About 200 resident students are settling in at Providence University College this week despite a fire earlier this summer that claimed Bergen Hall, the men’s dormitory. The university has been busy making alternate arrangements to ensure that the fire doesn’t result in any disruptions.
Several renovations are complete, and 28 temporary housing units have been installed near the Student Life Centre. The renovations include new paint, flooring, and furniture in the existing Cundy, Sweet, and Piece residences. Each of the temporary housing units, which the university describes as “executive units,” has a bathroom, fridge, and oversized bed. Televisions and laundry services are available in the campus’s common areas.
“We have done a lot of work to ensure that our students have a great experience in residence this year, and we are excited to welcome more resident students this year than we did last,” says Marlin Reimer, Associate Vice-President for Student Life.
Reimer adds that a plans are underway to build a permanent replacement for Bergen Hall.
“We are currently in the research phase of our planning, which involves consulting with various experts and visiting other successful universities that have excellent buildings and residence life programs,” Reimer says. “Critical to us in this process is ensuring that the mission of Providence, and the resulting educational mission of the residence life program, is the driver behind the design and architecture of our buildings.”
