It is hard for students at Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning and University of Guelph-Humber to miss the shiny new building at the North campus.
The Learning Resource Commons (LRC) stands tall and wide at 6 stories, 260,000 sq. ft., and transparent with glass windows. The building, now nearly complete, will be open to staff, students, and the public during Humber’s spring open house on Saturday, April 18.
The LRC, soon to serve as the new welcoming gateway and the main entrance for North campus, will provide students with more study spaces and common areas that students will be able to use to socialize.
Humber Students’ Federation (HSF) vice president of student life at North, Ahmed Tahir, said the new building will provide much needed space for students.
“Down to it’s core, [it is] more space for students to study and hang out, [making] Humber a home away from home,” said Tahir.
Photo Courtesy of B+H Architects
The LRC, which can accommodate more than 2,200 students, will house a new library, group and independent study spaces, a centralized hub for student services, a student gallery and showcase space, and space for the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and college administration.
Carol Anderson, senior director of strategic asset management at Humber College, said the new building will provide Humber students a destination for all of their study needs.
“Whether it be quiet study, group study, casual study. . . it will be all-in-one place along with student services,” said Anderson, adding that it will be easier for students to access the services the school provides.
“Everything is accessible in terms of services on the first two floors, no sending them to another building to get lost on the way. You can move right from the registrar’s office over to career and program advising or vice versa. . . I think it [will] really help students find their way around campus and orient themselves more quickly,” said Anderson.
The fixed-price $84.2 million contract between PCL Constructors Canada Inc. and Humber College was made after PCL Constructors won the bid among two other bidders including Integrated Team Solutions and SNC Lavalin Capital in May, 2013. Ontario has contributed $74.7 million towars the overall initiative.
Montgomery Sisam / B+H Architicts in joint veture was hired as the Planning, Design and Compliance (PDC) team for the project, and employed on average 150 workers a day at the construction site.
A second-year Journalism – Print and Broadcast student Thalia Gamage, usually had a hard time finding a quiet place to study. With the new facility set to open in September this year, Gamage is excited to check out the facility.
“Having more accessibility to services and space to do work well and in groups or by myself, it will really benefit me,” said Gamage.
