Durham College, City of Oshawa partnership puts student ideas into action

What could a future transit corridor look like in downtown Oshawa? How could mixed reality help firefighters prepare for leadership roles? And what stories can public art tell along one of the city’s bike trails?

These are some of the questions Durham College (DC) students have explored through the college’s partnership with the City of Oshawa’s TeachingCity initiative. Across a range of programs, DC students and faculty are working with City staff to bring new ideas, skills and perspectives to projects that benefit the community.

For students in DC’s Architectural Technology program, the challenge was to reimagine several properties along Oshawa’s designated future transit corridor. Working with the City’s Planning Services branch, students researched development policies and regulations, considered market demand and costs, and developed proposals focused on affordable housing, sustainability, pedestrian experience, and transit. They presented their work to City staff at an open house at City Hall, gaining insight into the many considerations involved in planning and developing land.

“The TeachingCity partnership exemplifies DC’s commitment to high-impact experiential learning,” says Anna De Grauwe, Director, Experiential Learning, Research, Innovation and Training Services (RITS). “By working alongside City of Oshawa staff on projects that have a direct impact on the community, our students gain professional experience while contributing creativity, innovation, and fresh perspectives to challenges facing Oshawa. These projects show how collaboration between education and community partners can create meaningful benefits for everyone involved.”

The partnership is also bringing emerging technology to a challenge faced by Oshawa Fire Services. Through DC’s Mixed Reality Capture Studio, three Game – Art graduates will be hired to help develop a mixed reality training and assessment application. The application will simulate the assessment of a building during a fire call. Candidates preparing for firefighter leadership roles will practise identifying hazards and determining appropriate response strategies in a controlled environment.

In Oshawa’s public spaces, Fine Arts – Advanced students have contributed artwork to wayfinding signage along the Joseph Kolodzie Bike Trail. Six student works were selected and installed, with themes exploring active transportation, environmental sustainability, wildlife, and the relationship between urban and natural spaces.

DC students have also helped visitors experience the new Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park. Their curriculum-based project contributed to the park’s digital wayfinding experience, which includes information about the park’s history, ecology, amenities, and gardens, along with 360-degree viewing and an auditory tour guide.

For some 9-1-1 Emergency and Call Centre Communications students, the partnership provides a pathway into the field. DC students participating in Oshawa Fire Services’ Fire 911 Communications placements gain exposure to emergency telecommunications and the work of communications professionals. Nikki Bradshaw was among the first DC students to participate and later successfully applied for a position with the department. She is now training as part of Oshawa’s Fire Communications team.

Together, these projects show how the TeachingCity partnership connects DC with the community to address local challenges, advance experiential learning and help shape Oshawa’s future.