UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall

U of L’s cryogenic testing facility will be unique in Canada

caroline.zentner — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 17:05:18 +0000

Funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation will help position the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as a leader in cryogenic testing and open the doors to participation in future space missions.

The $150,000 announced today will go towards the purchase of a cryogenic testing facility (CTF) capable of testing instruments destined for space to ensure they work at very low temperatures. The total cost of the project, led by the U of L’s Dr. David Naylor, is slightly more than $375,000. The province is expected to contribute $150,000 to the project, with the final 20 per cent provided by the prime manufacturer, Quantum Technology, and funding from the European Union.

An example of the cryogenic testing facility

The Herschel telescope, active from 2009 to 2013, has provided the most detailed observations to date of the far infrared universe where stars and galaxies form. However, Herschel’s sensitivity was limited because of the relatively warm temperature of the telescope itself. Although cooled to approximately 80 Kelvin (-193 C), the telescope contributed a significant background noise component, against which the weak signals from distant galaxies had to be extracted, sort of like having a construction crew working in the background while an orchestra plays a symphony.

Obtaining more detailed pictures of the far infrared universe is possible if the telescope and all the on-board instrumentation can be operated at approximately 4 Kelvin (-269 C). The U of L’s CTF will allow for larger instruments to be tested in extremely cold conditions to ensure they work before being sent into space.

“The CTF will allow us to cool an instrument bigger than a large toaster oven,” says Naylor, a U of L physics professor and Board of Governors Research Chair. “We’ve never been able to do this before. We’ve been able to cool small things but this will allow us to cool very large instruments that will go into space.”

Naylor’s team, which has previously designed and built instrumentation that has gone into space, has the necessary expertise in low-temperature testing.

“There are a number of new space astronomy missions in the pipeline and all of them require that the instrumentation you use be cooled to exquisitely low temperatures,” says Naylor.

The CTF is a complex structure that will be installed in Naylor’s lab in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall, with delivery expected sometime this spring.

“Right now, you test components in labs around the world and then you put them all together and you hope the integrated instruments work as you expect,” says Naylor.

The CTF is being designed to provide the most flexibility it can, given the rapid pace of technology development.

“We plan to participate in different space projects but each instrument will be of a different size and shape so this test facility has to accommodate instruments that people haven’t even thought of yet,” says Naylor. “It brings new equipment to our arsenal that doesn’t exist in Canada and positions us to become a partner of choice on future space missions from any space agency.”

Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced more than $35 million in research infrastructure funding for 37 universities across the country today.

“In our government’s updated Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy, we are making record investments necessary to push the boundaries of knowledge, create jobs and prosperity and improve the quality of life of Canadians. Canada has become a destination of choice for highly talented scientific researchers thanks in part to our support for world class university and college infrastructure which helps train the next generation of Canadian research talent,” says Holder.

Naylor will be talking about investing in space exploration Thursday evening as part of the PUBlic Professor Series. The event, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the U of L’s Dr. Foster James Penny Building at 324 5 St. S., is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

Destination Project to fundamentally change the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

trevor.kenney — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 23:02:09 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has seen a number of significant construction projects in recent years, but nothing can rival the scope and envisioned impact of the Destination Project – a three-phase development that will realize the creation of a new academic/science building, new central utility plant and a revitalization of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

Simply put, the project has the potential to become one of the largest construction undertakings in the history of the city of Lethbridge and will fundamentally shape the path of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge for the foreseeable future.

The Destination Project is a three-component development that will not only change the physical look of campus, but fundamentally shape the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's path for the foreseeable future.

“The Destination Project will be transformational, the most significant development of our Lethbridge campus since ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was completed in 1972,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon. “Beyond the massive physical changes that will take place, the project is a means through which our collective aspirations can be realized. The new facility will be more than a teaching and research space, but a place for community engagement and outreach.”

The Destination Project actually consists of three components. The first is the construction of an academic building that will house a significant part of the science teaching and research activity on campus, as well as a number of other potential groups that have yet to be defined.

Secondly, the project will incorporate an energy centre, a new central and heating plant that will not only replace the current plant but be sufficiently expanded to service the new infrastructure.

Finally, a comprehensive revitalization of the original ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall will take place as the academic groups moved into the new building will have their spaces backfilled.

