A 78-year-old Sarnia man has made a detailed wooden replica of one of the community's iconic landmarks.
Don Percival said his miniature version of the Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School (SCITS) took him about six months to complete.
He said with the future of the building up in the air, he wanted to make sure his former high school stays a part of Sarnia's history.
"You got to have something besides pictures to look at in the future. If you have a model you can say hey, that's pretty special, you know," said Percival. "[The replica] will be here for years."
Percival said the soon-to-be vacant building would make a great museum, but at the end of the day, he just hopes it remains standing.
He said for many former students, including himself, SCITS was so much more than just a high school.
"I think my years at SCITS were some of the best of my life. I played on the football team, we had rifle drills," said Percival. "There's just so much I have memories of and I imagine a lot of other people do as well."
Percival graduated from SCITS in 1959 and then moved on to a long career as a pipe fitter with Local 663.
He said his interest in woodcarving began in the early 90s, and some of his completed projects include a replica of the castle at Disney World, and miniature versions of the Falkenstein and Neuschwanstein castles in Germany.
Percival said he's not sure what his next project will be, but that he could use a break from the craft for the time being.
Percival's SCITS replica will be on display December 8 and 15 at the Lambton Mall near the Suzy Shier clothing store.
Now called Great Lakes Secondary School, the Wellington Street building remains occupied by students until the new expanded and renovated school on Murphy Road, the former St. Clair Secondary School, is ready to open in September of 2019.
