Students looking for healthy vegan food on campus may be out of luck this year, if the Garden Spot fails to find a space for itself on campus. The demise of the G-Spot, as it is commonly known, will affect more than just the students who depend on it as a food source.
There should be a concerted effort to keep the G-Spot running. A volunteer-run, pay-what-you-can food outlet, the G-Spot is our brave stand against Aramark, the private company that runs most food locations on campus. Whereas fast food chains have conquered our food court, the G-Spot provides an alternative where students can still find healthy, environmentally-friendly, affordable home-cooked food made with love.
While space on campus is limited and volunteers are scarce, an initiative like the G-Spot is essential for our campus community. If space is the issue, the G-Spot could be integrated into the new Health and Wellness Centre that the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) is trying to set up. Alternatively, it could be hosted by other CUSA service centres on a rotating basis throughout the week. If it’s money, the modest levee the restaurant receives could be increased. It wouldn’t be as painful as the increase in beer prices at Oliver’s and everyone would benefit.
As a university, Carleton needs to be a place of learning, and learning does not only happen in the classroom. The G-Spot is a great opportunity to teach students about healthy eating and the value of community service.
Both CUSA and the university should consider increasing the G-Spot’s funding so it becomes more permanent, perhaps even becoming a service centre with a dedicated co-ordinator so students can use it as a regular resource for food as well as food information, not a temporary initiative always scrambling for space and resources.
