CORNER BROOK, N.L. — Developing infrastructure is at the top of the agenda for Grenfell Campus, Memorial University in 2020.
Jeff Keshen, Grenfell's vice-president, hopes the university will continue to work with various partners to move ahead infrastructure projects.
While Keshen doesn’t expect these projects to be completed by the end of the coming year, he is hopeful they will see more development.
“That’s what I’d like to see more than anything else,” he told The Western Star. “Our partnership projects becoming a reality. It would be transformational for the campus, but also transformational for the city.”
Keshen is focusing his hopes on the school of nursing, a centre for research and innotivation, and the aquatic and recreation centre.
School of nursing
Keshen hopes to see infrastructure development under way in 2020, so the school can integrate more nursing students from Western Regional School of Nursing.
The nursing school will have to relocate once the new hospital in Corner Brook is built and Western Memorial Regional Hospital, where it is currently located, is closed.
Grenfell, which partners with the hospital for the nursing program, is hoping to relocate the program to its campus permanently.
The school has already begun working with the hospital to integrate more first-year nursing students into Grenfell Campus, but more work needs to be done.
“It’s going to take some time but we’re working together to put together a proposal that would see eventually a new home for them,” said Keshen.
At this point in time, the campus doesn’t have space for the students.
A decision needs to be made regarding what space needs to be added and where the nursing school will be located.
Center for Research and Innovation
The campus is partnering with the City of Corner Brook, College of the North Atlantic; and Corner Brook Pulp and Paper on an innovation centre.
The centre would be located in the former Corner Brook Pulp and Paper human resources building and include space for research activities, training, a business incubator, makerspaces and the City Studio project.
The space requires renovation before it can open.
The aquatic and recreation centre
Grenfell has been selected by the City of Corner Brook and its regional partners as the preferred site for a new regional aquatic centre.
The aquatic centre would be located at the wing where the pool — which has been closed for four years — and gym are presently located.
Renovations may be required, including adding extra square footage and repairing the existing 25-metre pool.
Potential features would include a leisure/hot pool, therapeutic pool, waterslide, fitness centre, and daycare, and will incorporate the existing gymnasium.
