Posted on Sept. 4: Classrooms ready for the return of students
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/togo_salmon_hall.jpg” caption=”Togo Salmon Hall”]When classes resume Thursday, some students will find themselves sitting in new and newly renovated classrooms.
“McMaster has worked extremely hard to prepare for the first students of the double cohort,” says Karen Belaire, vice-president administration. “And it shows.”
In the Refectory, the dining area has been converted into a lecture hall. Renovations to this 250-seat room include flooring, lighting, electrical, audio/visual, and window treatments. Writing palettes for the seats have yet to be delivered.
McMaster's largest and most heavily used classroom on campus is Room 120 in Togo Salmon Hall. “It has been completely renovated over the summer. I believe students will be pleasantly surprised when they see it,” says Ken Norrie, provost and vice-president academic.
Arthur Bourns Building Room 102 and Burke Sciences Building Room B135/B136 also have new seating and lighting upgrades.
Three classrooms are available in the AIC Wing, an e-commerce annex constructed on the southwest corner of the Michael G. DeGroote building. This two-storey addition houses three new classrooms, labs, and office space and includes a link to the current building in the basement.
The temporary classroom, located on the southeast tennis court, west of the Ivor Wynne Centre, will help accommodate much of the increased student enrolment. This facility will be ready for classes on Monday. Students with classes in this building on Thursday and Friday are instructed to go to the facility (Building T-28)where they will be provided with additional information. Some classes are being relocated and others will be cancelled.*
“Construction crews were racing to put the finishing touches on it. In fact, people were working on it through the Labour Day weekend trying to get everything completed in time,” says Belaire.
While most classroom renovations are complete, a few finishing touches are still being made.
For example, in Hamilton Hall, which is undergoing extensive interior renovations to create the new James Stewart Centre for Mathematics, two lecture theatres will be available.
Asbestos was removed from the building before renovations to Hamilton Hall began earlier this summer, says Ron Angus, director of Risk Management Services. “We wanted to make sure the asbestos was completely removed from Hamilton Hall before construction could take place. The dust that people might see from construction is likely brick and mortar dust.”
Inspections have determined that all health and safety standards for the lecture halls have been met.
Construction on Hamilton Hall will continue throughout the year, resulting in occasional noise and vibration, says Angus. In an effort to minimize the impact on classes, heavy drilling or other noisy activities will be restricted to times when no classes are being held, he says.
Washrooms are not available inside of Hamilton Hall, but facilities will be accessible in adjacent buildings University Hall, the Burke Science Building and the Refectory. The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, although accommodations will be made if a student or faculty member requires wheelchair access. The emergency exit is accessible through the construction area.
When finished, about 40 per cent of the space will be allocated to offices and 40 per cent will be used for classrooms, labs and study space. It is expected construction to Hamilton Hall will be complete in September 2003.
A letter has been sent to faculty who have classes scheduled in Hamilton Hall informing them of continuing construction work to this facility. Questions and concerns should be directed to the classroom hotline at ext. 23073.
“It will be a challenging but exciting year ahead,” says Belaire. “We have made great strides in accommodating students during a time when pressure has been put on the University's supply of classroom space. We will be able to accommodate students, and our supply of top quality classrooms will only improve as new lecture halls in the Health Sciences addition come on line in two years.”
But, she adds, the transition from old to new takes time. “We want to thank everyone for their understanding.”
Photo caption: Students sit in newly renovated Room 120, Togo Salmon Hall, McMaster's largest and most heavily used classroom on campus. Pictured clockwise from top left are Steve Raab, science graduate; Mark Saraiva, third-year chemical engineering; Colin Haefele, third-year mechanical engineering; Ralph Floro, fourth-year media film studies; and Ana Popovic, fourth-year materials engineering. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay
