It took a lot of time, persistence and patience but the seeds of an idea George Vrantsidis planted back in 2015 have now grown into the educational and artistic structure known as the Learning Tree.
Vrantsidis is the program coordinator of Civil Engineering Technology at St. Clair College. In the summer of 2015, Vrantsidis was browsing the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) website when he came across a series of photos of a “Learning Tree” structure on many campuses across Ontario. A Learning Tree is a configuration of different structural pieces used as an educational tool in structural steel design and steel construction.
Vrantsidis was surprised to learn only one College campus in Ontario had a Learning Tree so he reached out to the CISC to see what it would take to build something similar at St. Clair.
"After exchanging a few emails, I found out all we needed to do was provide the foundation and the CISC would take care of the rest," Vrantsidis said. "Initially there was some resistance because the structure nearby at the University of Windsor looked weathered and old. Eventually approval was granted under the condition that rust preventive paint be used."
By the fall of 2015, Vrantsidis said St. Clair’s side was ready to move on with construction of a cement foundation, but there were delays from the CISC for over two years due to a change in management. Once new CISC Regional Manager Mike Fox took over, it took another two years to get the Learning Tree project back on track when a partnership was formed with local steel fabricator Victoria Steel to generously construct and erect the structure at no cost.
Finally, after nearly six years, the Learning Tree was built near the Ford Centre for Excellence in Manufacturing on South Campus in Spring, 2021. The foundation design was done pro bono by Dr. William Tape of Haddad Morgan & Associates. The two-metre-deep concrete foundation was provided by Oscar Construction, which also donated the labour and materials.
Vrantsidis said it is very satisfying to see so many different groups work to build the Learning Tree structure on campus and hopes it will be an asset to students in Civil Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering Technician and Architectural Technology as they study structural steel design.
"This Learning Tree is made up of all the different structural pieces that can be found in the handbook of steel construction, and students can learn all the information (dimensions, weight, structural strength) on the different structural shapes available," Vrantsidis said. "When they learn about C, or W shapes or WWF shapes or if open web steel joists are discussed in class they can go to this structure and see what they look like. Students can see and touch the different sizes."
Vranstisidis says the Learning Tree also adds an aesthetic element to South Campus reminiscent of Windsor's waterfront art sculptures.
"If you walk along the riverfront in downtown Windsor, there are all kinds of art pieces. And our structure is one of those things where beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Vrantsidis said. "Some people are going to look at the Learning Tree as a piece of art similar to what’s on the riverfront and other people might think its an eye sore, but that’s art."
- Brett Hedges