Brock’s undergraduate students have voted to spend $2 million on a new building and Union Station renovations.
Of the 1,978 votes received during last week’s three-day referendum, 1,773 — or 89.6 per cent — voted to allow the Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU) to access the restricted capital funds. Half a million will be spent on Union Station renovations, while $1.5 million will be used on the first two phases of construction of a new building.
BUSU president Sohail Ahmed called it “one of the most exciting things to happen this year. I am absolutely thrilled that it passed.”
BUSU already has permission from the University to start the process of creating the new building, which would be about 69,000 square feet. Possibilities include:
- clubs lounge, offices and meeting rooms
- media centre, including new homes for BrockTV, Brock Press and CFBU
- new offices for BUSU, the Brock University Students’ Advisory Council and the Graduate Students Association
- faith and prayer rooms
- a student justice centre
The renovations will include three new Union Station vendors, a breakfast menu and “walk-through” window, as well as work to the Skybar restaurant.
Union Station renovations should be completed by September, Ahmed said. As for the building, BUSU will continue talks with the University and devise plans to get student input on the structure.
“Now that we know that students really want the building, we can comfortably move forward with putting more time and resources into this,” he said.
There were 17,062 students eligible to vote, including part-time students.
Related story:
• BUSU holding referendum for new on-campus building | The Brock News