To date, over $12 million in planning funds have been provided by the Government of Alberta to the project and a significant amount of pre-planning has taken place, including in-depth consultative work with some of the groups initially identified to be moving into the new academic building component of the project.

The next phase of planning involves the site selection process, of which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community will have the opportunity to contribute to during a pair of presentations on Nov. 6 & 7.

“What we’ve done so far is to take four sites from the Campus Master Plan and conduct a series of geotechnical and massing studies to see which of the sites would best suit the project,” says Project Manager, Brian Sullivan.

In its current form, the Destination Project will rival ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall in size, meaning an additional 35,000 sq. metres added to the campus footprint.

“People don’t really appreciate how big this building is going to be. The reality is that this project will be four times the size of Markin Hall,” says Sullivan.

Once a site is selected, the rest of the planning funds will take the project through to the completion of schematic designs by December 2014. If all goes well, construction could begin 10 to 15 months later, eventually culminating with an opening date for the academic building sometime in Fall 2019.

“We have a long way to go to get to that point,” says Mahon. “We have been very imaginative and innovative in our thinking on this project but much more consultative work needs to be done and input from our faculty, staff, students and the broader community will be vital to the process.”

Mahon encourages the U of L community to attend the site selection presentations and to present feedback to the Destination Project website.

“The planning conducted today, the questions and concerns raised by our community and the careful consideration by the various planning bodies of those questions and concerns must serve the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for the next 50 years,” says Mahon.

Students compete for cash at annual Chinook Symposium

robert.cooney — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 21:47:53 +0000

More than 30 of the U of L's top Chemistry and Biochemistry students will have their work on display on Friday, Sept. 27 at the 7th Annual Chinook Symposium, a one-day research presentation competition hosted by the Chemistry and Biochemistry departments.

There's money on the table for a select group of winners, who can take home $300 for a first-place finish or $100 for a second place finish.

The competition is judged by faculty members and external community reviewers, including researchers from different disciplines at the U of L, the Animal Diseases Research Institute (ADRI) and the federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Research Centre.

Since 2007, the Chinook Symposium winners have received more than $11,000 and, to date, 225 students have had the benefit of participating in the activity.

"The prize money is a nice incentive, but it is also truly the 'thought' that counts, because the competition encourages students to put forward their best work, and have it showcased with their peers research and reviewed by the team of judges," said Dr. Marc Roussel, this year's Chinook Symposium coordinator.

"This is a significant benefit as they pursue research work at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level of study," Roussel said. "Due to the funding and the experience students get in the labs here, a lot of them start their BSc and stay for the MSc and sometimes PhD as well. Without grants and scholarships or an activity like our Symposium, some of the students who have participated would not have pursued their MSc or PhD."

The event takes place on Friday, September 27 in the Atrium of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall. Poster presentations and assessments begin at 1 p.m.

Gold Medal presentations involving the doctoral candidates take place at 4:30 p.m. in classroom B660, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

http://www.uleth.ca/artsci/chemistry-biochemistry

Residence construction a boon to local companies

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 15:33:20 +0000

The construction and furnishing of Mt. Blakiston House, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s newest residence building, was made possible thanks in part to the skilled trades and services offered by a variety of Lethbridge companies.

Approximately 50 per cent of the $27.5 million cost to construct Mt. Blakiston House was paid to local subcontractors and goods and service companies to ensure a timely and quality completion of a building that will house many of the U of L’s second- and third-year students.

Local contractors and goods and service companies played a key role in the construction of Mt. Blakiston House.

“As you can appreciate, a project of this size can be complicated,” says Brian Sullivan, Project Manager. “While the construction was contracted to Stuart Olson Dominion, we are fortunate in Lethbridge to have many high-quality companies and retailers to participate in projects like Mt. Blakiston House.”

Over 40 local companies were used for various aspects of the project including electrical work, painting, flooring, masonry, air conditioning, heating, irrigation and the supply of appliances and furniture.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge receives dedicated funding envelopes for deferred maintenance projects annually. Many local companies are being used in what has been a significant summer renovation season. Additionally, many local companies were contracted to repair damage caused by the flood that occurred on campus in June.

