SAITSA expects construction of a new student headquarters to start this spring.
The new building, to rise just southeast of the Campus Centre, won’t be just for SAITSA though. It will also be a student centred area, says a spokesperson for the association.
“It’s going to be an all student-focused space,” Shona White, the SAITSA marketing and communications assistant manager, said in an article published in the student newspaper The Weal.
The new building is expected to be open in 2020.
Students seem to be very excited about the new space for them.
Benjamin Ulrich, a hospitality student at SAIT, said he is particularly excited for the idea of a new and improved Gateway.
“I’d go to the Gateway,” said Ulrich.
What he hopes from the new student centre is more options for courses students could use.
He thinks if they added more class options and things to do, it would increase the number of students that go to SAIT.
“New students equal more money, which in theory, would mean smaller tuition payments,” said Ulrich.
He said he wishes he could be around when the new space is completed so he can see it and put it to use.
The building will cost $25 million, but students have already raised $10 million of that cost.
“After living in residence and having to deal with construction early in the morning, I’m not looking forward to more,” Ulrich said.
Others, like Tyler Porter, feel as though there is not enough study space for students at the moment, so a new building would really help.
It’s going to be an all student-focused space. – Shona White
Porter said places like the Senator Burns building are always crowded and don’t have sufficient space during the day for students to do their work.
“Senator Burns has tiny tables and no space for everyone that needs it,” he said.
“No other building is good for that either, so I think if we have a new building, the problem could be solved,” said Porter.
