair of Toronto schools

Despite some initial opposition in May by trustees over branding school classrooms, Future Shop has donated a total of $100,000 to two schools in Toronto as part of its Future Generation Tech Lab program.

Using the money to renovate a state-of-the-art digital media publishing centre at East York's Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute and a media studies hub at Western Technical-Commercial Institute, the students and staff of these schools certainly weren't complaining at the official opening of the newly renovated labs on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

"It's much faster now than it used to be and we also have sound for the first time, so I can work more freely," said aspiring animator, game designer and Grade 12 Garneau student Tyrell Houlder.

"There used to be really slow computers from the '90s so I would have to sometimes go to the other rooms and sign-on to two computers to find one that was faster."

Students interested in running current software on out-of-date computers would often be frustrated to find that many of the units couldn't run compatible software and would sometimes have to delay important project deadlines because of their aging lab equipment.

Technologically savvy students like Tyrell are thrilled to have hardware that can keep pace with their ambition.

However, Toronto District School Board trustees such as Michael Coteau and Cathy Dandy were skeptical of accepting large donations from corporations. They were unsettled by one stipulation of the grant, that labs be painted in the grey and red colours of the Future Shop logo.

The TDSB ended up giving approval for the grant and now that the labs are complete, board chair John Campbell said he couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

"I can't believe there was so much controversy over this," said Campbell. "Many companies do not give back to the community at all."

Describing Future Shop as a "good corporate citizen," Campbell was impressed with the positive changes to the classrooms that would have only been upgraded every eight years under the current funding model.

He expressed his gratitude to Future Shop from a podium at Garneau, before passing the floor to Don Valley West Councillor John Parker.

The area around Marc Garneau that Parker presides over is ranked low on the Learning Opportunities Index, a ranking released by the school board to measure which schools are most in need of additional assistance.

"With technology you don't have to be that old to be on top of what's happening," said Parker. "I'm so thrilled to see Marc Garneau being a part of this new way to serve the people."

A total of four schools across Canada participated in the program this year, and Future Shop plans to continue the initiative by giving grants to an additional five schools next year.

With Future Shop representative Todd Empey in the audience at Garneau, the principal of Western Tech, Lorraine Linton, expressed her gratitude for everything Future Shop had done for them.

"The excitement we felt when we first got the grant hasn't diminished, it has gone higher," said Linton.

"From our community, staff, students and parents, we want to give a warm thank you."