The Mt. Blakiston House project is the largest completed since Markin Hall was opened in 2010. The
U of L is now in the midst of planning the Destination Project, which will include new science facilities, a new utility center and a retrofit of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s original building, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

“The Destination Project will be the largest undertaken by the U of L since ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was built,” says Sullivan. “We are currently using some local companies to help us through the planning process, and there is no doubt the local economic impact of that project will be noticed for many years.”

Aramark readying for changeover

trevor.kenney — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:17:18 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge food services begins a new chapter May 1, 2013 when Aramark Higher Education officially joins the U of L community.

Marking the most transformative food services change at the U of L in 30 years, the introduction of Aramark as the new food provider is the culmination of a comprehensive and consultative review of food services on the Lethbridge campus.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge prides itself on the experience it offers its students," says U of L President Dr. Mike Mahon. "We recognize that food quality is critical to that experience, and we are thrilled that our campus community will be provided with a variety of high-quality food options for the foreseeable future."

A number of renovations are planned over the summer to accommodate the significant changes that Aramark will bring to campus, all focused on taking the campus dining experience for students, faculty and staff to a new level.

"We are excited to begin serving the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community," says Jeff Marcellus of Aramark as his company begins a 10-year agreement with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. "Our goal is to enhance the dining environment and experience for students, faculty and staff, and to build partnerships across the campus community."

Tim Hortons will be the first location to open under Aramark's leadership on May 1 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness. This will continue to be a full Tim Hortons that will offer everything from classic hot beverages and donuts to sandwiches and chili.

A fully renovated dining hall, a convenience food outlet, a full Starbucks, Subway and an Express Tim Hortons will open at other campus locations in the fall.

The change to the current ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall dining hall will be significant as Aramark transforms the space into the Urban Market, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Renovations include the installation of a flat top grill, pizza oven, entrée station, deli and a build-your-own salad bar, soup and coffee station. An artist's concept drawing is attached for reference.

Further down ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall, a Subway, connected to another Tim Hortons will be introduced. This Tim Hortons will be an express location, offering hot beverages and bakery items.

In Markin Hall, a convenient food outlet that will offer an assortment of grab 'n' go items including "We Proudly Serve Starbucks" coffee, bakery, soup, snacks and cold beverages, will remain. The Express menu will also include items such as sandwiches, salads, snackers, fruit and veggie cups and yogurt parfait cups.

The final addition to campus is a full Starbucks location in the space formerly occupied by Mr. Sub (directly across from Security Services and the Helen Christou Gallery on the walkway to the Library). This location will offer everything patrons expect from Starbucks, including a full food and beverage menu as well as a seating area for studying or just meeting up with friends.

Updated budget message

trevor.kenney — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:50:45 +0000

Budget Message 3

More information has been provided regarding the 2013-14 Alberta Provincial budget and I am pleased to share that there is a bright point within this news for our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In the Capital Plan Details Supplement to the Provincial Budget, it is identified that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will receive $10 million over two years to continue the planning process for the Destination Project. I have included the specific reference in the link below:

http://www.infrastructure.alberta.ca/documents/Capital_Plan_Details_2013-16.pdf

As you know, the pillars of the Destination Project include the development of new science facilities, the revitalization of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall and the addition of a new power plant for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. We expect to receive a letter outlining the terms of this grant and have been told that it is expected that the funds will be used to move this important project into the design phase. These new funds are in addition to $2.3 million received from the Ministry of Enterprise and Advanced Education in September 2011.

There are many grants that the Government of Alberta provides to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in addition to the Campus Alberta Operating Grant. Examples of other grants include the Infrastructure Maintenance Program (IMP) and targeted grants for programs and capital like the Campus Alberta Innovation Program (CAIP). IMP funds are used for infrastructure maintenance and the CAIP funds are used to support Chairs in specific areas of research. These additional grants are targeted and restricted to the use for which they are intended. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has no ability to use the funds for any other purpose – including offsetting the reductions to our Campus Alberta Operating Grant.

