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News

Gathering place renovations will more than double the space

Krystal Kehoe - Investigative Editor

Changes to TRU gathering places at both the Kamloops and Williams Lake campuses are currently underway to provide improvements to aboriginal spaces on campus.

“TRU is renovating both here and in Williams Lake,” said Cliff Neufeld, VP of administration and finance at TRU. “We received designated money from the government two years ago to expand aboriginal ceremonial type space.”

In 2008, TRU estimated that $1.1 million would be dedicated to the gathering place projects. According to the construction contract, the TRU House #5 renovation had a stipulated price of $204,700 (not including G.S.T.) and, in a 2009 press release, it was stated that $800,000 was dedicated to the Williams Lake space.

Nathan Matthew, executive director of aboriginal education at TRU, explained that TRU accessed two funds that were specific to First Nations universities.

“It’s to provide more space for the aboriginal students to gather, to have space for them on campus to do their work,” Matthew said.

The 2008-2009 TRU factbook stated that aboriginal students make up 10 per cent of the on-campus population.

At the Kamloops campus, the gathering place renovations are an expansion of the current building, which will more than double the size of the original building at House #5. At the Williams Lake campus a free-standing building is being constructed that will imitate the look of a traditional pit house.

Matthew said that, before the renovations, House #5 was cramped if it had a dozen people inside.

“The renovations are mainly for student purposes,” Matthew said. “It will give more space for visitors who come to campus. We also have social and recreational events [at the gathering place].” He said that this change will mean that more people can take part in activities.

Matthew said that the gathering place will also be the home to an elders program, where aboriginal students can go to get counselling and support. Two staff members will continue operating out of the house at TRU: a co-ordinator for student activities and a staff member to help students transition into university.

“There will be more opportunity for student to drop by and a place for them to feel they are part of the campus.” Matthew said.

He said that education workers normally come into universities as well. The new spaces, on both campuses, will give the workers a place to visit their students.

The renovations in Kamloops are scheduled to be completed by March 30. Nathan Matthew said that the changes on both campuses are designed for the long-term.