Building Updates, Improvements, & Renewals

Below is a collection of many different projects that have been completed across our Residence Spaces since 2023. 

Accessible Bedroom Enhancements:

Implemented AODA bedroom enhancements across our campus Housing spaces to provide accessible spaces to students with a documented medical need. 

Site Lighting Enhancements:

Continual work and effort continues to improve the exterior lighting across our communities across multiple locations (UWP, REV and MKV). 

Comprehensive Building Condition Assessments:

Continual work to have a comprehensive review of our systems/buildings/spaces to allow for future planning of work that contributes to improving the student experience.   

Desk Chair Replacement:

Improve student experience by replacing old, outdated desk chairs with new desk chairs across our communities.   

Bidets:

Addition of bidets in select student units across our communities. 

DASH:

A Residence Facilities initiative that seeks to improve student’s residence experience by delivering tangible, easily-implementable, facility-related improvements to communities on an annual basis​. DASH uses student feedback to help inform which improvements to implement. Previous projects include the REV ice rink, CMH green wall, lounge furniture updates, V1 dining hall furniture update, new desk chairs, etc. 

Upgrades to our Infrastructure and Building Systems:

Multiple projects to update our current infrastructure and building systems across all residence spaces. These projects allow Campus Housing to continue to operate and provide a student experience across our buildings. These projects include: 

• Electrical Feed to our buildings 
• Electrical Switch Gear Replacement 
• Boiler Replacement 
• Sanitary Line Upgrades 
• IST Upgrades 

REV Main Lounge Updates:

New REV lounge furniture and paint colours, as selected by current students as part of the student feedback driven DASH project. Additional carpet replacement and new doors with vision panels will be installed summer 2024. 

REV Carpet Replacement:

Replacement of the damaged and aged carpet found on all main level common corridors of the 4 REV quads. 

UWP Bike Shelter:

Addition of a WatCard accessible bike shelter to support 100 bikes in the UWP community. 

V1 and REV Basketball Court Resurfacing:

Resurface both the REV and V1 basketball courts and replacement of the basketball polls and nets as needed. Surfaces will be line painted to create multi-use space that can accommodate multiple sports. Additional outdoor seating area to be added to both courts. 

Additional Allergen Free Suites:

Replace the carpet flooring in 4 V1 singles and 2 REV doubles. Carpet to be replaced with standard solid floor material (LVT or other engineered solid finish), removal of millwork and wooden furniture and replace with new standard items with laminate finish, replace the window coverings and replace lighting with non-florescent lighting models. 

Interior Lighting System Assessment and Replacement:

Complete a consultant lead assessment of our interior florescent lighting to inform the required renewal for lighting over the next 5 years. Replacement for portion of the current florescent bulbs in our communities to LED. 

Pathway Repairs and Replacement:

Complete a consultant lead assessment of our pathways and address a portion of renewal for the areas requiring attention. 

REV Shower Improvements:

Install of bathroom privacy partitions in REV floor washrooms due to student feedback. 

In 2022 Campus Housing completed a Facilities Strategy to guide revitalization of its residence buildings. This strategy provides foresight and direction for how strategic long-term planning could look within Campus Housing. The suggested roadmap suggests building new residences over the next 20 years with the focus on the following principles: 

• Leveraging underutilized buildings 
• Utilizing unoccupied sites 
• Taking advantage of proximity to complementary buildings and amenities 
• Strengthening existing facilities 
• Taking advantages of high-traffic locations 

The strategy provides priorities that Campus Housing should focus on over the next 5 years. They include: 

• Improving the Campus Housing student experience 
• Reconsider low performing buildings   
• Provide additional beds to allow for buildings to undergo renewal   
• Reduce our CO2 emissions 
• Continuing ongoing maintenance across our aging buildings 

New Residence Building 2026 (NRB26) 

The first project resulting from the Campus Housing Facilities Strategy is a New Residence Building with a targeted opening date of September 2026. This new residence will align with the long-term strategy of Campus Housing and is intended to increase capacity for growth and renovations, provide further connection to the existing UWP community and the main campus as a gateway residence, and creates opportunities to align to Campus’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy and carbon neutrality goals. It will prioritize amenity spaces that promote learning, personal interactions, wellness, and overall sense of belonging for students. 

We use a variety of methods to collect feedback and make decisions on which projects to move forward, including but not limited to:   

• Student feedback  
• Facilities assessments  
• Structured stakeholder engagement  
• Campus Housing Facilities Strategy