Official Opening: $13.2-M Student Housing Expansion at Malaspina

Malaspina University-College has completed a $13.2-million expansion of student housing at the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Nanaimo campus.

The expansion adds 200 new student residence spaces to the 186 rooms that have been in operation in two buildings on campus since the mid-1980s.  During the summer, one of the existing residence buildings was renovated, and the second building will be renovated in the summer of 2006.

“This project was entirely self-financed and in keeping with the public/private venture model encouraged by government,” said Malaspina Board chair Don Hubbard.

Malaspina president Rich Johnston said that government gave the Board the required permission to negotiate a 25-year private mortgage, to be repaid through rental of the units.

“This is another self-funded project that doesn’t involve a penny of government and taxpayers’ money,” Johnston said. “Two years ago we constructed a $4.2-million Centre for International Education that was entirely financed through net revenues from international education activities.  Our recent $14.1-million Library expansion only included $4.7-million of funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education with the remainder financed from a variety of sources, including fundraising,” he said.

The student residences feature both four-bedroom apartments and 20-bed units clustered in a village-like setting.  The units vary in size and are connected through breezeways and walkways.  All units feature individual private bedrooms, and shared kitchen, bathrooms, dining room, and living/learning spaces.

“Student residences play an integral role in new concepts of living and learning, especially for mature students,” said Edwin Deas, Malaspina’s vice-president of administration & bursar.

“Small groups of students living, studying and learning together in custom-designed communal spaces conducive to such pursuits are the characteristics of contemporary student residences on many North American university campuses.”

Deas said that he is encouraging private developers to build affordable housing downtown and near the campus for students who don’t wish to live on site.

“Our ever-expanding domestic and international student population provides many opportunities for private developers.  We’ll also continue to encourage our new international students to live with local families through our popular homestay programs,” he said.

- 30 -

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> 

Backgrounder

Cost:  $13.2-million

Contractor:  Windley Construction Ltd, of Nanaimo

Specs:  55,000 square feet, 200 beds in total, over 8 buildings:

·        1 administration/student support services – a second floor is being added for commercial campus services (possibly a health services unit).

·        5 three-storey buildings, containing 20 one-bedroom units per floor, with a bathroom shared between two units, and shared kitchen/living room space.

·        2 three-storey buildings, containing four “quads” per floor - each unit contains four separate bedrooms, two bathrooms, and shared kitchen/living room space (16 beds total per floor).

·        4 studio suites for residential student advisors.

Units for students with disabilities are integrated into the units:  3 in the 20-bed unit, and 2 in the 4-bedroom buildings, for a total of 5 rooms.

Outdoor features include:

·        barbeque/patio area

·        basketball court

·        sand volleyball court

·        bike storage

·        100 additional parking spaces for new student residences