The Spot, Carleton University Students’ Association’s (CUSA) student life centre, is closing down after opening its doors just last year.
The Spot, which provided students with a hangout space to watch TV, charge phones, and attend Student Academic Success Centre (SASC) workshops, opened on Oct. 1, 2014 in the University Centre (UC).
CUSA president Fahd Alhattab said The Spot was closed to make room for a new co-working space for clubs and societies.
“We did a review of all the business models of all our centres, and we realized we were missing something with The Spot,” he said.
Alhattab said students would ask him what the purpose of The Spot was.
“I could say, ‘it was a student life centre.’ But what did it do? It sold some swag, it sold some tickets, [and] it was a space for students to be,” he said.
“So reviewing what value [The Spot] delivered to which customer segments, we said there’s something missing here . . . We kept reviewing different ideas, but then we were committed to having a co-working space for clubs and societies,” Alhattab said.
Alhattab said there was controversy during the summer when CUSA tried to evict the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) from their space in the UC. He said the situation made CUSA consider how The Spot could be moved to accommodate clubs and societies.
CUSA’s food centre on the fourth floor of the UC was relocated to The Spot temporarily while it was being cleaned, according to Alhattab.
“Moving [the food centre] down to [The Spot], we saw a larger engagement range because a lot of people would walk by and see the food centre. Giving them that extra space was helpful,” he said.
CUSA also needed to establish a communications office, he said.
“All the different moves had the communications office go into the old food centre, and 514 UC storage went down to 127B, and that opened up the back office . . . That open space will be what The Spot could have been, which is a place where students can come work,” he said.
Alhattab said there was no sunk cost of closing down The Spot. Renovation costs for The Spot were originally about $250 to $275 for Wi-Fi access and purchasing office stationary, new charging stations, and paint for the space.
“I wouldn’t say anything significant was spent [on The Spot]. It was a good portion, but nothing that can’t be reutilized, except maybe the signs,” he said.
“I think CUSA learned a lot and I think it’s been a huge lesson, and I think the essence of what The Spot was supposed to be . . . we have that in the co-working space,” he added.
