A post uploaded to r/grantmacewan has sparked conversation about ongoing construction inside MacEwan.
The student voiced concerns about the impact of loud construction during class times, as well as construction blocking elevators that are key to ensuring accessibility on campus. The disruptions have affected their learning, even causing them to consider dropping the affected class, which would delay their education plan.
In a written response to the Griff, MacEwan says that once the construction project is approved, notices are posted to MacEwan Today to alert staff and faculty. If construction impacts students, signage is posted to indicate disruptions and display detours around the affected area.
To maintain accessibility, Access and Disability Resources (ADR) is alerted to any elevator or door outages. MacEwan works with ADR to plan scheduled maintenance or project work to “ensure an accessible pathway across campus.”
Current construction around MacEwan includes the MacEwan University Health Center (MUHC) expansion, new biology and chemistry teaching laboratories in Building 6, and the replacement of the shipping-and-receiving ramp’s heating system.
On the topic of ongoing construction disrupting class time, MacEwan says, “facilities prioritize minimizing disruption, so we try as much as possible to conduct noisy work in the evenings or on weekends.”
Most construction is approved in April, after exams, to minimize disruption. Exceptions include projects that will take more than four months to complete, such as the new teaching laboratories, and seasonal projects that must be completed at a certain time of year, such as the central chiller replacement, which will take place in the winter.