While the reduction of 7.3 per cent to our Campus Alberta Operating Grant does pose a severe budgetary challenge to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ on a continuing basis, I am pleased that this $10 million grant is firm recognition from the Government of Alberta of the importance of the Destination Project to our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and our community. It is further evidence that while the current budget situation poses many challenges, the future continues to look bright for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

On Wednesday, Mar. 27, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Atrium of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall, I and other members of senior administration will be providing a Community Update on the budget of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. While we will not yet have a scenario established for the budget reductions we must face, we will outline the process we will follow to establish those reductions and build the revised 2013-14 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ budget as well as provide any further updates we can on the provincial budget.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike Mahon
President and Vice-Chancellor

Holiday building hours in effect

trevor.kenney — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:57:20 +0000

The 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness is open during the holidays!

Please visit the Sport and Recreation Website for their holiday hours: http://www.uleth.ca/sportrec/

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Security is available 24 hours over the holiday break (403-329-2345).

BUILDING LOCATIONS AND OPERATING HOURS / ACCESS POINTS

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall

Dec.21-Jan.1, 2013 (inclusive)
North Entrance-Level 6 Open 24 hours
Level 4 B 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances Open 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Centre for the Arts

Illingworth Kerr, Winter From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of Jim Coutts, 2010.

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
Level 4 Entrance Open 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances Open 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
Library Building

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
West Entrance Open 24 hours

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances Open 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
1st Choice Savings - CSW

Dec.21-24, & 26-31 2012
North & South Entrances Open 24 hours

Dec 25, 2012 and Jan.1, 2013 CLOSED

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
Students' Union Building

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
All Entrances Closed

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances 5:00 am Open
**
Anderson Hall

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
All Entrances Closed

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances 5:00 am Open
**
Turcotte Hall

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
Old Turcotte Hall CLOSED
West Sliding Door Open 24 Hours

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances Open 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
CCBN/AWESB

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
All Entrances Closed
**
Markin Hall

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
All Entrances Closed

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances OPENED
**
Regular building hours begin January 2, 2013. Regular department hours begin on January 2, 2013

Holiday building hours

trevor.kenney — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:43:04 +0000

This artwork appears in the U of L Art Collection and was a gift from Jim Coutts. Illingworth Kerr, Winter From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of Jim Coutts, 2010.

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
Level 4 Entrance Open 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances Open 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
Library Building

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
West Entrance Open 24 hours

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances Open 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
1st Choice Savings - CSW

Dec.21-24, & 26-31 2012
North & South Entrances Open 24 hours

Dec 25, 2012 and Jan.1, 2013 CLOSED

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
Students' Union Building

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
All Entrances Closed

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances 5:00 am Open
**
Anderson Hall

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
All Entrances Closed

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances 5:00 am Open
**
Turcotte Hall

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
Old Turcotte Hall CLOSED
West Sliding Door Open 24 Hours

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances Open 5:00 am (open 24 hours)
**
CCBN/AWESB

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
All Entrances Closed
**
Markin Hall

Dec.21 - Jan.1, 2013 (incl.)
All Entrances Closed

Jan. 2, 2013
All Entrances OPENED
**
Regular building hours begin January 2, 2013. Regular department hours begin on January 2, 2013

Past shaping the future

trevor.kenney — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:14:47 +0000

The coulees offered extraordinary opportunities: dramatic heights and depths unusual in the Prairies, and the possibility of outlook, proximity to the river and a microclimate milder than the windswept flatlands.

Standing there on the far edge of the coulee I saw etched against the sky the light tracery of an old iron railway bridge, 300 feet in the air, spanning a mile across the river.

I came to the conclusion that though any building upon the exposed flatland should be interred in earth berms so that they would become part of the land, the academic building could span the coulees and, like the old bridge in its rigid flatness, reveal the rich contours of even the most level prairie.

It seemed to me that the top storey of the university should lie below the tableland in an uncompromising straight line spanning the haunches of
the prairie.
...
Dr. Arthur Erickson (LLD '81)

The Architecture of Arthur Erickson
With text by the architect

When renowned Canadian architect, the late Dr. Arthur Erickson (LLD '81), first came to Lethbridge to design ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall and formulate the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Development Plan, he was in awe of the coulee landscape, inspired by the High Level Bridge and concluded the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ should be part of the land.

"Architecture, as I see it, is the art of composing spaces in response to existing environmental and urbanistic conditions to answer a client's needs," Erickson once said. "In this way the building becomes the resolution between its inner being and the outer conditions imposed upon it. It is never solitary but is part of its setting and thus must blend in a timeless way with its surroundings, yet show its own fresh presence."

