Under construction
1. Centre for Continuous Learning expansion
The Roderick Mah Centre for Continuous Learning, originally built in April 2006, is being expanded with an additional three-story building of approximately 6,000 square meters. The original building was designed to be able to accommodate expansion and was given gold status LEED certification. The cost of the project, $53 million, is combined with the price of the science and technology wing expansion. The federal government provided funding through the knowledge infrastructure program. The building is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in spring 2011 according to Mount Royal’s VP of administrative services, Richard Roberts. Roberts said that the facility would house continuous learning students who are currently occupying a floor in of the Bissett school of business. This will make room for more business administration students.
2. Science and technology wing expansion
The science and technology wing expansion is part of the $53 million project that includes the expansion of the centre for continuous learning. This project is currently under construction and expected to be completed by spring 2011 along with the centre for continuous learning. The expansion will make room for more labs, study space and faculty office space.
3. Parkade
Ground is expected to be broken for Mount Royal’s first parking structure in the next couple of weeks, according to Roberts. The parkade is the result of increased demand for parking and will offer 1,200 parking stalls. General contractors have made bids and an announcement of who will be building the structure will be made in the upcoming weeks. The $25 million project is expected to be completed by the end of September 2010, according to Roberts. The money for the project is being borrowed and will be paid back over a long-term period by revenue generated through parking fees.
4. Conservatory and concert hall
The $60 million in funding for the conservatory and concert hall has been raised with the help of municipal, provincial and federal governments and now a request for a proposal to find a design firm to design the building is underway. Construction is likely to begin in the summer of 2010 and is expected to be completed by summer 2012, according to Roberts. The original plan to link the building to the proposed parking structure was abandoned after utility infrastructure was found in that area. The conservatory and concert hall will now be built on the other side of the continuous learning centre along with the proposed library and learning centre.
5. Library and learning centre
A four-story library and learning centre is presently being designed but there is currently no funding for the project. A proposal for funding will be brought to the government in early 2010, according to Roberts. The new library and learning centre is expected to cost approximately $85 million according to Mount Royal’s director of library services, Carol Shepstone. Shepstone said that the library will be a one-stop-shop for students with a quiet study space, group study rooms, computers, IT help, research help, information services, student learning to get government funding in the current economic climate. Shepstone said that they hope to raise $20 million from private donors.
6. U-wing expansion
With a cost of $5 million, the U-wing expansion is one of the smaller construction projects. The building is intended to provide more space for new faculty that will be attending Mount Royal in the 2010 fall semester. The approximately 1,150 square meter project will be complete by September 2010. Roberts said that the long-term plan for the building is to provide space for high priority campus needs.
7. Science and technology phase two expansion — health and sciences building
With a proposed cost of $152 million, this expansion is a long-term project intended to provide space for increased health and science degree programs at Mount Royal. Roberts said that this building has not yet been designed and is the furthest away from completion from a time standpoint.
8. Conceptual academic and mixed use buildings
These buildings are based on extrapolations of further enrollment growth on campus, according Roberts. As part of phase two of the campus master plan, Roberts said that 2014 would be the earliest that these projects would begin.
