The summer months will see renovations to both new and old buildings on Carleton’s campus.
Changes are coming to the Loeb and Steacie buildings among others, according to assistant vice-president (facilities management and planning) Darryl Boyce.
The major planned projects are the first phase of renewal for the Loeb Building and ongoing upgrades to Steacie Building and the MacOdrum Library. Boyce said this work will cost between $1.5 and $2 million for each building.
Boyce added that in addition to these projects, repairs are planned to parking structure P9 beside Robertson Hall as well as the parking space underneath the library.
He said work on the new three-story parking garage P18 is entering its final stages, and the garage should be completed by the end of August.
Student residences Stormont and Dundas will receive a second phase of upgrades this summer, according to Boyce. Glengarry, the residence many students have complained about in regards to building quality, is the next to be reviewed for repairs.
“Fundamentally, we’ve been working our way around the older residences,” Boyce said. “Glengarry had some work done about 10 or 12 years ago, so we’re evaluating the next phase of its upgrades.”
Newer buildings like the Canal and River Buildings will undergo repairs as required, Boyce added. He said preventative maintenance is the focus for these buildings to stay ahead of major repairs.
While priority will be on the Loeb, Steacie, and MacOdrum Library renovations, the budget for repairs includes a contingency fund for unexpected maintenance.
“Designated substances, pipes that you didn’t know were there—all sorts of things that show up,” said Boyce. “That’s just the way of construction and part of the renewal process. You know you’re going to find things that come as a bit of a surprise.”
Carleton president Roseann Runte said she was involved with some of the preliminary planning for building maintenance over the summer. She added the biggest challenge was trying to work around people on campus during those months.
“We were trying to organize what we could do in the time available and how we could least inconvenience people because the campus is still operating in the summer,” Runte said.
Suzanne Blanchard, vice-president (students and enrollment), echoed Runte’s comments.
“People think the campus is really empty during the summer but there are so many other conferences and activities and different things like that, and that it doesn’t give us much time,” Blanchard said.
