Common ground

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This article was published 16/12/2014 (4127 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After a year and a half of construction, Maples Collegiate students finally have a state-of-the-art facility they can call their own.

On Dec. 10, Maples Collegiate hosted a gala event to celebrate the grand opening of the Judy Silver Student Commons, a nearly 20,000-square-foot space that will serve as a gathering place for the school’s students and staff, as well as the broader community.

The $7-million facility, funded by the Seven Oaks School Division, is the third such project in the division, with student commons previously built at Garden City Collegiate and West Kildonan Collegiate.

The commons is named after the late Judy Silver, who served 30 years as a school trustee in the division before dying of leukemia in 2008.

Maples principal Blair Peppler said the idea for the student commons came up approximately 10 years ago.

“We said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could connect the Maples (east pod) and Ken Seaford (west pod) buildings with a common space of some kind?’ The ideas just kind of flowed and about three years ago the board agreed to fund this wonderful space,” Peppler said.

Built by Bockstael Construction and designed by Number TEN Architectural Group, the commons serves the practical purpose of linking the school’s two buildings, with connector walkways on both floors of the commons.

A multi-purpose facility, the commons is also a space for studying, dining (it will house the school’s cafeteria), school assemblies and presentations, as well as musical and cultural performances. The commons, which includes a large platform stage, can accommodate 800 people in theatre-style seating.

“First and foremost it’s a student place, so we expect the students to hang here, to meet, to talk, to socialize and to study, but we’re also hoping this facility can showcase many of our performing arts programs,” Peppler said.  

“It’s not a theatre, but the facility was designed with acoustics in mind. If you look up at the ceiling you see acoustic panels and there are also panels on the walls. We also have a fairly sophisticated sound and lighting system. Our choir tonight, they won’t be miked, as the acoustics are just terrific.”

The design of the commons is intended to simulate nature, with large tilted columns that represent poplar trees. Outside, there is a park and plaza containing about 25 trees.

“The whole concept of the commons was to have the feeling that you’re within a forest of trees and you’re looking out, so the fragmented glass and the columns that are tilted are to convey that feeling that you’re within a forest of trees,” said Christina Legris of Number TEN Architectural Group.

The commons also features a heated floor and heated benches that surround the perimeter of the facility.

Seven Oaks School Division superintendent Brian O’Leary said the Judy Silver Student Commons will greatly benefit Maples Collegiate, as well as the Maples community.

“When we initially did the commons at West Kildonan Collegiate, the idea was it would be a like a town square. This is a town square for the school and the community as well,” O’Leary said.