A new space for religious groups on campus is in its final stages of development, according to Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) vice-president (student services) Reda Zarrug.
The Multi-Faith Centre will be located in the University Centre, according to Zarrug.
Renovations to the space are currently underway.
“The centre is open to all students, of all different religions, faiths, and spiritual opinions,” Zarrug said via email.
Zarrug said the CUSA-funded centre won’t provide specific programming.
It will be a space for religious groups on campus “to facilitate their faith based needs throughout the day,” he said.
The centre will be administered through his office, Zarrug said, and there will be no co-ordinator hired.
“The idea of the centre has been around for a very long time,” he said.
Zarrug said he has reached out to all faith-based CUSA clubs on campus.
“I was very involved with the different faith-based groups on campus who were disappointed that most other campuses had a multi-faith centre but Carleton didn’t,” he said.
Buraidah Razack, vice-president (external) of Carleton’s Muslim Students’ Association (MSA), said his group has communicated with CUSA on the Multi-Faith Centre.
“The MSA has been asking for a new room for a long time because, our current prayer room, it’s always packed. [The Multi-Faith Centre] is more space for us as well as for other clubs too,” he said.
Hillel Ottawa was contacted Oct. 2 for their input on the centre, according to Hillel’s director of Jewish campus life Scott Goldstein. Hillel is a campus club registered with CUSA.
Chaim Boyarsky, director of the Chabad Student Network of Ottawa, said he has not been formally contacted by CUSA, but that he would like his registered campus club to be consulted.
Pat Brush, a member of the Ecumenical Chaplaincy at Carleton, said CUSA has not contacted her office regarding the Multi-Faith Centre, but that the chaplaincy would be glad if it was able to use the extra space that they hope the new centre will provide.
Zarrug said the centre’s opening date is to be announced in few weeks.
