SU celebrates SUB expansion
Written By: Ryan Smith
2002-11-13
There are no load-bearing walls in the University of Alberta Students' Union Building (SUB). This is no accident. The award-winning campus centre, designed, financed, and organized by U of A students in the '60s, was conceived this way to facilitate future changes that succeeding generations of students wanted to make. It was a wise decision.The 35-year-old building has undergone many renovations and reorganizations. Today a "re-dedication ceremony" was held at the new SUB Stage in the new "relaxation space" that used to be the outdoor SUB courtyard nine months ago. Alberta Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole and Students' Union (SU) officials, including former members of the SU executive council dating back to the '60s, joined current students and university staff to celebrate the latest incarnation of SUB.
"This is definitely now the flagship of student buildings in Canada," said Randy Boissonnault, an SU president in the early '90s, who returned to campus for the rededication . "I've seen student buildings all across the country and nothing can touch this."
About 28,000 square feet--meaning roughly 10 per cent more space--has been added to the reconfigured building. Construction on the latest expansion began last spring and lasted about a month longer than expected. Still, the project remained on budget at $6.5 million, which is, coincidentally, about the same amount the building cost to construct in 1967.
The SU completed mortgaged payments on the original building in Nov. 1999 but continued to set aside monthly payments to save for a down payment on the latest expansion. The University of Alberta administration offered $1.9 million to the cause, and SU fees did not increase to defray expenses.
Dean of Students, Dr. Bill Connor, noted that all the student services at the U of A were moved into SUB after its last renovation in 1996, and that action increased use of services "four or five times." He added that the new SUB renovation will "definitely lead to even greater student services at the U of A."
Among other improvement to services, SUB now features a new Student Financial Resources Centre, which includes the Student Financial Aid Information Centre, the Access Fund, the Emergency Funding office, and the Student Awards office.
The main benefit of the expansion, according to SU General Manager Bill Smith, is the increased study and relaxation space available to the 18,000 people who pass through SUB on an average weekday.
"This building is the living room on campus, a place where strangers and people who have been on campus for years can come and be comfortable," Smith said.
"I like it. I never used to come to SUB because it was too crowded, but now I think I'll come a lot," said fourth-year arts student Amanda Nauth, who, along with her friend, fourth-year business student, Alex Neilson, was the first to bring lunch from the food court into the U of A's new "living room."
"It's spacious, modern, and pretty cool in here," added Neilson.
"It looks like a good place to study, eat lunch, and hang out," said Leanne Fong, a third-year student in the faculty of physical education and recreation. "I'm glad they kept the fire pit...The couches aren't as comfortable as the old ones, but I guess they just have to be worked in."
Original: History Trails