Ibrahem Alheyali | Contributor
Featured Image: The current Student Centre was built in 1991 with only 30,000 students in mind. York has since grown to include an undergraduate student body of over 60,000. | Basma Elbahnasawy
Soon, many York clubs will be able to move into the new Student Centre. The construction of the Centre is currently on track and project managers expect completion to be around Spring 2018.
Siva Vimalachandran, the director of projects & organizational development, says: “From this point forward, the construction site will begin to retract inward as opposed to outward, which is a great sign of the project moving towards completion.”
Many of the pedestrian pathways that were previously closed have now been opened up for public use. However, the Library Lane will “remain closed for the next few weeks, as installation of the upper levels of the north building envelope present specific safety concerns for the general public below,” she adds.
The new Student Centre was designed to keep environmental sustainability and accessibility in mind. Also, to improve disability access, interior design elements, like ramps, will be added, as well as gender-neutral bathrooms on every floor, reigning standards for inclusivity across campus.
Green roofs and permeable landscapes are only some of the features that improve the building’s environmental footprint. Other features include bicycle parking and showers to encourage greener methods of transport. The new Student Centre is being built with the eventual goal of getting LEED Gold Certification. Renewable materials are integral to some of the key features of the building, including a wood-wrapped staircase, forming a central component to the Centre.
The new Centre was also designed following principals from the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), which encourages the use of physical spaces and structures as mechanisms to reduce crime. Vimalachandran notes: “exterior lighting and landscape design also play a role to ensure visibility, eliminate hiding spots, and generate a sense of pride and ownership that goes beyond alarms, policing, and security cards to enhance community safety.”
The new Student Centre will be able to better serve the York community. Since 2013, the Centre has earned the endorsement of over 10,000 student votes and from 217 student clubs. Club endorsements include: Trans, Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Asexual at York (TBLGAY), the York Federation of Students (YFS), York University Graduate Students’ Association (YUGSA), York University Faculty Association (YUFA), United South Asians at York (USAY), York United Black Student Alliance (YUBSA), and Aboriginal Students Association at York (ASAY).
The current Student Centre was built in 1991 with only 30,000 students in mind. York has since grown to include an undergraduate student body of over 60,000, more than 290 student-run clubs and organizations, 33 eateries, and the York Lanes mall.
