Western’s strategic plan, Towards Western at 150, calls for strategic growth and in alignment with this strategy we are updating our Campus Development Strategy (2015) and Open Space Strategy (2018) to reflect our campus’ emerging needs. Both strategies remain focused on advancing our teaching and research missions, enriching experiences for students, faculty, and staff, and responsibly stewarding our campus land and evolving infrastructure.

The draft Campus Development Strategy (formerly Campus Master Plan) helps guide how development decisions are made now and into the future. It builds on key ideas like sustainability, connectivity, inclusivity, and resilience, while highlighting Western’s commitment to its campus environment, architectural excellence, and strategic priorities.

The draft Open Space Strategy guides how we approach our outdoor spaces. Aligned with current priorities, including the Campus Development Strategy, it addresses growth, changing mobility patterns – walking, cycling, transit and vehicles – and our evolving public space needs. It strengthens the pedestrian priority core, coordinates capital projects, and reflects recent updates to the City of London’s mobility and transit plans.

We invite you to review the updated draft strategies and share your feedback.

The final draft strategies will be shared with Western’s Property & Finance Committee, and Board of Governors for review and approval in June.

Consultation Process

Until May 18, you can share feedback on the draft strategies.

You may attend an in-person or virtual Town Hall session and/or complete the online form.

Before you give feedback

Whether you are attending a Town Hall session or completing the form, please review the draft Campus Development Strategy and Open Space Strategy.

When it comes time to provide feedback, here’s what we’d like to know from you:

• Are there areas where you see the two updated strategies potentially conflicting in a way we should address?
• From your perspective, what is the single greatest opportunity presented by the Campus Development Strategy or Open Space Strategy?
• What is one significant barrier or challenge you foresee in the implementation of the Campus Development Strategy or Open Space Strategy?
• Is there a specific element missing from either strategy that you believe is critical for its success?

Note: written responses are limited to 1200 characters per question

Register for a consultation session and/or complete the survey

Additional consultation

We’ll also be meeting with constituted groups and community partners (see list below) for more in-depth and focused discussions.

2026 Tentative Timeline

Timeline of consultation

Constituted Groups to be invited (alphabetical order)

• Accessibility Office
• Campus Council (membership includes leaders of employee groups, leaders of the undergraduate and graduate student bodies, administrative leaders, affiliate leaders, and more)
• Campus Safety & Emergency Services
• Dean’s Council
• Housing Office
• Human Rights Office
• Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Office of Indigenous Initiatives
• Parking Services
• Society of Graduate Studies (SOGS) Executive
• University Students’ Council (USC) Executive
• Vice-Provosts

Community Partners to be invited (alphabetical order)

• Affiliated University Colleges
• City of London
• London Health Sciences Centre
• London Transit Commission
• Neighbourhood associations

NOTE: The university will be holding separate public information sessions on proposed changes to the University Drive Bridge. We will provide details on that consultation when they are known.

Resources

Western’s resources

• Draft Open Space Strategy (PDF)
• Draft Campus Development Strategy (PDF)
• Feedback form (web page)

Questions

Feedback related to these strategies will be accepted through the online form, scheduled consultation sessions or one of the constituted or community groups.

For questions related to the consultation process, please email cdsossconsultation@uwo.ca.

Campus Development Strategy and Open Space Strategy Committee

Lynn Logan, Vice-President (Operations & Finance) - Chair
Andrew Konowalchuk, Associate Vice-President (Facilities Management) - Vice-Chair
Chris Alleyne, Associate Vice-President (Housing & Ancillary Services)
Julian Birkinshaw, Dean, Ivey Business School
Christy Bressette, Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Initiatives
Bill Chantler, Director, Campus Safety & Emergency Services
Ruban Chelladurai, Associate Vice-President (Institutional Planning & Budgeting)
Cherin Chung, President, Society of Graduate Students
Jessica Farmer-Bosma, Director, Government Relations
Kathleena Henricus, President, University Students' Council
Jeffrey Hutter, Acting Deputy Provost
Heather Hyde, Director, Sustainability
Gregory Kopp, Professor, Faculty of Engineering
Mike McLean, Director (Facilities Planning & Design)
Bryan Neff, Associate Vice-President (Research)
Lesley Oliver, Specialist in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Susanne Schmid, Chair, Senate Committee on University Planning
Alison Springate, Director, Stakeholder Relations, Western Communications
Melissa Steadman, Associate Director, Off-Campus Housing & Apartments
Geoff Wild, Associate Dean, Infrastructure, Faculty of Science
Stephen Ledgley, Western Communications
Danielle Ward, Executive Specialist, Operations & Finance
Allison Wright, Executive Director, Operations & Finance