New science labs and renovations to University Hall part of upcoming project
Caroline Zentner
lethbridge herald
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The University of Lethbridge is in the planning stages of a major project that could add 300,000 square feet to the campus and renovate the more than 40-year-old University Hall.
The catalyst for the project is the outdated science labs currently in U. Hall. It contains both dry and wet labs used in disciplines such as chemistry, biochemistry and geology. Wet labs are considered high intensity and they need special infrastructure systems, such as fume hoods, to handle the type of work being done.
"They're not ideally located because of the nature of the work that takes place in them," said Chris Eagan, an engineer and executive director of facilities. "You typically don't want them where they can be accessed by people who don't have the safety training. Those types of labs, we don't like them adjacent to public spaces.
"This building was never constructed with accommodating those types of activities in mind so we've had to jury-rig the building so they're safe to work in."
The project is in the beginning stages of strategic planning to identify the types of activities that should be housed in the new construction. Eagan calls the development a project because it's not yet certain whether it will entail one, two or three buildings. Locations under consideration include the space immediately north of Markin Hall, as part of the complex along with the neuroscience and water buildings or perhaps an addition to the water building. The new campus master plan, expected to be completed this summer, will help provide more direction in locating new construction.
The project has to meet institutional requirements and the needs of the departments and faculties involved and will require much more than new labs. Storage spaces, formal and informal learning and teaching spaces, washrooms, hallways, meeting areas and offices all must be taken into account.
"So we'll have some new construction that'll be pretty much focused on moving the high-intensity serviced spaces in U. Hall into a new facility. We'll also be coming back and renovating major portions of University Hall," Eagan said.
University Hall will be returned to low intensity spaces and will feature inter-disciplinary areas where researchers in the social sciences, humanities and other disciplines can collaborate.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $255 million. The U of L received $2.3 million in planning money last September. After strategic planning has been completed, the U of L will move on to functional programming to nail down more details that will be used in the third phase of designing, tendering and construction.
The U of L could be ready for construction in 2013 provided the Alberta government approves funding for the project. Eagan said the planning process will result in information that will clearly demonstrate to government the need for the project.
The project will take about 10 years from start to finish but some of the most crucial work comes at the beginning.
"We all have a great concern that we work together to produce the best possible answer because buildings last a long time."