By Amanda-Marie Quintino
After years of preparation and construction, the Centre for Computing and Engineering will open for classes on Sept. 20 -two weeks after the start of the term.
Last week, Ryerson engineering students reaching the corner of Church and Gould streets found that construction was not done on their much-anticipated new home on campus.
“I was excited to start my first year [at Ryerson] in a brand new building and unfortunately, I didn’t,” said first-year engineering student Daniel Astorino.”On top of all of the confusion that comes along with being a first year, I had the bother of having to find more classrooms than would have been necessary if the building had just been ready on time.”
Over the last week or so, engineering classes have been held in alternate locations around campus, like Kerr Hall, because they couldn’t be held in the CCE. Some classes took place in the Carlton Cinemas.
Ryerson President Claude Lajeunesse said classes will slowly move into the new building. “It looks like most of the engineering students within next month, at the latest, will be in the engineering building.”
Adam Kahan, vice president university advancement, said the centre’s delays are normal construction occurrences. “With any construction, there’s always little bits and pieces that need finishing up,” he said. “But we’re almost there.”
It seems that Kahan is not alone in his optimism. Stalin Boctor, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, said that classes would start full-time within the building soon.
Though engineering students will have to put up with work for just a while longer, classes will move into the $71-million facility as early as this week. RyeSAC President Dave MacLean said the delay wasn’t too bad, even after the masons went on strike for about three weeks during the summer.
“The city has officially opened it for usage,” MacLean said. “Everything will be fully up and running by Sept. 20.”
Among the centre’s highlights will be a green roof that students will have access to.The green roof is a government initiative and is said to be good for the building and the environment.
Plant life will grow on the roof, which will help keep the building cool without using more air conditioning. Classes will slowly be moved into the building, to give students an easy transition into the new facility.
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