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Western to upgrade astronomy facility

Deb Matthews, Liberal MPP for London-North-Centre

Deb Matthews, the Liberal MPP for London-North-Centre announcing the $9 million grant to upgrade the Physics and Astronomy Building .

 

From The London Free Press
Tue, March 4, 2008

By CHIP MARTIN SUN MEDIA

Officials at the University of Western Ontario were starry-eyed yesterday at a $9-million boost from the Ontario government to upgrade the astronomy and physics building.

“The physics and astronomy building is one of Western’s oldest and grandest,” said UWO president Paul Davenport.

Completed in 1924, the structure in the “modified, collegiate gothic” style of architecture was originally the natural sciences building. It’s the second-oldest on campus, opened shortly after University College, the arts building.

Davenport lauded the gift as one that will “allow Western to expand research capacity, improve the student experience and help foster innovation.”

The money is earmarked to upgrade the structure so it can house four leading research programs and new teaching facilities.

The Ontario government recently contributed $13 million to Western to improve energy efficiency and campus safety and for other improvements. The money is part of a $1.4-billion, provincewide investment in strategic public works included in the government fall economic statement.

Deb Matthews, the Liberal MPP for London-North-Centre, said the latest contribution “will help ensure that there is the appropriate space for the development of research and the training of those who will become the workforce behind the next generation of jobs.”

 

Chip Martin is the Free Press politics reporter.