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There’s a movement to get a local hackerspace set up in Halifax. They’ve posted a page on the hackerspaces site, facebook page and are tweeting.

Immediately after joining the Facebook group, I was asked what this was by a concerned loved one. They thought I might be getting involved in something nefarious. Nothing could be further from the truth. The most famous hackerspace out there is probably NYC Resistor. They do all kinds of cool stuff and have received more media coverage than most. The hackspace is a place to build, to practice, to try, to share, to teach, to experiment, etc… Depending on the group, there are lots of directions a hackerspace can take.

Personally I’m hoping for a bit more of an electronics/building stuff angle. The biggest advantage a hackerspace can bring someone like me is access to tools that I wouldn’t be able to afford on my own. Most people don’t need dozens of hours each week on a lathe/mill/laser cutter/etc… but would use them for an hour or two a week if available. So everyone pitches in and time-shares on the specialized tools. A reasonable analogy is joining a gym. Sure you could buy an exercise bike, maybe a treadmill, or you and many others could pitch in a monthly fee that goes to buying bigger/better/faster equipment that you’ll only use a little, but of which you will use a variety.

I’m going to do my best to be at the meeting on Thursday to see what the lay of the land is. I’m pretty hopeful though.