Building closure and relocation

Wyckham House closure notice

We have officially closed Wyckham House (including The Liberty Lounge) as of May 1 to complete the expansion project, which is now in full swing.

We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing you in our newly renovated and expanded building. The planned opening for Wyckham House and most services is September 2, 2008 but please note that this date is subject to change depending on construction progress.

During the closure period, SAMRC staff and executives will be temporarily housed in units in the College’s East Residence.

Here is some key information that you may need to know during the closure period:

The Students' Association administrative offices will remain open and accessible during the spring & summer months and is located in the East Court Residence in Unit 15-D.

Ticketmaster, Canada Post and Copywrite Used Books will be closed during the spring & summer months.

P.O. boxes will be located in the link (beside security by the West Gate entrance).

The Student Health & Dental Benefits office will be located in room Y218. The Benefits office will be closed from June 15 to August 15th. Otherwise, hours of operation are 9 AM to 3 PM weekdays.

Important contact listings:

Students' Association offices
15D East Court Residence
Phone: 440-6077
Email: reception@samrc.com

Housing listings
Phone: 440-6414
Email: housing@samrc.com
Website: www.samrc.com

Student Health & Dental Benefits
Room: Y218
Phone: 440-6267
Email: health@samrc.com

Reflector Student Newspaper
Phone: 440-6268
Email: managingeditor@thereflectoronline.com

We’ve got some good news about the new Wyckham House!

If you’ve been following this blog, you’ll recall that our original construction plan was to finish the new wing and food court of Wyckham House by the middle of August 2008 and then complete renovations to the new student volunteer centres (places like the Peer Support Centre, Native Student Centre, Cultural Mosaic Centre and Access Abilities Centre) by January 2009.


However, according to current reports from the construction company managing the project, it appears that now the student volunteer centres will also be set to open by September 2008, moving us ahead by nearly 6 months! Work is definitely progressing on the expansion—the steel structure for the second and third floors is being put in. This means we’ll have to hoard up the big windows on the north side of Wyckham House in order to protect them from being hit by the crane or a steel beam. Although we’ll lose a lot of natural light, the wooden structures you see over the windows will protect them and you in case of any unforeseen accidents!

The second floor is in

Right now it’s possible to watch the construction in action from the second floor study lounge in Wyckham House. It’s not a thing to watch as you eat your lunch or hang out with your friends.

If everything goes as planned, the new wing should be completed around the end of April. At that time we’ll all have to move out of Wyckham House (which means that you won’t be able to get to the food court or the Liberty during the summer) and the construction crew will be knocking down the wall that exists between the two buildings in order to join them together. If this doesn’t sound like the easiest thing in the world it’s because it’s not. Thankfully, the site crew will consist of experienced workers with the proper safety training.

Once the wall is down, the existing food court will be merged into the new spaces that are being developed. We’ll also start on things like the new elevator. While all this is happening, work will also start on renovating the existing space in Wyckham House.

When September rolls around, if all goes according to plan, the executive and staff will be moving into new offices in the new wing while the renovations continue on the second and third floors which will be closed off during that time. The good news is that the food court and bar will be set to be open and ready for business when everyone comes back in the fall.

The walls are up

If you happen to be wandering around the north side of Wyckham House you’ll see that we’ve made a lot of progress on our expansion since our last update. Now that the piles have been driven and the excavation completed, the builders have been putting up formwork and pouring concrete.

As you can see in the photos, we’ve completed the basement and foundation of our new wing and work is steadily being completed on the main floor. In commercial construction there are two ways to build walls and floors: either with concrete or with structural steel. The Wyckham House expansion will be using concrete for the basement and main floor and structural steel for the second and third floors. This hybrid design allowed us to save on construction costs and also accommodate a building schedule that will see as little disruption to our services as possible.

Calgary’s construction market is red hot at the moment, and the demand for materials has meant that many projects have had to wait for scarce supplies to become available. Through careful planning we’ve been able to minimize any delays caused by material shortages and are proud to announce that construction is moving ahead on schedule.

Summer update: Pile driving

There’s been a lot of change around our side of the campus since we broke ground on the expanded Wyckham House Student Centre in May. If you’ve been around our way at all recently you’re sure to notice the large crane that’s been set up. You’ve probably noticed the large excavation too. That’s the spot where the new wing of Wyckham House is going to go.

