A new space has opened in Sooke to help creatives in the community tap into their potential.
The Edward Milne Community Society (EMCS) announced a new addition to the Sooke Makerspace project in October 2024. The Creative Lab, an audio recording and editing suite, is located in the EMCS band room.
The lab already has regular users, including students who use it to produce a new arts and culture podcast called Sooke Is Bear Country.
“It’s been really fun. I really enjoy it,” said Marley Dekelver, who jumped at the opportunity to make a podcast. Her friend Zara Viala and German exchange student Konstantin Riesel also joined the team.
The group now has the tools to take on a real creative challenge and find themselves their own biggest critics.
“I think we had enough to make the third one, but we scrapped that because it wasn't good enough to put out,” Riesel said.
“It's a bit frustrating as a teenager to see your plans fail.”
The group is passionate about making the podcast the best it can be, even attempting to pen their own theme song. In the first two episodes, they’ve discussed everything from the Percy Jackson book series, plants and animals, Sooke arts and culture, and even the life of their German classmate and co-host.
Despite some growing pains as they find their voice, all three hosts say they have loved the experience. Viala said podcasting is “definitely” something she would be interested in pursuing in the future, but in the meantime, much is still to come for Sooke Is Bear Country.
“We have some cool updates on upcoming theatre shows and some exciting new team talk ideas,” Dekelver said.
“We are also in conversation with the Sooke Region Museum right now. If we can do something with them, that would be great,” Riesel said.
Makerspace began in 2018 in a shop room at EMCS, providing creatives in the community with access to tools, 3D printers and a milling machine. While it originally focused on physical creative projects, the new Creative Lab embraces the digital world.
“As a home-based musician, video maker and podcaster, one of the biggest challenges is finding a quiet place to record professional-quality vocals,” said Makerspace coordinator Brian Kroeker, who also guides the podcast team.
“The Creative Lab will certainly fill a need for Sooke creatives who are working on their own projects and don’t have the luxury of a home studio.”
The lab features a suite of professional audio equipment, but coordinators say one of the most important aspects is the space itself.
Kroeker was inspired to work in Makerspace by his own experience hosting a psychology and spirituality podcast over the past six years.
“When I was a teenager, we had a high school newspaper that gave us the opportunity to work collaboratively and learn valuable skills by reporting, writing and editing our own stories and features,” he said.
“It was also a fun way to become more engaged in our community. A student-run podcast would basically be the 21st-century equivalent of the school newspaper.”
The program was funded by a combination of grants from the RBC Foundation and CRD IDEA.
“We are proud to support the Sooke Makerspace project at the Edward Milne Community School Society, which will provide opportunities for students to hone their creative skills and participate in arts and culture workshops in an inclusive setting,” said Mark Beckles, vice president of social impact and innovation at RBC.
The Creative Lab is available to community members after they complete a short orientation organized by the EMCS Society. Members can rent studio space for $30 per 90-minute session on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.
Sooke Is Bear Country is available now on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts.
