Canadian Mennonite University opens commons
Facility home to library, cafe, and student study space
Advertisement
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/12/2014 (4157 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Marpeck Commons at the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) was officially opened on Nov. 29.
Construction on the $14.4-million project began in July 2013 and will house CMU’s new library, bookstore, café, and student study areas.
“The purpose of this facility as a whole is to A, give us a new library which we desperately need and B, this creates a new hub for the campus,” Kevin Kilbrei, CMU’s director of communications and marketing, said.
A new skywalk spanning Grant Avenue connects the campus buildings on the south side of the busy thoroughfare to the Marpeck Commons and campus buildings on the north side of the property.
“This creates a hub for both sides; we have staff and faculty on both sides and often we don’t meet as we’re lacking that centre,” Kilbrei said.
According to Kilbrei, consultants estimate that nearly 700 people cross Grant Avenue each day, making the skywalk an important component in enhancing safety and accessibility.
The Marpeck Commons, named after Pilgram Marpeck (1495-1556) who was a lay leader of Anabaptist groups in Europe, will be fully functional for the start of second semester on Jan. 6, 2015.
A few finishing touches, including moving books into the library and completing the café, will be done before students can access the space.
Vic Froese, library director at CMU, is happy to see the commons near completion.
“This is going to be a dramatic improvement on what we have, not just in terms of square footage, but the light is just gorgeous,” Froese said.
The Marpeck Commons boasts over 10,000 square-feet of space dedicated to library purposes.
“I think it’s going to be a great place to sit and relax and read and even study.”
Currently, CMU’s library is housed in the lower level of the campus, which is relatively cramped.
“One of the problems is we don’t have a lot of space for people to come in and sit and work,” Froese explained. “We have a few tables but they’re fairly close together.”
The library was also subject to chronic flooding, which was a source of anxiety for both faculty and students alike.
“It seemed like every two years we’d have some kind of water event, as we call it politely, but it’s a flood. So that was a huge thing that seriously interrupted our services a number of times,” Froese said.
The library’s new book shelves are situated on a track that can be moved using a crank. This allows for more shelves and books to be fit into the space.
.jpg?w=1000)
“It doesn’t take an awful lot of energy to use them,” Froese said. “You get a workout for your body as well as your mind when you come to the library.”
CMU has raised about $13.5 million in private donations to fund for the project. Kilbrei said students and taxpayers will not be carrying any of the cost of the new commons. CMU needs to raise about $1 million more to pay the remaining balance.
“The campaign cabinet says ‘Don’t worry we’ll raise it,’” Kilbrei said. “We’re preparing to carry a mortgage on it but they’re saying ‘don’t worry, it’s going to come through,’ so we’re putting our faith in them.”