Possible Areas for New Construction


Figure 1 (PDF) indicates current construction projects, in yellow, along with renovation projects in blue planned for the near-term Capital Program.  Two of the construction projects, the recreational facility and the services building, will allow a significant amount of space in the centre of campus to be converted to academic use, as indicated in orange.  This Figure also identifies, in red, those future construction projects that have been approved.  Also indicated in Figure 1 are areas that offer opportunities for primary and secondary development and other lands owned by Western.

Figures 2, 3, and 4 should not be considered site plans but show the types of facility layout and square footage of buildings that could be placed on these lands above the flood plain and at the 70% building-to-land coverage that is identified as within the City Regional Facilities zoning guidelines. These sites include the South Valley site Figure 2 (PDF), the Westminster campus Figure 3 (PDF) and the former Diocese lands Figure 4 (PDF).

Possible areas for the creation of sports fields on the flood plain areas include Westminster College in the short term and the Baldwin Flats in the longer term. The Baldwin Flats fields could well be used in partnership with City recreational groups during periods when the University would not be using the facilities. As indicated in the section on transportation, a footbridge joining the Baldwin Flats to the TD Waterhouse stadium and the new Student Recreation Centre across the Thames River could be created to facilitate a linkage between the sports fields on either side of the river.   The Fram property is a potential site of development in the longer term.

The square footage yield of the three possible building sites would be in the range of 150 thousands of square meters. Based on the projections identified in the previous chapter, and the possible yield on the available building sites, it is deemed prudent that the University continue to seek first right of refusal to purchase properties adjacent to, and in the area of, the University over the long-term.

 

Next section (Transportation and Circulation Strategy)