Cranes, front-end loaders and construction workers have become common on campus over the past two years as three new buildings have gone up on Carleton’s campus.
While construction is necessary for the university to grow and provide the facilities students need, Carleton’s administration should have been realistic and honest about the progress of the Canal Building, the new Lennox and Addington residence and the River Building.
These projects have all run past deadline, only to have those deadlines reset and missed again. The Administration should have been more transparent so students and staff could have made alternate arrangements as soon as possible.
In the case of the Canal Building, it looks irresponsible to hold an official opening for an unfinished building. Having a premature official opening makes it look as if the building is just meant to enhance Carleton’s image rather than be a practical site.
With Lennox and Addington, had the university been more transparent about the delay, students could have had more freedom to make alternate arrangements, such as subletting an apartment until construction was truly complete.
Construction on the River Building is said to be complex because of its size and unforeseen circumstances. It’s true that with construction some factors can’t be controlled. Still, the university should have been more upfront about the delays. Perhaps they could have also planned more strategically so fewer projects would be running concurrently.
Two new renovation projects are beginning this fall at the MacOdrum Library and Robertson Hall.
The new residence is set to finally be completed Oct. 28, but, after the construction track record so far and the addition of two new projects, can we really trust that date?