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College community ‘holding their breath’ for changes |
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Thursday, 15 April 2010 |
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By LINDSAY COSTELLO
Staff Writer
Niagara College is movin' on up.
With $90 million in redevelopments planned, construction is well underway at the Welland campus.
New additions include an academic wing, library and learning commons, athletic centre, student centre, skilled trades and technology centre and an Applied Health Institute.
John Gittings, manager of planning and development for Facilities
Management Services, says the project began about three years ago with
the completion of a master plan.
He says although Niagara College has
been saving for the redevelopment for the past 10 years, it has
received grants that have allowed additional projects to become a
reality.
In July 2008, the college received a $15.4-million
provincial grant to expand skilled trades training and in May 2009 it
received $40 million in grants from the federal and provincial
governments under the Knowledge Infrastructure Program for construction
of the Applied Health Institute.
 A familiar sight to students and area residents, this sign on First Avenue depicts the changes coming to the college. Photo by Lindsay Costello
Although construction at the Welland campus will not be
complete until March 2011, the academic wing, library and learning
commons, and the student centre will be available to students at the
beginning of September. The Applied Health Institute, that will include
70,000 square feet of classroom and lab space, will be completed by
spring 2011.
Gittings says Niagara College students and faculty have
been "generally upbeat" about the project.
"Everyone seems very
positive about it."
He says the college has been co-operative and
accommodating in working around the construction and that it is "a team
effort."
"People can be unhappy or they can say, ‘We can make the
best of it.'"
Gittings says he feels the college has done a good job
of communicating with students in situations where construction could
cause major inconveniences, adding that the Niagara College website is
updated accordingly.
He says the completion of the construction will
give the college additional capacity, which combined with a high level
of student satisfaction, could increase enrolment.
With the addition
of modern facilities, Gittings says there are opportunities to expand or
add programs.
Gittings says although there may be negative aspects
of the projects, he hasn't heard complaints.
"It's all part of the
process."
Twenty-three-year-old Acting for Film and Television
student Monica Skorupski says the construction doesn't affect her
day-to-day life.
"I don't walk through it," she says. "From one class
I can hear banging but it's not too often so it's not a big nuisance."
Although
Skorupski is graduating this year, she says she is eager to see
results.
"I'm excited to see improvements. I think Niagara College
really needs it."
Gordana Vitez, services and systems co-ordinator
for Niagara College Libraries, says the library staff is excited to see
the results of the renovation of the library and learning commons.
She
says the redevelopment hasn't caused many disruptions for library
users.
"I think we've adapted well enough to protect the learning
environment."
Part of the library and learning commons renovation was
completed during reading week and seating and study areas were moved to
avoid inconvenience.
Although noisy at times, she says the library
is quieter now and students have been accepting and tolerant throughout
the renovation.
Vitez says the new library will feature different
areas for different styles of learning and the larger space will allow
for more study rooms, tables, chairs and quiet places to work.
She
says the library staff looks forward to integrating the learning commons
with the library and creating a more comfortable learning environment.
Sean
Kennedy, vice-president of Student and Community Relations, says that
Niagara College students have reacted positively to the construction.
He
says that people are able to see the long-term benefits through the
short-term inconveniences.
Kennedy says the project will change
Niagara College's image for the better.
"It is difficult to describe
in words how transformational a project this will be," he says. "We will
have two spectacular campuses."
He says the project will help to
increase enrolment in an already fast-growing college. He says the
addition of new facilities will cause prospective students to be "that
much more interested" in attending.
Kennedy says the renovated
facilities will match the quality of the programs offered.
He says
returning alumni will be impressed with the final results.
"They will
be blown away with the look and feel and they will have true pride in
Niagara College for being a college that is current and on-the-move."
"Everyone
is holding their breath waiting for the unveil."
For more
information, please visit http://www.niagaracollege.ca/buildingup.
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