June 3, 2002

Monday, June 3, 2002

Federal funds for architecture building
Staff association meets today
A week to maybe walk to work
Then, if ever, come perfect days

Editor:
Chris Redmond
credmond@uwaterloo.ca

[Standing on chair]
Every night is party night for UW's Muskoka Club, which had an outing to the Brick Brewery on Wednesday, a general meeting Thursday, a visit to the Bombshelter on Friday, a bike ride on Saturday, and "classic college movies" yesterday, and plans a pub night tonight at Kickoff Sports Bar. The camera caught kinesiology student Jenny Stewart at the Brick tour last week, making sure she'd be in position for group photographs.

Federal funds for architecture building

As expected, federal government funding is being provided to help move the UW school of architecture to a renovated building in the historic Galt downtown of Cambridge, Ontario. Here's how a $4.1 million grant was announced in a federal news release late Friday afternoon:

"The residents of Cambridge and Waterloo Region will soon see improvements to the historic Riverside Silk Mills in Cambridge, which will house the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. These improvements will be supported through an investment announced today under the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program.

"This investment will make an important contribution to quality of life in the Region. Andy Mitchell, Secretary of State (Rural Development) (FedNor), Janko Peric, MP for Cambridge, Kenneth Seiling, Regional Chair of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Doug Craig, Mayor of the City of Cambridge, David Johnston, President of the University of Waterloo, Rick Haldenby, Director of the School of Architecture, and Tom Watson, head of the Cambridge Business Consortium, announced the investment today.

"Through this project, the 85,000 square foot Riverside Silk Mills textile factory in the historic Galt section of the City of Cambridge will be restored. This 1920s textile factory has a rich history and was once a central element of the local economy. The factory has been vacant since 2000, but will soon house the University of Waterloo School of Architecture.

"The renovated building will be almost four times the size of the school's current facilities and will include an exhibition gallery, a lecture theatre, workshops, classrooms, offices and a design studio. The relocation is expected to enhance the quality of education at the UW School of Architecture and revitalize Cambridge's downtown area. Construction is expected to be complete by September 2003."

The federal government's Industry Canada and the Ontario government's SuperBuild program are each contributing $4.1 million to the project. Through a private-public partnership, the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Business Consortium, a group of local business leaders, are to contribute the balance of the total project cost of $27.2 million.

It's one of a series of matching federal and provincial investments "to help municipalities improve the quality of life of their residents" through essential infrastructure projects totalling more than $480 million to date in Ontario. More announcements under the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program are coming, the news release said.

It had comments from several of the people involved.

[At podium beside flag]
Cabinet minister Andy Mitchell speaks at Friday's end-of-the-day event in Cambridge
Mitchell, the cabinet minister (right): "By restoring the historic Riverside Silk Mills building and providing a new location for the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, the quality of life for local students, residents, and businesses will be improved. I am pleased to see the Government of Canada making this important investment through the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program."

Peric, the local MP: "The relocation of the School of Architecture and the redevelopment of this local heritage building will help revitalize Cambridge's downtown core and create economic opportunities in the area. This investment illustrates the success of all three levels of government working together, and the benefits of public-private partnerships."

Seiling, the Region chair: "We are pleased that the Federal government has accepted the Region's nomination of the School of Architecture for Cambridge. Regional Council has recognized how important this project is to the City of Cambridge and I would like to thank the Federal and Provincial governments, as well as, the Consortium and the City of Cambridge for their support in bringing this project to fruition."

Craig, the mayor: "This investment is another vote of confidence in Cambridge and Waterloo Region. Without this funding, this important infrastructure project would not go ahead."

And Haldenby, director of the school: "The relocation of the School of Architecture to Cambridge is a move that has been widely endorsed and eagerly anticipated, so it is with great excitement that we are now seeing it become a reality due to this investment by the Government of Canada. The School will become an even more valuable resource in the community, and both residents and students will benefit from the new facility."

A letter from the Keystone Campaign organizers
Mark your calendars for the upcoming Keystone Campaign Launch happening in June!
Scheduled for June 20, the launch event will feature a free barbecue, dunk tank, carnival games, entertainment, guest speakers, and more. Fabulous door prizes will be given away, including gift certificates for groceries, quality stores, and restaurants. To kick off the launch, which will run from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Federation Hall, a campus parade will take place starting at 11:30. Come on out and join the parade!
Of special interest will be various department representatives building a huge puzzle display, in keeping with the overall Campaign Waterloo: Building a Talent Trust theme.
Evening staff are invited to a special coffee break at 10:00 p.m. the same evening in South Campus Hall's Festival Room.
The event is being planned to launch the Keystone Campaign with a goal to raise $4.5 million by the end of 2007! The campaign is well on its way, already at the $1.1 million mark. Progress is being charted on huge banners posted on different buildings across campus.
To encourage participation at the launch event, senior administration has designated June 20 as a casual dress-down day with the 2 1/2 hour event period designated as paid work time! Attendees are encouraged to wear UW colours and clothing that promotes the University.
Don't miss out on the fun. Invitations will arrive in early June!

