Watch out for the hole

By Natalie Sit

Much like drinking, stressing and ditching classes, sights and sounds of construction have become a mainstay for University of Calgary students. With MacEwan Hall expansion and renovations and the continued construction of the Information Communications Technology building, the university is growing again. There are three major areas of construction: the ICT building, MacHall expansion (the big hole in the ground where the Rock used to be) and renovations of Students’ Union and club offices. All three projects are on schedule, and the outlook is bright.

The ICT concrete structure is complete up to and including the roof and consists of a staggering 6,015 cubic metres of concrete and 877 metric tonnes of steel. The unistrut grid is three-quarters complete on the second floor and work began on the third floor on Dec. 4. And more good news, air conditioning units have arrived and are set to be installed. Building completion is scheduled for Aug. 26, 2001.

Mac Hall renovations are well on their way, and SU VP Operations and Finance Matt Lauzon is confident new club space will be ready in January, perhaps at the cost of the quick completion of SU office renovations, which have been put on the backburner in order to get the club space up and ready.

"Resources have been allotted towards club space," said Lauzon. "We’re not sure what date exactly they can move in, but it’ll be January. The majority of the space should be done by Jan. 7."

The major stumbling block has been a very minor detail.

"We’ve had difficulties acquiring laminate," lamented Lauzon.

There is also construction going on in the former food kiosks facing Taco Time. These are being modified to serve as temporary space for the Copy Centre and the comic store.

"Eventually that area will be completely demolished," said Lauzon. "It will be more student lounge space."

As for the big hole in the ground outside MacHall, everything is right on pace. It will be a while however, before the sounds of construction grow silent on campus. Until then, the U of C community has to deal with construction both inside and outside Mac Hall. Luckily, there are no major problems and Mac Hall expansion is right on schedule.