UVic new student residence project: preliminary info

Barbara Raponi, the CBRA’s UVic Liaison director, writes: 

New
Student Residence to be Built on UVic’s Main Campus

The University of Victoria (UVic) plans to
build a new student residence on its main campus.  The new residence will include at least 600
beds, and will respond to a broad range of student needs, including people with
a wide range of physical abilities. A variety of room types and layouts are
being considered including traditional dorm rooms and “pod” style
living, which includes single rooms with a shared kitchen and living areas.

A number
of different sites for this residence are currently under
consideration.  UVic will be engaging
with the nearby Community Associations about the engagement process itself and
to provide an overall update about the project.  They will be
presenting to CBRA at the February 14^th board meeting, at 7:15 PM. The
presentation will provide an update about the project and process to
date, the engagement approach, and upcoming events.  

In February, UVic will be meeting with
Saanich Councillors to share project information, and Open House(s) for the
broader public will be held at public venues in March. The Open Houses will
include materials, display boards and subject area experts on hand for
discussion and dialogue.

In late March / early April, there will be
a Community Dialogue session to build on the preliminary learnings from the
Open Houses and to focus on the key elements of the project. There will also be
smaller “pop-up” events in public spaces so the general public can
provide their input as well. By mid-May it is hoped that a Schematic Design
Open House will take place and by early summer, a Final Schematic will be
available to demonstrate any changes and how public input informed the final
schematic design.

 CBRA will post information about all
upcoming public events on its website and e-newsletter, as well as on the
bulletin board in the Village.