In 2019, BUSU offered students the exciting opportunity to approve a referendum for a new Student Centre on campus with 65 per cent voting in favour. Since then, BUSU has been taking the necessary steps to begin the process of building.

“Making this new Student Centre a reality is not only exciting for current undergraduate students, but for future students as well,” said former BUSU Vice-President, University Affairs, Andrea Lepage. “Student space provides opportunities to socialize and interact with peers outside of a classroom setting, building a sense of community and belonging on campus.” 

The new BUSU Student Centre will rehome the BUSU Offices and offer 45,000 sq. ft. of additional space. “Among many things, the new Student Centre will house lounge space and flexible multi-purpose space geared to students, both of which we are currently significantly lacking on campus.” said BUSU President James Maxwell-Barillas. “This new space will also allow BUSU to turn our current office into a space for our over 120 student clubs.”

While discussing the impact the centre will have on students’ experience at Brock, BUSU Vice-President, University Affairs, Carleigh Charlton commented, “This will not only open up so many new and exciting opportunities for BUSU to better support students, clubs, events and services, but will also provide areas for students to connect, collaborate, relax, have fun, and feel like they belong to the Brock University community.” Charlton added, “Having a space like this, for the students, pushed forward by so many generations of students, will completely transform what being a Brock student means.”

“The need for the new building is long overdue as our student population has grown significantly, over 130%,” said Lepage. “The undergraduate student population back in 1990, when the current building was built, was around 9,701. Brock currently sits around 18,000 undergraduate students to date,” Lepage adds, “the new centre is a welcomed addition to the University, and the revisions to the terms and conditions add no extra costs to us students.”

“This project has been in the making for quite some time, and it’s exciting to see the progress ramping up,” said Charlton, adding, “while many may not still be here when the building opens, the decisions made now, and feedback offered, will inform a space that will serve Brock students for decades to come. No one knows what being a Brock student is like better than us, the students, and it’s been amazing to work on a project so profoundly shaped by what our students are telling us they want and need.”

Background

2012 The BUSU Strategic Plan (PDF)  prioritizes the expansion of current student space.

2012 Feasibility Study in Partnership with Brock University (PDF) with location on Weather Station Field. 

2016 Brock University completes Campus Plan (PDF) showing two sites for a Student Centre on campus, both on Weather Station Field.

2019 Students vote yes via referendum to building a new Student Centre. View results here (PDF).

2020 Feasibility Study in Partnership with Brock University (PDF) with location East of the Cairns Building 

2021 The BUSU Strategic Plan (PDF) indicates that “We will build a new Student Centre”. 

2022 Feasibility Study in partnership with Brock University to look at options for the Student Centre location, including building onto the existing Student Centre and a site on Weather Station Field. The study and the subsequent financial projections showed that a Greenfield Development was $14M less than expanding the current Student Centre for the same square footage when interest payments were considered. Expansion of the current Student Centre will also mean closing the facility for up to 14 months. View options here (PDF).

2023 In February, the former Brock University Vice-President Administration indicated that a Greenfield Build is off the table.   

2023 In November, BUSU developed a Functional Plan for the building and confirmed the next steps to move forward with the new Student Centre.

2024 In February, students voted on changes to the financing terms and conditions that need to be approved by Brock students. 79.9% voted yes. This will not mean any additional fees for students, only the terms and conditions of the bank financing.

Next Steps

Student Feedback Open Now!

Fill out the survey at this link to let us know what type of spaces you need, how you would like to use the space and any questions or concerns you have about the new building on campus. Feedback will be open throughout this project.

Brock Board of Trustees Meeting, June 26 to 27, 2024

BUSU's team have met with Brock administration multiple times over the last few years to discuss the construction of a new Student Centre on campus. The next step in our conversations with Brock will be final approval to start construction. BUSU will present to the Brock Board of Trustees in June 2024 for approval.

Building Design, 2025

Once approved by the Brock Board of Trustees, BUSU will engage an architect to design the new Student Centre. This will be finalized no later than 2025.

Completion Date, Fall 2027

We will continue to update students about when construction will begin and end on the new Student Centre. Approximate dates for opening the new Student Centre are Fall 2027.

Have questions or want to give your feedback on the new Student Centre? Head to our survey at this link. You can also email vpua@brockbusu.ca

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