Laurentian U leads Sudbury construction surge.

• Author: Stewart, Nick
• Position: NEWS

A series of construction efforts at Laurentian University are just part of a slew of projects occurring within various institutions within the City of Greater Sudbury

"We're pretty well stretched to the limit in terms of our capacity to deliver all our programs, in terms of classroom needs, research laboratories, and offices," says Norm Lajeunesse, director of Physical Plant and Planning.

"As a result of that, we're in the midst of a capital expansion phase right now."

One of the projects being pursued to cope with the space shortage of an estimated 120,000 square feet is a new $15.1 million school of education. Construction of the 74,000 square foot facility began at the campus' east end in September, with Sudbury-based Tribury Construction carrying out the project as designed by Castellan James + Partners Architects, also of Sudbury. Occupancy is expected to begin in 2008.

The building will accommodate students of the four-year-old English-language bachelor of education program by providing them with 20 standard classrooms and a 180-seat auditorium-style classroom.

The institution is also looking to build a $10 million, 55,000 square foot addition to its Ben Avery Sports Complex.

The facility will host new cardiovascular and weight rooms, a 200-metre indoor running track, a squash court, two playing courts, and a climbing wall.

The building is in the final stages of design, as a result of work done by Sudbury-based ANO Architects Inc. The project is expected to go to tender in January 2007, with construction slated to be completed within one year.

Construction is coming to a close on a 4,000 square foot addition to Laurentian University's Arts Building. The two-story, $1.6 million project is constructing an auditorium-style, multimedia-capable classroom on the second floor, which will be completed in January 2007. It is being designed by Sudbury firm J.L. Richards & Associates Limited and implemented by Build North Construction Ltd. The first floor will play host to a new microcomputer store, as well as a full-service Tim Horton's outlet, with both expected to open in February 2007.

"It's curious to see how, of all these projects, it's Tim Horton's that's probably most highly anticipated," says Lajeunesse with a chuckle.

Laurentian is also looking to begin construction on the future $12 million home of the university's growing Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit (CFEU), known as the Living with Lakes Centre.

The Vancouver-based...