Members of the Carleton community are raising concerns over the regular upkeep of Mackenzie Building, which they say does not appear to have the same standards of care as other buildings on campus.
“It’s overall a really dirty building,” a Carleton staff member, who requested to remain anonymous, told the Charlatan.
Staff working in the building frequently call facilities management to alert them of work that needs to be done, he said.
Some of the calls are in reference to maintenance like burnt out light bulbs, but others are in regard to regular cleaning like emptying garbage bins, according to the staff member—who said he personally makes approximately two calls a week.
“I know it’s hard to keep a high traffic zone neat and tidy,” he said. “I’ll come in Monday and it’s the same crud that’s on the floor.”
The staff member said he frequently sees the same garbage in the halls for several days in a row, pointing out a half-eaten muffin in a stairwell that he says has been there for more than a week. The floors are typically dirty and the washrooms smell, and are frequently vandalized, he said.
“I have repeatedly complained to maintenance control about the lack of overnight maintenance and they agree and sympathize, but nothing truly gets resolved,” he said.
The staff member said the building he describes as a “major embarrassment” has been this way since custodial services were contracted out to an external company.
Mackenzie Building is home to Carleton’s industrial design program, and is used for all engineering disciplines. The building is over 50 years old, according to Darryl Boyce, Carleton’s assistant vice-president (facilities management and planning).
Carleton has its own Maintenance Services department, but much of the custodial services are contracted out to the external company DTZ, according to Boyce.
Washroom graffiti isn’t a problem unique to Mackenzie Building, Boyce said, and maintenance of science and technology buildings is often more complex than others. Boyce added that maintenance concerns, when raised, are immediately addressed.
“Mackenzie is an old building,” Boyce said.
A short walk around the ground floor of the building at 10 a.m. on Feb. 11 showed several cleanliness issues.
The majority of windows and vending machines were smeared. The space behind most drinking fountains harboured visible dirt and dust many shades darker than the rest of the floor. Many of the walls were marked with smudges.
Inside one of the entrances on the ground floor, several ceiling panels were missing to show peeling paint behind.
“It’s the dirtiest building on campus,” said third-year engineering student Cristian Salvo, who is in Mackenzie Building almost every day.
Carleton renewed its five-year contract with DTZ, a UGL Unicco company, in September 2010. The 2010 contract expanded DTZ’s services to include custodial services, residence housekeeping services, subcontractor management, and maintenance, according to a UGL press release.
A third-party review of the work done for Carleton by DTZ determined the school was receiving the value they paid for the service, Boyce said.
The 47 buildings are serviced by 150 DTZ employees, according to UGL’s website.
Carleton’s manager of contracted facilities, Andy Mutch, said, “If a staff member has issues, they should be addressing to the proper channels and they will get addressed.”
