At Grand River Makerspace, we talk a lot about lowering barriers, fostering creativity, and strengthening community through hands-on making. Most days, that looks like classes, workshops, and members building projects they’ve been dreaming about for months. But sometimes, it looks like something much simpler—helping a neighbor solve a small but meaningful problem.
A few weeks ago, I saw a post in a neighborhood Facebook “no-buy” group. A woman named Linda had a very specific dilemma: she needed a precise cut made in a piece of plexiglass so her cat could come and go through a winterized window cat door. Too tricky for hand tools, too niche for most places to help… but perfect for a laser cutter.
I commented that we could help her out at the Grand River Makerspace, and a few days later—on a Sunday—Linda arrived with her plexiglass panel and the cutout template. The piece was longer than what we normally load into the laser, so we had to get creative with the setup. That’s the magic of a makerspace, though: problem-solving is what we do. With some clever positioning, we aligned everything, fired up the laser, and made a clean, precise cut.
Linda had never heard of a makerspace before. She wasn’t familiar with the idea that there are places where neighbors can learn new tools, share expertise, and work together on projects of all kinds. But the minute she stepped inside, she was all about the vibe—the welcoming atmosphere, the mix of tools and creativity, and the sense that people here genuinely enjoy helping one another.
And the best part?
Her cat now goes in and out with absolute freedom, and that small, everyday convenience started with a single neighbor asking for help.
Stories like Linda’s are why we exist. They show what a community makerspace can be:
A place where ideas—big or small—can become real.
A place where strangers become neighbors.
A place where one solved problem can spark a lifetime of creativity.
If you’ve got a project, a challenge, or just curiosity about learning new things, come visit us. You never know where one small idea might lead.