Staff association meets today

Ed Chrzanowski ends his term as president of the UW staff association today and turns over that title to Steve Breen, of the information systems and technology department, as the association holds its annual general meeting over the noon hour. There will be light refreshments at 11:30 and the meeting itself starts at 11:45.

The location is Davis Centre room 1302. In a staff association tradition, there will be door prizes.

The meeting will also have a guest speaker from outside the organization: Amit Chakma, UW's provost.

The annual meeting is "a good opportunity for you to come and discuss your concerns", Chrzanowski said in the most recent issue of the association's newsletter, Staff News. Most of that issue was taken up with annual reports from various officers and committees of the association, as well as the minutes of last year's annual meeting.

That was the meeting that approved a new procedure making membership in the association automatic for new UW staff unless they choose to pull out. "As a result," writes Bruce Woods, chair of the membership committee, "we have seen a steady increase in our membership numbers. . . . At the end of March 2002, there were 1,627 eligible staff of which 925 (56.8%) were UWSA members. Indications are that this new method of obtaining members is working well, with very few new hires wishing not to join." Woods also writes: "In October, the committee sent out a 1-page questionnaire to staff who are not UWSA members, seeking some input as to why they haven't joined. What they would like to see us doing differently? Unfortunately, we did not receive any replies."

A week to maybe walk to work

UW is participating in the third annual Commuter Challenge tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday. Says Patti Cook, the university's waste management coordinator: "This challenge is a friendly competition between workplaces in Waterloo Region and is part of a greater effort amongst communities across Canada to reduce pollution and traffic congestion.

"In support of this goal, all UW employees are encouraged to participate in the Commuter Challenge by car pooling, taking transit, cycling or walking to work. By switching out of a single occupancy vehicle and into one of the active and sustainable modes of transportation on June 4, 5 and 6 you will be making a contribution to cleaner air and a more livable region. You will also personally benefit from a decrease in commuting cost and stress.

"The Commuter Challenge is the perfect time to try new ways of commuting to work, so give it a try! On June 4, 5 and 6 -- walk, cycle, take transit, or carpool to work."

Cook adds: "If you have questions about this event, please contact me at ext. 3245 or by e-mail."

Then, if ever, come perfect days

And now (to borrow a Monty Python concept) here is the news for fish. Water will be turned off in the fish laboratories, as well as the greenhouses, in Biology I this morning, until about 11:00 -- a pressure regulator is being replaced on the private well, near the building, that serves those water-intensive areas. Meanwhile, the little sturgeon will be strolling about biology in their airtight terrestrial suits. . . .

And here is the news for undergraduate students planning to take courses in the fall term: appointments for class enrolment through the Quest system begin today. Open enrolment for fall classes starts July 2, the registrar's office adds.

The senate executive committee will meet at 3:30 this afternoon in Needles Hall room 3001, mostly to set the agenda for this month's meeting of the full senate. Among the many items listed is the first public glimpse of plans for the proposed Waterloo Centre for the Study of Co-op Education.

Tomorrow brings the opening ceremonies for William Lyon Mackenzie King Village, which actually has been housing students since last September. Tomorrow's event is set for 12:30 p.m. -- and will be held inside King Village, not in the nearby parking lot S as we managed to say in last week's Gazette.

Also tomorrow is the summer meeting of the UW board of governors, starting at 2:30 in Needles Hall room 3001.

And, Heather FitzGerald, whose title is now "student life co-ordinator", sends a note as we look ahead to August: "If any department would like to order a Student Life 101 T-shirt (the famous yellow T-shirts to be worn at SL 101 on Monday, August 12), they can send me their order by Friday. All I need is the number and sizes of shirts they would like to order and the account number for their department."

CAR

TODAY IN UW HISTORY
June 3, 1980: Tenders close for the construction of Environmental Studies II, and Ball Brothers Ltd. gets the contract. June 3, 1987:. The vice-president (academic), Tom Brzustowski, gets the new title of "provost".