Everyone’s coffee was shaking like the puddles in Jurassic Park for a few days last month while the construction workers set the piles for the new building. Piles are long pillars that are driven down to the bedrock so that the foundation has something to set itself on—they’re kind of like legs that the building will stand on.

Now that the piles have been set, we’re getting ready to start pouring the concrete for the foundation. So far, we’re very pleased to report that the project is a little ahead of schedule.

We’ve heard some concerns lately from students who are worried that the construction will affect our ability to deliver our services or provide them with a place to eat or relax. The construction has been carefully planned to ensure that no disruption of any services will occur, including all our volunteer centres, the Liberty Lounge and food court. We will have to close during the spring and summer months of 2008 in order to join the new expansion with the existing building, but until then you can expect it will be business as usual around Wyckham House. (Photo courtesy of S. Foster, Mount Royal College)

Students dig new student centre expansion

Mount Royal continues to grow with its latest addition — an expanded student centre. Working jointly with Mount Royal, the Students’ Association of Mount Royal College (SAMRC) will expand the student owned Wyckham House to add almost 45 per cent more space to the existing centre.

“Wyckham House is a vibrant marketplace for the exchange of ideas and life experiences. This concept has been the driving factor for the overall design of the project, as well as focusing on the needs of the students, the volunteer centres and the SAMRC staff” says SAMRC General Manager Marcy Fogal. “The new building exceeds the basic standards for environmental sustainability, which is important to our members”

Fogal has been looking forward this expansion for almost ten years now and is excited about the building design. “The focal point of the building is the jewel of Council Chambers – reflecting the importance of the student governance process and its members. We’ve also worked hard to capture the student spirit in the design by making if fun, avant-garde, experimental and sassy.”

Mount Royal President David Marshall is pleased with the latest student initiative. "The Students’ Association and the student centre are important contributors to campus life at Mount Royal,” says Marshall. “This latest development on our campus embodies what we're all about — providing the services students need to help them succeed. The new structure will add to the lives of each and every one of our students."

Mount Royal’s Vice-President Administrative Services Richard Roberts has been working closely with the Students’ Association on the project and says that "The expansion of Wyckham House Student Centre is an exciting and very timely project that will benefit students and the entire college community for many years into the future.”

Mount Royal students have always been visionary. Over 40 years ago, students saved $21,000 to purchase an old house downtown and create a space of their own. In 1987, the SAMRC opened a new student centre at the College’s Lincoln Park campus. Named after a professor who inspired the original venture, Wyckham House continues to provide necessary services to the student body and a refuge from the pressures of student life. Students saved $3 million to put towards the new building.

Over the years, the student centre has become a central gathering point for the students, faculty and staff of Mount Royal, and a place where students can get help and support and have social, volunteer and leadership opportunities — all things that are vital to a well-rounded education.

SAMRC President Jonathan Macpherson feels immense pride in this undertaking. “We couldn’t be here today if it were not for the foresight and diligence of students over 40 years ago,” says Macpherson. “Our student body is the foundation of our existence. We are happy that the student vision of Wyckham House being the vibrant hub on campus is finally becoming a reality.”

SAMRC receives funding approval

Board approval was the first step of many towards the realization of the new student centre. The College had also agreed to obtain financing on behalf of the SAMRC. Today, the College was approved for a mortgage by the Alberta Capital Finance Authority for $13 million, a mortgage they have agreed to undertake on behalf of the Students’ Association. The Students’ Association will be using its savings and future contributions to the Capital Campaign Fund to make the mortgage payments.

Because we’ve obtained a government mortgage, we’re able to have a frozen interest rate, a very low interest rate (lower than any commercial rates), a longer amortization period and therefore, borrow more money with less risk. This allows us to better manage our finances, and also, to build a bigger and better expansion.

MRC students have always been diligent about saving money to build and maintain a student centre. In 2000, the student body approved an increase to the Capital Campaign Fee to fund the future expansion of the Wyckham House Student Centre. We’ve been saving the money for six years in order to make a down payment on our expanded centre. So far we’ve saved nearly $3 million.