By Вen Li
Students and staff will lose two food vending establishments due to under use. The Garden Bistro in the Administration Building and the Oak Room in Scurfield Hall will be converted into academic space this fall.
"We had too many operations providing service to people in those geographical regions," said Food Services General Manager George Thomson. "There was a definite under-utilization of the services."
Thomson cited three reasons for the closures.
"There is ample choice within other operations; there is the need to turn over space; and we had financial considerations relating to under-utilization."
According to Thomson, service at neighbouring operations will be increased to accommodate the anticipated increase in demand, and the cafeteria in Scurfield Hall will be renovated at the end of the fall semester.
Planning and Predesign Services Manager Margot Willox said that the academic spaces in Scurfield Hall and Administration will be organized by the Haskayne School of Business and the President’s Office, respectively.
"Space is assigned to departments, and we would facilitate construction," she said, noting that the Garden Bistro conversion was an initiative of University of Calgary President Harvey Weingarten.
The Garden Bistro occupies 19.14 square metres while the Oak Room and will yield 60.55 square metres, according to Willox.
Carol Stewart, Associate Dean, Administration at the Haskayne School of Business, said the former Oak Room space is available for use as a conference space now.
Students’ Union Vice-President Academic Rosie Nagra did not comment on the increase in academic space on Wednesday, citing more important priorities.