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DEVO RETURNS IN STYLE

By Alexandra Martineau

Lake Devo glided back into action last week as the university officially celebrated its return.

Community members crowded onto and around the landmark on Thursday to celebrate the lake’s reopening after a three-year hiatus. The figure skating team, hockey team, a fire juggler, a live DJ and free food and drinks rounded out the festivities.

President Sheldon Levy, decked out in a Ryerson hockey jersey, RSU President Rebecca Rose, Coun. Kyle Rae and CESAR President Jeremy Salter officially launched the celebration with welcoming remarks. “I like having fun and I like the community to have fun, and I like celebrating good things,” Levy said of the festivities.

Lake Devo provides the Ryerson community with a place to congregate and enjoy itself in concrete-and-steel downtown Toronto, he said.

Salter noted in his address that the lake is located next to the newly built Heaslip House, home to the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. This will increase continuing education’s place in the Ryerson community, he said. Students were also impressed by a performance by the figure skating team and the hockey team’s exhibition shootout.

Taymur Khan, a second-year business management student, said the event’s athletic display has piqued his interest in Ryerson varsity sports.

He said the event exceeded his expectations. “I got the e-mail, but I didn’t think it would be this good,” he said. Janean Br?hn of the figure skating team said the event gave visibility to her squad and brought the community together. The administration wants events such as these to increase an awareness of varsity sports, Levy said.

Nora Loreto, the RSU’s vice-president education, was pleased with the turnout and described the event as a great reason to watch the talent of Ryerson’s athletes. This type of event helps build school spirit at Ryerson, she said. “If this doesn’t do it then we (have) no hope,” she said.

The university would benefit from more celebrations and community events, Levy said. He added that he would like to see winter carnivals held annually.

“It would have been nice if more people brought their skates,” he said. “I’d like to have more events like that, where more children and members of the wider community are able to be there.”

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