Thursday, August 20, 2015

Ring Road construction project underway

The eastern side of the Ring Road is going to look a little different by the time October rolls around.

Beginning this week is a construction project that involves the elimination of a portion of the sidewalk on the Ring Road's east side, the construction of five new pedestrian crossings, the relocation of a bus stop and the construction of a fence.

The existing sidewalk and asphalt path on the east side of the ring road from Carl Pollock Hall in the south to the pathway to Columbia Street on the north side across from the Commissary will be removed. 

Five pedestrian-priority Ring Road crossings are also going to be built across the Ring Road, spaced as follows:

• Carl Pollock Hall at University Avenue;
• Carl Pollock Hall across from the University Shops Plaza;
• Engineering 3 across from Engineering 5;
• the Engineering road across from the front steps of Engineering 5; and
• the Mathematics road across from Parking Lot B service road and the East Campus buildings.

The intent is to create defined crossing areas that align with passages through future rail line fencing (being installed by GrandLinq) where pedestrians have the right of way.

These pedestrian priority crossings will feature speed bumps and signage indicating that pedestrians have the right of way and that drivers should stop for them. The crossings will be accessible, with the curb sloping to meet the road surface, and will feature metal plates for the visually impaired.

A barrier that includes a fence and planters will be constructed just off the curb at the Ring Road on the east side intended to discourage unsafe mid-block LRT track crossings.

In addition, the GRT bus stop on the east side of the Ring Road at the Parking Lot B road entrance will be removed and the passenger shelter relocated to the western side of the Ring Road near Needles Hall. All buses will now disgorge passengers on the Ring Road's interior. The new bus stop will be operational by Tuesday, September 7. Two parking spots in front of Needles Hall will be eliminated in order to fit the shelter at the existing bus stop.

Plant Operations estimates that the pedestrian improvements will be completed by the end of October, weather permitting. Every effort will be made to keep crossings open while the construction takes place, though pedestrians may have to detour around the sites as they cross the Ring Road.

Eventually, powered gates will be installed at each pedestrian crossing of the ION tracks to ensure safety.

The existing Laurel Trail will remain adjacent to the rail line, but will be slightly realigned.

Sparking discovery at Kidspark

This is the latest in a series of #UWCommunity stories that feature Waterloo in the community.

This past weekend, community members big and small explored the world of science with the University of Waterloo at Kidspark hosted by the City of Kitchener. The annual event creates a fun and interactive playground atmosphere for children and youth to engage in a range of activations led by various regional partners. By actively participating in this community-driven initiative, Waterloo’s Science Outreach and Engineering Science Quest (ESQ) have a unique opportunity to connect with the local community, share their knowledge and expertise, and impact innovators of the future.

Families spending the day at Kidspark had the opportunity to connect with and learn from members of our university first-hand. Volunteers from Science Outreach and ESQ facilitated educational and entertaining exercises like Cloud in a Bottle, where visitors pressurized the interior of a 2L bottle filled with a small amount of isopropyl alcohol, then removed the cap, allowing molecules to cool and form a cloud. Other experiments had participants making their own coloured slime with household materials and enjoying the giant bubble maker.

“Kidspark has provided Science Outreach at the University of Waterloo with the opportunity to connect with the community on a wider scale. Through hands-on activities like these, our community’s youth are able to discover their passion for science. We hope that our outreach experiences inspire visitors to learn and discover more about the world around them, and provide them with the means to pursue these interests,” says Ally Jewell, interim science outreach coordinator. 

Thursday's notes

Human Resources has reported that retiree Dave Reynolds died August 13. Dave began his employment at the University of Waterloo in April 1969 and retired in February 2006 as the Manager at Ron Eydt Village. He is survived by his wife, Helen.

Retiree Margaret Hibbard died August 7. Margaret started working at Waterloo in September 1975. She retired in September 1993 as Secretary in the Davis Centre Library Office. She was predeceased by her husband Ivan in 2013.