06/09/2025
Retired electrician does puzzles to stay sharp
Thirty puzzles, from the Roman Colosseum to the Mona Lisa, were on display at St. Mary’s Gardens
Author of the article:The Daily Press
A retired electrician recently displayed an impressive collection of completed puzzles in the lounge at St. Mary’s Gardens, representing hundreds of hours of assembly time.
On display were: a ferris wheel, clock, marble run, telescope, the Roman Colosseum, and a steam tractor, just to name a few.
“It keeps me sharp and it’s something to keep me busy,” said Gerry Desjardins about his hobby.
Desjardins, who recently turned 92 years old, has been a tenant at St. Mary’s Gardens for 13 years, since 2011.
He is a retired electrician who worked as a supervisor at Kidd Creek for 20 years.
Desjardins has been assembling 3D puzzles since 2012. The first one he assembled was a puzzle of London Bridge and it is still on display in the pub at St. Mary’s Gardens.
Since that time, Desjardins has assembled over 30 3D puzzles ranging in styles and sizes.
The Lego Land Rover with 2,000 pieces and the Lego Concorde Jet were the most difficult puzzles to conquer, he said.
He likes to work on the puzzles between two to three hours per day and some take about a month to complete.
The puzzles are intricate and some even require motor, suspension on the wheels and working parts.
He anticipates that the puzzle he is currently working on, a crane, will take him three months.
Great Job Gerry! You work is beautiful !
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