By: Drew Simpson
The McMaster Muslims Students’ Association recently held Finding Your Momentum, a leadership and empowerment workshop specifically curated for Muslims. Its objective was to increase youth engagement to improve community involvement.
While MacMSA maintains a busy calendar, the process of organizing this event began well before the school year started. While decisions were being made around the structure of MacMSA’s exec-director team, the team realized a recent and significant drop in engagement with the association and the community.
Typically, directorship positions with the MacMSA would attract about 50 applicants each, in recent times however, these numbers have significantly dropped to one or two applicants. The senior executives became worried about MacMSA’s future leadership and lack of engagement with younger cohorts.
MacMSA leaders also saw a lack of Muslims being represented in leadership positions in the McMaster community, such as through the Student Representative Assembly.
Feedback gained from focus groups found a common rhetoric of Muslims opting out of leadership positions to focus on academics. They also found that many individuals were under the misconception that they are not needed by the community.
One workshop attendee and MacMSA representative noted that a lot of students experience a lack of confidence in their abilities and felt that they aren’t equipped with the appropriate skills to take on leadership responsibilities.
The Finding Your Momentum workshop was created in response to these concerns. The MacMSA team realized that they needed to empower their members and create a space where attendees can have open conversations about bettering themselves as Muslims and leaders in the community.
While one of the aims of the workshop was to increase attendees’ engagement with the community, the MacMSA team had to first figure out a way to increase engagement with the workshop itself.
From previous experiences, the organizers found that many people needed someone to both encourage them to participate and attend the event with them. This was often facilitated through invitations by word of mouth.
The organizers of Finding Your Momentum took advantage of this promotion strategy, and it worked. One attendee noted that in order to facilitate empowerment, individuals need someone to give them a little push of encouragement and support.
“When you hear ‘word-of-mouth’, you think of just going and telling someone ‘hey we have an event, just come’. But it’s actually investing in the Muslim community on campus…A part of being a leader is having a community that can look up to you and support your vision,” explained Faryal Zahir, MSA Director and Finding Your Momentum organizer.
“A big part of this year has been making that vision very very clear, and then having people inspired to support that vision.”
This workshop consisted of interactive activities and discussions that focused on introspecting on attendees’ relationships with themselves and others. There was also a focus on utilizing leadership opportunities to serve the community and building connections.
At every MacMSA event, building connections is a recurring goal. The team believes that building connections enables individuals into action.
Finding Your Momentum, like other MacMSA events, aims to break down the barriers that repress interaction, and encourage attendees to have one-to-one connections, first with themselves, then with their peers and greater community.
Time will tell if the MacMSA achieved its goal of encouraging workshop attendees to take on more leadership positions, but one thing is for sure – Finding Your Momentum created a much needed space for empowerment and meaningful engagement for Muslim youth.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
After multiple delays and high anticipation, the multi-million dollar Gerald Hatch Centre for Engineering Experiential Learning is almost complete. With the referendum by the faculty’s students years ago to raise money for the new space, it only grew in function and scope as interest and funding increased for this central hub of student-focused experiential learning initiatives.
The building is separated with each floor serving a particular function. The basement and penthouse serve as a separately funded space on sustainable energy.
Despite dedicated sections, Dr. Ishwar Puri, Dean of Engineering, mentioned the importance of sustainability throughout the building and the priority towards it.
“It’s not only a building that was designed with sustainability in mind, but it was also designed as a living laboratory because there will be panels and other readouts that will be accessible to students so that they will actually be able to see how sustainability works in a technical sense.”
The first floor, known as the build floor, will be primarily focused on workshops and a large build space for clubs and teams to work on large format projects in addition to housing the David Wilkinson Lounge and the relocation of The Drain, a store run by the McMaster Engineering Society.
The second floor, known as the meet floor, will feature the offices for the MES, clubs and teams in addition to meeting rooms and an open social space called The Junction.
The third floor, known as the support floor, will feature academic counseling, Engineering Co-op and Career Services and a collaborative learning room.
“It’s a recognition that no one discipline will solve the problems of the world. The world creates issues, problems and requires solutions. Engineers, by themselves, are not going to solve all of the world’s problems. They will need to work with others.”
Dr. Ishwar Puri
Dean of Engineering
Despite these functions that would be more commonly associated with engineering students, one of the things that Puri hopes is achieved with the new space is increased integration between the faculty and other disciplines around campus.
