As another academic year gets underway, new and returning students, staff and faculty will see some significant changes to the U of L's physical campus.
The Department of Facilities and its Project Management Office have been working diligently to create and renovate a variety of new and improved spaces.
This past summer was one of the largest building seasons the University has ever seen – about $30 million worth – making our campus the busiest building site south of Calgary. While construction crews have been working around the clock and most projects are near completion, not all are finished.
The Facilities department appreciates everyone's patience as crews wrap up the remaining construction, and ask that all posted signs be obeyed to ensure everyone's safety.
The second and final phase of the mechanical upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in the University Centre for the Arts should be done by early September. A typical break-in period of new equipment is expected to follow. The project will not only improve air quality but also create a more energy efficient building operation.
Several areas of the PE Building are also wrapping up construction, including the finishing touches on the south plaza entrance as well as the indoor PE staircase, both of which should be open by October.
The newly renovated day-use change rooms in the Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre should also be operational by early October. The nearby underground Physical Education Tunnel re-opened just prior to the first day of classes.
The new sports medicine clinic in PE100, the area below the south end of the running track, is on schedule to open by the end of September. Once complete, the clinic will feature physiotherapy and exam rooms, treatment areas and doctor's offices.
The University Quad north of Markin Hall, featuring a core open space surrounded by small rolling hills, well-lit sidewalks and landscaping should be ready for use by October.
The final details of the parking lot redevelopment will also conclude later this month. The lots have been redesigned to offer more practical parking and improve pedestrian safety. Phase 2 of the parking lot project will get underway in spring 2013.
Perhaps the biggest project on campus, the ongoing construction of the 259-bed Aperture Park residence is on schedule and set to open July 2013.
Off campus, the downtown Penny Building will undergo renovations starting mid-September.
Details on these projects can be found at www.uleth.ca/facilities.
For more information on any of these projects, contact Brian Sullivan at 403-329-2592.
This story first appeared in the September 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.