RRC SHOWS INTEREST IN EXPANDING Exchange District residences
BY: AISLINN HICKS
Red River College (RRC) has expressed interest in expanding student housing in the Exchange District. The college is looking at the Public Safety Building (PSB) located across from the Princess Campus as a potential location.
Neither the College nor the city have announced definitive plans for the PSB. / AISLINN HICKS
Though, a spokesperson for the college said RRC has no immediate plans to expand student housing, and has made no decisions about the college using the PSB.
The city would like to remove the PSB and Civic Parkade to redevelop the land at the corner of William Ave and King St. A report on Mayor Brian Bowman’s official website says the building would cost roughly three times what other structures similar in age would to restore.
Kylie Clark, the manager of Campus Living for RRC says student housing is always in high demand.
“We are lucky to offer such amazing accommodations and services within our residence to a limited number of people,” said Clark.
The current student housing for the Exchange District Campus is located at Paterson GlobalFoods Institute and contains 100 beds, 95 of which are in use. The residence has no parking and is open to students from other post-secondary institutions, with priority given to RRC students.
“It’s full,” said Artur Nakashima, a 23 year-old RRC student who lives in the Exchange District housing. “There are a lot of U of W students here.”
An expansion in housing could mean students may have better access to affordable housing. For RRC students like Nathaniel Lie, who lives in Steinbach, and was unaware the campus had student accommodations, living in the Exchange District would save substantial time spent commuting.
“It’s like three hours of my day,” said Lie.
Neither the College nor the city have announced definitive plans for the PSB.
