The Construction Technology students from Saugeen District Senior School stand around their completed bat house that is to be installed at McGregor Point Provincial Park in Port Elgin.

Hub Staff

Construction Technology classes at Saugeen District Senior School (SDSS) have partnered with McGregor Point Provincial Park to help restore the little brown bat species. The mouse-eared microbat found in North America was listed under the Canadian Species at Risk Act in 2014 and small wooden bat houses are becoming a more common site in gardens, trees, and yards, giving these and other species of bats a safe place to sleep.

In addition to making many of the smaller boxes, the construction crew has stepped it up a notch and built an expansive bat estate that will house up to 3,000 of the small, furry rodents.

On September 26 in the SDSS construction technology room, Saugeen Shores Hub was given a tour of what will soon be their new home.

Class instructor Bud Halpin explained that the most labour intensive part of the project was cutting and installing all the fins or partitions that create the tight, narrow spaces that bats prefer. The project was started the previous school year and Halpin estimated that close to 40 students have participated in the build. The new dwelling is expected to be installed at McGregor Park next week along with a number of smaller bat houses and bluebird houses.

The next community project on the roster for the SDSS construction team is to extend the Port Elgin Main Beach boardwalk and plant dune grass which helps provide protection against inland water intrusion.

The large bat house constructed by students at SDSS aims to help increase the little brown bat population at McGregor Point Provincial Park. Bats prefer warm sleeping quarters so the students painted some of the houses black. The large house will be installed 16 feet above ground because these tenants prefer a room with a view.

The interior of the bat house is filled with narrow compartments where the bats like to squeeze into and hunker down for a good night’s sleep.

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