With 100-plus buildings across 500 acres, the Western campus requires thousands of maintenance, repair, and infrastructure upgrade projects throughout the year. As the campus quiets down for summer, those projects will ramp up for Facilities Management.
Project details will be updated throughout the summer via the Facilities Management Summer Construction website, email notices of projects to stakeholders, and tweeting upcoming interruptions via @westernufm. Concerns or questions regarding the work being done on campus and the impact on the community can be directed to facilities.management@uwo.ca.
Current and upcoming infrastructure projects include:
- Middlesex Drive exterior and sidewalk lighting. Currently underway, posts are being install along the eastern section of Middlesex Drive and into the walkway leading to Middlesex College. The project will continue to add new lights from the corner near Biology & Geology Building, along Elgin Drive to Western Road. The project is expect to wrap up in July;
- Law Building chilled water replacement. Beginning in May, sections of the chilled water line leading to the Law Building will be replaced. The below ground portion and excavation will stretch from Oxford Drive to the east side of the building;
- Middlesex Drive resurfacing. The heavily travelled span of road from the base of the hill at Perth Drive to Elgin Drive will be resurfaced. The duration of the work is expected to be about three weeks. The project timeline has not yet been determined;
- Althouse and Middlesex parking lot refreshing. The refresh project will include asphalt resurfacing, curb repairs, line painting, and new lighting to both Althouse and Middlesex parking lots. The two lots will not be worked on at the same time and each lot is expected to close for about two weeks. The project timelines have not yet been determined; and
- Campus sidewalk restorations. Roughly 30 sidewalk locations on campus will be restored and/or replaced. Restorations are common annual projects that result from heaving and cracking, weathering, and general wear and tear to our pedestrian infrastructure. The work will total about two weeks with an average of three locations per day. The project timeline has not yet been determined.
Current and upcoming renovations and capital projects
Besides infrastructure work, major builds and renovations can impact the adjacent loading areas, sidewalks, and roadways. The following renovation and capital project have been identified because of their potential impact on accessibility and travel across campus:
- Thames Hall renovations. Currently, the largest of our capital projects, Thames Hall renovations will occur this summer and into 2020;
- Alumni Hall renovations. Alumni Hall renovations are underway and are expected to run throughout the summer;
- Chemistry Building renovations. Chemistry Building renovations began in April and will continue into the academic term;
- Saugeen/Maitland Hall renovations. Interior renovations to Western’s largest residence begin in May and will be completed prior to the academic term;
- Robarts Research Institute renovations. Renovations are expected to begin in June and run into the New Year; and
- Social Sciences renovations. Work in Social Sciences Building will being in July and wrap up in early 2020.
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Huron College building and the impact on the Western Community
In the coming weeks, preparations for new construction at Huron University College will take place in and around campus. During that time, access to the tunnel, which crosses under Western Road, will be maintained. However, there may be instances within the duration of construction in which the tunnel may be closed to ensure pedestrian safety. In this case, foot traffic will be diverted.
Updates regarding construction on campus will be available on Huron’s website, huronuc.ca, and Twitter feed. All questions and comments on the Huron build should be directed to Huron.