By Eric Fung
Despite the swanky opening ceremony a few months ago, MacEwan Hall expansion isn’t over just yet.
With the Den, MacEwan Hall, the Science B link, and most recently the retail corridor opening, expansion is reaching completion. University of Calgary students approved the "improvement project" in an October 1995 Students’ Union by-election. At that time, expansion was to be completed in fall 1996, according to then-SU President Kate Kimberly. Over the years, however, expansion was delayed by loan complications and a delayed Campus Security move.
"I’m fairly pleased with the idea that the Den is done, that people can walk through the retail corridor," said current SU Vice-President Operation and Finance Natasha Dhillon. "It’s great to know that everything will actually be completed next year. Students have been waiting for this for six years. We’re so close at this stage."
The final stages of expansion include the relocation of the Used Bookstore, the Copy Centre, CJSW and NUTV, as well as the construction of new meeting rooms and Volunteer Services. Finally, the current Copy Centre will be removed to provide additional seating.
"[MacEwan Hall] redevelopment was scheduled to be a 15-year process," explained Dhillon. "It was then fast-tracked. [The other projects] should be wrapped up in a year or a year and a half. But that’s just guessing, I’m not saying for sure."
Students and businesses will still carry the SU’s $10 million loan for some time. The $7 per semester expansion levy, which students also approved in 1995, will continue until levy funds and MacEwan Hall business revenues pay off the loan.
"Just because [expansion] is approaching completion doesn’t mean we don’t still have the cost for it," Dhillon explained. "Once the loan is killed off, I see no reason in continuing the levy, but that won’t be for a few years."
Everything should be complete in no later than two years’ time, according to Dhillon.