There aren't very many times in anyone's academic life that they will have the opportunity to make sweeping changes to the make-up of their campus. How often have you had the opportunity to say where there should be more gardens, if a street should be lined with trees or not, or even where cars should and shouldn't be allowed to go?
On March 10 and 11th, the campus community at the University of Ottawa will have that chance!
Facilities Service at the University is on the verge of completing the latest iteration of the campus master plan. For those of you that aren't familiar with what that means, a master plan is a planning document that indicates what development the University would like to undertake in the near future.
Urban Strategies Inc, a design firm operating in Toronto, has helped create a new development strategy for uOttawa. This plan was created in consultation with many groups and individuals from around the campus community. They are currently in the final stages of the planning process, the community consultation phase, and so this might be your last chance to speak your part.
The master plan has a bunch of goodies and very cool concepts for what the university could look like in the coming years. But what has peaked my interest are the new sustainability features. Of course I can't divulge any of this information ahead of the public consultation, but I can tell you there is some really great stuff in it.
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| Bike bridges, pedestrians tunnels, a car free zone?!?!?! So many things to see. |
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| The new park in front to the FSS building. Only one of the many green space improvements. |
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| More options for what life could look like along Lees Ave. |
Do I think it has everything? No, of course not. And that's why it is so important that the community participate in these kinds of events, to make sure that a diversity of views are being represented. The plan lays out a solid vision for the future but there are still a bunch of gaps that need to be thought out before the whole thing takes shape.
Come out and take a look at the plan. Discuss your thoughts about gardens, trees, energy production, food growing capacity, storm water management, sustainable transportation..... anything you want!
The community consultations takes place on:
- March 10th from 10am to 8pm in the University Centre Agora
- March 11th from 10am to 2pm in the second floor of Roger Guindon Hall
~ jON - campus sustainability manager