Director of Operations Paul Penner reports that “the Ontario Ministry of Labour gave permission to continue the construction of Grebel’s new kitchen and dining room expansion, in spite of restrictions brought about by COVID-19. The general contractor, Nith Valley Construction, is proceeding very carefully and has numerous safeguards in place, including limiting the number of workers on site at any given time. Electrical, sprinkler, and plumbing rough-ins are well underway in the kitchen, and steel has been erected on the patio for the extended dining room and connection to the chapel foyer. Progress is being made surely and steadily.”
Because students moved out of residence in March, the construction crew gained access to the dining room a month earlier than anticipated. This modification to the timeline will help keep the project on schedule. “We are looking forward to moving into the new kitchen in August, with improved ways to prepare delicious food—like charbroiled chicken,” observed Food Services Manager Cheri Otterbein.
“Students have demonstrated patience and support for the ongoing construction at Grebel,” noted Student Council President Mykayla Turner, who is looking forward to the return of lots of natural light when the project is complete. “We are also excited about the spacious design of the servery, which will help keep foods for special diets separate from the main option. Most of all, we look forward to a larger space to host Community Supper and enjoy good food and conversation with all residents, associates, staff, and faculty!”
“Most of our major tenders have come in and we anticipate being close to our anticipated expenses,” added President Marcus Shantz. Much of the new dining room space will be ready for the fall term. However, the last phase of the project will involve renovating the existing kitchen space to create more storage, a washroom for kitchen staff, a private dining room and the Pantry—a space that will be available 24/7 for snacks and lunch storage for off-campus associate students.