The construction of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall began with a simple sod turning ceremony.

The vision as outlined in the 1969 Erickson-Massey Development Plan saw academic space integrated with residences "so that learning becomes part of living." The 1969 planning objectives also included attractive pedestrian walkways that linked to green spaces; closely knit, clear organization of campus buildings that took advantage of unique views of the river valley; and building sites chosen to ensure reverence, preservation and protection of the coulee landscape.

Construction of the original ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was a monumental task.

Over the years, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus has expanded and evolved with recommendations initially set out in the Campus Development Plan Review (1993), the Master Plan Report (2000) and the Core Campus Expansion Plan (2001) – the latter of which is the springboard for the new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Campus Master Plan (UCMP), which was ratified by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors in December 2012.

Spencer Court, architect and associate director of Campus Planning and Architecture at the U of L, has been leading the current UCMP renewal. He says the new plan takes previous planning history into consideration and maintains key planning initiatives while advancing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's current strategic goals.

"Key elements from past plans have been retained, but the earliest plan had the most fundamentally correct principles or truths that continue to provide value and timeless importance today," he says.

Those principles of strengthening the existing site and building features, creating a compact campus, integrating campus with nature, and using an appropriate brand of architecture to produce a unique campus identity and experience are instilled in the 2012 plan.

Prepared in a collaborative effort with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ by Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Planners, Gibbs Gage Architects and Educational Consulting Services, the UCMP sets out a series of recommendations aimed at guiding larger-scale planning decisions for the main campus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ over the next 25 years.

According to the UCMP, these guidelines "accentuate the existing campus design – organizing systems to allow the unique beauty, original order, coherence and distinctive setting of the campus to re-emerge." The UCMP suggests "a highly interconnected system of buildings and pedestrian networks to create an intimate and harmonized learning environment, integrating both academic and residential programs."

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall as we see it today, nestled in the coulees and taking advantage of the natural landscape.

What makes the UCMP unique is the way it frames and defines the academic core with a celebrated gateway accessing the heart of campus, while promoting pedestrian-friendliness and retaining the physical geography that informs future buildings and outdoor spaces.

"Campuses are like people in that they mature and become complete over time," says Court. "As key participants at a critical point in the development of our campus, we are privileged to produce a planning vision at a time when many are likely to witness the campus evolve into a more complete place."

The UCMP points to three key directives that align with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 2009-2013 Strategic Plan and 2011-2015 Capital Plan. The first is to physically support the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's mandate to be a comprehensive and academic research institution and to provide opportunities for a community of learners – students, faculty, researchers and staff – to interact in purposeful spaces. Second is to reinforce the quality of built and natural environments at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with an emphasis on improving campus life and the everyday student experience. Third, the plan will provide guidance in planning and management of assets while being stewards of the land.

These directives will aid in creating the physical "Destination U" that is currently being defined at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. U of L President Dr. Mike Mahon agrees.

He says this UCMP is vital for establishing this legacy.

"As individuals who have various roles on campus, we are at one point in time, but universities live for a long, long time. It's critical that we look to the future from a planning perspective, and plan for years ahead that we can't even imagine. It is vitally important that our buildings and grounds deliver on the notion of the Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Mahon. "The U of L is very fortunate to have had the kind of vision that Erickson had around building into the coulees and really connecting the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with the topography and with nature."

The UCMP aims to create a unique identity to differentiate the U of L from other universities and to offer a distinctive and memorable experience for its students. To do that, the plan outlines specific design work including a refocused ceremonial entrance along Aperture Drive, and framing a new "Coulee Quadrangle" north of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library, bordered by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall and future buildings to form a campus heart. The UCMP also establishes a network of interconnected buildings that engage the coulees using a unique brand of landform architecture that fully integrates with the landscape. In addition, the construction of the "Prairie Quadrangle" adjacent to Markin Hall will serve to improve connectivity from the academic core to Exploration Place.

The updated Campus Master Plan will further the vision first established in 1969.

One of the biggest values of the new UCMP is creating a compact campus that fosters a better sense of community. Although the UCMP organizes the physical campus, it is the arrangement of those spaces and places that not only leads to a sense of community but also supports academic programming and student life.

