MacEwan University students voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new Students’ Association building, which would be mostly funded by the students themselves.
A referendum was held last week asking students whether they support paying $35 extra in student fees per-term to help pay for the new building. More than 77 per cent of students that cast a ballot voted ‘yes’.
“It’s not only for our students but it’s for our community. This is going to be a building that our students can meet our community and our community can come meet our students,” said Brittany Pitruniak, President of the Students’ Association of MacEwan University (SAMU).
According to the SAMU, the buildings on MacEwan’s downtown campus don’t have enough space to serve the current population.
“I think it’s going to benefit MacEwan’s growth and consolidation downtown,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “I’m hopeful, like other student centres on other campuses, it will be public facing and will be a benefit to the whole neighbourhood.”
The plan is that students won’t begin paying for the building until it's complete, meaning many current students won’t be footing the bill. In December, the SAMU will meet with the board of directors to finalize plans.
The new $40-million building located on the east-side of 109 Street, between 104 and 105 Avenue, is expected to include a 24-hour study space and new food options.
The hope is to have the building open by the fall of 2018.
With files from CTV's Breanna Karstens-Smith
