Megan Stacey, Author at Western News

Western’s Board of Governors has approved two updated strategies outlining a vision and roadmap for the university’s future growth. The Campus Development Strategy and Open Space Strategy were jointly presented to the campus community and Western’s board, as they both address long-term development of university spaces – from outdoor sites to future buildings to creating a “pedestrian priority core.” The Campus Development Strategy, previously called the Campus Master Plan, creates a blueprint for the way Western will grow, and sets out guidelines for how decisions about new development should be made. It’s meant to be understood and used alongside the complementary Open Space Strategy, which will shape how the university approaches outdoor spaces. The goal is to create a sustainable, inclusive, connected campus to accommodate future growth. Priorities across both strategies include safety, sustainability, accessibility and a focus on pedestrian-friendly environments. “These strategies set the stage for Western’s future growth and ensure that development is consistent with our strong commitments to students, research, teaching and sustainability,” said President Alan Shepard. “This kind of planning is critical to building Western’s reputation as a world-class institution, while strengthening our local connections to the community and City of London.” Over the last decade, more than 550,000 square feet of building space has been added across campus, including the Western Interdisciplinary Research Building and Schmeichel Building for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Another 1.3 million square feet of development on Western property is currently in design. Both the Campus Development Strategy and the Open Space Strategy deal with short, medium and long-range planning across the university – some projects will unfold over the next five years, and in other cases, the proposed developments could be up to 50 years away. “Our approach for the future aligns with the university’s strategic plan – any growth is linked to expanding impactful research, creating enriching experiences for those on campus and responsibly stewarding our land,” said Lynn Logan, Western’s vice-president of operations and finance. Prior to Board of Governors approval, the university community and London, Ont. residents had the opportunity to provide feedback on the strategies during a consultation process in April and May that included in-person and virtual townhalls, meetings with campus groups, community partners and neighbourhood associations, as well as an online feedback form.

Building, strategically

In addition to main campus, Western’s new Campus Development Strategy includes Western Research Parks’ Discovery Park, Advanced Manufacturing Park and for the first time, also incorporates the west campus – former Brescia University College lands. “We’re looking for strategic and thoughtful opportunities to grow and develop across campus lands,” Logan said. “This is a broad vision that allows for immediate next steps as well as ongoing, incremental work to shape our future space.” Though the Campus Development Strategy highlights specific sites where new buildings could be constructed, it doesn’t necessarily mean development will happen at each specific location. Instead, it provides direction for future growth and change by laying out a long-term vision and planning priorities. The strategy balances growth with good stewardship of Western’s spaces by carefully coordinating new development and optimizing land use across campus. The most significant areas identified for future growth include the South Valley parking lot, infill development in the core campus area, west campus and lands in the northeast part of campus, along Perth Drive and around Westminster Hall. There are several new buildings currently rising on Western’s campus, including a new undergraduate student residence on University Drive, a new engineering building and soon, work will begin on a new health sciences building and the Bioconvergence Centre for biomedical research, including biotherapeutics that will connect Canadians with treatments, faster.

Safety, pedestrian focus

The two strategies also prioritize safety, from boosting active transportation infrastructure to moving cars toward the edges of campus to eventually removing the roundabout in front of Alumni Hall. A more “consistent, cohesive approach” to campus accessibility is recommended, including ongoing audits. The intent is to prioritize universal accessibility to the greatest extent possible, from correcting inconsistent or steep ramps into buildings to ensuring all paths across campus are barrier-free and have appropriate surfacing and seating. “We want everyone on our campus to be able to move around easily and safely. We need to build a pedestrian-priority core to protect and empower our students, staff and faculty to get around using green methods like walking and cycling,” Logan said. Two transportation corridors or ‘Green Spines’ through campus – with a focus on pedestrians and active transportation – are proposed, with Brescia and Lambton drives becoming a defined east-west link and Oxford Drive functioning as a north-south spine – with changes to transform its current state as a roadway to a tree-lined walkway. Over the next decade, other Western roadways will see restricted vehicle access to reduce cut-through traffic and a complete, comprehensive bicycle network will be prioritized through campus.

Designing Western’s future

A new phrase in the Open Space Strategy, “hill to hill, river to creek” illustrates its mission over the coming years – creating a larger circuit that extends from UC Hill to West Campus Hill, from the Thames River to Medway Creek. Ultimately, the strategy aims to build on the university’s natural beauty to deliver a safe, inclusive and sustainable environment for learning. In the new Open Space Strategy, that includes short-term priority projects – planned for the next three years – like finalizing design for twinning University Drive bridge, which would add a pedestrian corridor separate from vehicle travel; widening the walkway up UC Hill; adding rain gardens along Oxford Drive to help with drainage and many other efforts across campus. It also means landscaping and improving the spaces between buildings. The strategy recognizes those areas also contribute to learning, well-being and campus identity. Courtyards and other gathering spaces will also be enhanced through seating options, solar charging and lighting. Efforts will unfold to connect Western more strongly to the Thames River and Medway Creek, such as a “continuous trail network” that’s accessible for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as adding Indigenous cultural markers and way-finding in relevant places along the banks. “Ultimately, we want to build on Western’s natural beauty and continue our legacy of stewarding this land. Our new strategies will ensure we have a safe and beautiful campus that attracts world-class learners and researchers,” Logan said.