Establishing Aperture Drive as the ceremonial entrance to the U of L is just the beginning. The gateway will be framed with a building element linking the Library to the Students' Union Building, as well as a signature building travelling southward that responds to the coulee setting and the Oldman River vista. This building will act as a bridge directly linking the residence precinct to the rest of campus.

Retaining the land in its natural state is also part of the UCMP proposal, and so, the natural coulee space south of the library will be left in its pristine state to preserve the natural view. It's the shared experience of the beautiful scenery of the unique prairie and coulee landscape that brings the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community together and that's an important consistency of the UCMP, says Court.

"We are located in a world-class, unique setting that our forebears committed to being, literally, in this place. That is the driving force in how we go forward," he says. "It is the threshold experience between plateau and river valley we want to be, and since we are here, we should capitalize on that because in the physical sense it's one of our most significant differentiators."

While the prairie land surrounding the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is vast, a key UCMP goal is to create a campus with synergy, ease of access and more importantly, logical pedestrian circulation.

"There's a point where everyone who arrives here by transit, bicycle or automobile becomes a pedestrian, and in the master plan the campus nucleus is predominantly pedestrian-based," says Court. "The master plan has tried to focus on creating a compact, pedestrian-oriented, connected campus that responds to external factors such as weather or the opportunity for memorable views and seriously considers how people move through it."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Campus Master Plan is just that – a plan. At this point, campus planners have not initiated detailed design studies, but most of the features will likely be developed over time. The recommendations in the UCMP, however, are critical for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to reach its strategic goals, says Chris Eagan, director of Facilities.

"The UCMP follows the institution's strategic planning. It allows the creation of a common vision of what space, building and landscape places look like to fulfill our strategic goals," he says. "The UCMP is a broad vision that will be accomplished incrementally through individual capital projects. These projects have urgent and important needs that must be subservient to the institutional requirements outlined in the master plan. It will give the structure and guidance of university planners to all those who design and implement the plan for years to come."

After the UCMP is formally ratified in December 2012, a public open house celebrating the new plan and its document release will be held early in the new year.

According to Court, the new UCMP offers many advantages as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ looks to the future.

"Overall, it's addressing original concepts that the institution has already put substantial resources and value into," he says. "Those early ideas are treasured fidelities – concepts we shouldn't turn our backs on. If we've learned anything, we've learned that they are important and they still apply going forward."

...

For more information on the UCMP, please visit: www.ulethbridge.ca/masterplan

This story first appeared in the Fall 2012 issue of SAM. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Stairwell work begins

trevor.kenney — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:36:25 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall has been undergoing extensive renovations to its fire alarm and fire compartmentalization systems since April in order to meet current Alberta Building Code requirements.

While most of the work will take place in ventilation and service shafts, some work will also occur in stairwells and hallways throughout ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall. Noise disruptions and stairwell closures throughout the summer months may present some frustration for users, but the end result will ensure that safety of students, staff, faculty and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ guests is not compromised should a fire occur.

Starting July 4 and continuing through July 6, the stairwell in Block A will be closed while the contractor removes existing doors and frames. Stairwell access points will be cornered off using removable construction gates. In the event of an emergency or fire alarm, the gates will be rolled aside for public to exit. Signage and detour information will be provided at each access point.

Access to Block A in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall can be gained by using the elevator which will remain open, or by using the Block B stairwell to get to the level you need and then walking over to Block A. Work in the stairwells on Levels 4 and 5 in Block A will be performed after hours to maintain access during the day.

From July 2 to 5, ventilation in Blocks D and E will be shut down in the evening hours for renovations, but the system will be restored during the day.

The $2.2 million project includes upgrades to fire stops to existing fire walls in mechanical shafts, stairwells, electrical and janitor rooms; upgrades to smoke separations and safety improvements to five mechanical shafts; and programming of the fire alarm system to align with revised exit strategies. New fire rated doors and frames are also being installed.

Construction on the project began in April with the majority of the work expected to be complete in early September. Some non-disruptive fire stopping work will continue through to November.

Information on construction-related interruptions will be updated on the Notice Board regularly.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Fire Safety Plan, which details procedures for construction closures, is available at www.uleth.ca/security/content/facility-fire-plan.

For more information, contact Project Manager Greg Lacey at 403-380-1891 or greg.lacey@uleth.ca

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