After much consideration and debate regarding the location for the new student centre, its place on campus has finally been approved. The chosen site with be the north end of The Green, south of the Ross Building.
This spot won over four other potential locations with the help of a ‘use-specific’ criteria, developed to help ensure the new centre would be just as convenient and fitting as the first student center.
Standards such as the activity, visibility, accessibility, proximity, size, compatibility, and city approvals all had to be considered.
The location is highly visible and is able to accommodate a building up to 150,000 square feet. The student centre will be linked to the community via transit, walkways, cycling and vehicles and also ensures major lecture halls are only five minutes away.
The project will cost up to $80 million for the design and construction. The Student Centre Corporation has hired Ernst & Young Orenda Corporate Finance to assist in the development of a financing strategy, which is expected to be approved by the Board of Governors in April of this year.
The winning location beat out the Vanier parking lot, the south podium of Central Square, Pond and Sentinel West, as well as east of Pond and Sentinel East. The Land and Property committee of York agreed that “this is an important project” and commented that “the better the building, the better the student experience will be.”
York students voted in favour of a new student levy to help finance the construction of the student centre, with 8,843 voting “yes” this past October. The new levy will finance the new student centre, along with operational and maintenance costs, replacing the original student levy students voted for in 1988.
The student centre will act as zone for all students, and will offer up more space for clubs, student associations and recreation.
Julia Alfano
Contributor
