Craigie Hall renos needed

By Rebecca Pfliger

Performing arts students may see much needed repairs and new equipment for Craigie Hall.


Students’ Union Fine Arts representative Dustyn Richardson has made a short film featuring all of the issues students have with the building. Richardson created the film as a bid for a share of the money the SU will get in a campus improvement fund.


Richardson conducted a survey of all arts students earlier in the year asking them what their biggest issue was with their education.


“The major issue for performing arts students is lack of proper facilities,” said Richardson.


Students in Craigie Hall have to deal with speakers that no longer function, sound proofing falling off the walls and leaks in the ceiling.


Broken heating in the smaller practice rooms make it difficult to play the out of tune pianos and poses a health risk for students playing wind instruments.


Some of the equipment poses a safety issue for students, said Richardson, outlets in the primary rehearsal space for the theatre department spark when lights are plugged into them, asbestos exists in many rooms and there is a silverfish infestation in the basement.


Ongoing repairs aren’t being done well, according to Richardson. One student in his video remembers being in class while someone drilled through the ceiling from above. Realizing their error, the worker filled the hole with caulk that fell in a pile on the classroom floor below.


There is also a lack of pratice rooms.


“There are only 15 practice rooms for 225 students in the music department,” explained Richardson. I don’t know how they expect us all to be able to work.”


Classrooms are turned into office space and libraries and Japanese classes are being moved into the building. Rooms are also being condemned, with bright paper on the windows warning: “For your own safety please stay out.”


The campus improvement funds still need to be approved by the Graduate Students’ Association and senior members of the administration. It also needs to be divied up by the SU.


“Students should start to see the benefits of this by September,” claimed SU President Bryan West.