NipU opens new building in Brantford

Nipissing University
News Release

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North Bay - Nipissing University officially opened the doors to its new building in Brantford, Ontario, on Wednesday, November 19, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house to welcome the community.

The three-storey, 20,000 square foot former Public Utilities building on Wellington Street, was renovated extensively to accommodate the academic needs of the students and the university. Nipissing invested $3.8 million in renovations, furnishings and technology for the new building.

The provincial government provided $1 million in funding for the renovation project. The City of Brantford provided a $600,000 forgivable loan and a $1.5 million interest free loan, including donating the building to Nipissing University.

The facility houses two lecture theatres, six classrooms, two seminar rooms, study areas and a learning technology service area, as well as faculty offices and administrative space. It also features state-of-the-art videoconferencing capabilities. One classroom has been set up as a model kindergarten room.

While the beautiful new facility features all the technology required to engage modern university students, the architects retained some of the key design characteristics of the original building, including marble staircases and walls and glass block windows, to create an attractive aesthetic that integrates old and new.

Renovations began in October 2007 and were completed in time for students to begin taking classes in the building in September 2008.

“This is an exciting day for Nipissing University in Brantford,” said Dennis Mock, Nipissing University president. “We are delighted to be opening this stunning new facility, which will serve our students, staff and faculty, as well as the Brantford community. Nipissing is proud of the relationship that we enjoy with this community and with Wilfrid Laurier University in offering joint degrees. The university thanks the town of Brantford and is proud to be part of one of the best models of urban redevelopment in Canada.”

“The opening of this new building will significantly enhance the quality of the student experience for Nipissing’s Brantford students while enabling the university to grow its presence in this area,” said Dr. Maria Cantalini-Williams, Nipissing’s director of concurrent education program, Brantford Campus. “We will be able to offer a range of programs and initiatives to students in a wonderful new facility that will also benefit our community.”

“This is an exciting day for the City,” said Mike Hancock, Mayor, City of Brantford. “As a community, we all want Nipissing University to reach its full potential for growth and this new facility will assist in that endeavour. The City of Brantford is exceedingly proud that Nipissing University has a home here and we anticipate a continuation of the Brantford campus’ ongoing success.”

Nipissing University has been offering courses in Brantford since 2002 when Nipissing University and Wilfrid Laurier University signed an articulation agreement to offer a Laurier-Nipissing Concurrent Education program. The program has proved extremely popular. In its first year, thirty students were enrolled in the concurrent education program; today, more than 650 students are enrolled in Brantford and they have the opportunity to pursue their Bachelor of Education degree in both the Primary/Junior and Junior/Intermediate divisions. In addition, Master of Education and Additional Qualification courses are offered on a part-time basis. As a part of a student-centred university, Nipissing’s Brantford campus is committed to providing the high quality, personalized learning experience and unparalleled sense of community that is the hallmark of the Nipissing experience: one student at a time.

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