Victoria University, in the University of Toronto, broke ground on an exciting new renovation and expansion project, the Goldring Student Centre on Saturday, May 28 at 1 pm.
Named in honour of lead donors, Victoria College graduates Blake C. Goldring and Judy G. Goldring, the Goldring Student Centre will double the current space of the Wymilwood student union building, built in 1952, to 40,000 square feet. Victoria College students have also contributed generously to this important project.
Wymilwood is a historically listed building and is a rare example of a building designed by notable architect Eric Arthur. Arthur, who taught at the University of Toronto until 1966, was one of the first to teach the Modern movement in Canada. He was also known for encouraging the preservation movement of the 1960s and 1970s with his book Toronto, No Mean City.
Victoria University has hired renowned Toronto-based architectural firm Moriyama and Teshima who will preserve some of the wonderful heritage features of Wymilwood within the new Goldring Student Centre. Once completed, the building will join a wonderfully diverse ensemble of Victoria University buildings from Burwash Hall (Neo-Gothic), to Old Vic (Romanesque) to the contemporary Isabel Bader Theatre.
The Goldring Student Centre will create a much-needed hub of student activity on the Vic campus, providing space for meeting rooms, offices for student government and more than 20 student clubs, a renovated café, a two-storey lounge, an assembly space, a newly defined quadrangle and the addition of much-needed lockers for commuter students. It will give students, especially those who don’t live on campus, the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities, join a student club, socialize with friends, and engage in all the activities that make for a well-rounded student experience.
Click here to make your gift to the Goldring Student Centre online or call the Office of Alumni Affairs and University Advancement at 416-585-4500 for more information.