“When we build these spaces, we expect them to be collision spaces. It’s an extension of our philosophy — how we built a collision space outside of the John Hodgins Engineering Building, the lobby of the engineering building. You don’t have to have an engineering student ID to be there.”
These collision spaces have the benefit of allowing additional faculties to use the area in a way that benefits both non-engineering students and engineering students.
“It’s a recognition that no one discipline will solve the problems of the world. The world creates issues, problems and requires solutions. Engineers, by themselves, are not going to solve all of the world’s problems. They will need to work with others,” said Puri.
One of the other indirect benefits of the building was the student feedback on the project. With the previously mentioned referendum and funds put by students towards the building, they continue to have a large deal of influence when it comes to the building’s function and design.
Puri considers them to be equal stakeholders. This student feedback and influence allowed them to work through a large-scale project, have the ability to receive the benefits and make difficult choices along the way, which is an experience that cannot be understated.
“Not all of the faculties’ suggestions were incorporated into the final design, and not all of the students’ because you have a wish list, but once you have a wish list, then you have to prioritize. … It’s very easy to put in. It’s very painful to take out,” said Puri.
He also mentioned that he reminds all of his staff workers and faculty members that it is all about the students. Their feedback, experience and learning are always the top priority for the faculty and will continue to be a top priority.
One of the issues that has come with this, however, is the demand for space in the building.
“We now realize that, because there is such a strong culture for experiential learning and just the example of the building encouraged others to form clubs, teams and extracurricular experiential learning opportunities, the number of requests the MES is getting for occupancy far exceeds the capacity of the building. What we need is another Hatch centre.”
Moving forward, these priorities on sustainability, collision spaces and students will continue to be important for Puri and the rest of the faculty. The hope is that the centre will be fully completed by the time students arrive in September.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Built in 1914 by the Pigott Construction Company and designed by Harry Frost, the Royal Connaught was a thirteen story building in downtown Hamilton and first opened in 1916. It served as a popular destination for entertaining royalty, politicians, and famous people from around the world.
Throughout the 1950s, the hotel was known as the “hottest spot in town”, hosting lavish events from formal banquets to exclusive concerts. Several dignified guests to the hotel include former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, Paul McCartney and Al Capone.
During the 1990s, the hotel was sold multiple times and ultimately faced various financial issues. In 2008, the hotel closed after going into receivership. Amongst several plans to reopen the Royal Connaught, a public proposal from Harry Stinson of a massive 100-storey “Connaught Towers” was brought to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce building. Upon its completion, the building would be the tallest in Canada. However, the project fell short in 2008 due to lack of investors.
In 2014, two of the largest developers in the Hamilton area, Spallacci Group and Valery Homes took on the task of renovating the famous hotel into condominiums. With a focus on paying homage to the Royal Connaught’s rich history, the restoration will incorporate a revitalized vision of the existing tower with an addition of three new towers.
Once completed, the restored Royal Connaught will feature 35,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor leisure space, including an incarnation of the original lobby, a garden courtyard, a fitness room, and a theatre.
For further information regarding the Royal Connaught’s extensive history and news about the restoration, check out their website.
By: Emma Mullohand
There is more than a hundred years between the two structures that make up the CHCH building on Jackson Street West. While the back half of the television channel’s complex resembles something akin to the Starship Enterprise, at the front sits an inconspicuous limestone mansion that has been the home of some of Hamilton’s biggest entrepreneurs and dignitaries.
Built in 1850 for Tristram Bickle, the mansion, called Pinehurst, is a rare example of pre-Confederation architecture and history. Constructing the mansion was a significant undertaking.
“The masons were coming in [from Scotland] and [. . .] they were actually quarrying the buildings [from the escarpment] and putting [the stones] into the homes,” said local historian Robin McKee.
The house changed hands several times throughout the following years. It was passed down to Bickle’s son, later sold to a local Anglican bishop and eventually purchased by William Southam in 1891. Among other investments, Southam owned the Hamilton Spectator and the Ottawa Citizen newspapers.
After Southam’s death in 1932, Pinehurst was occupied by various groups, until CHCH began to use the building for its offices and studio in 1953. CHCH remained the owners of the property until late last year when it was announced that the property had been sold.
The mansion remains in excellent condition, despite its age. McKee credits this to the continued use of the building throughout the years.
“Prior to [its heritage designation] it was the will of the owner to keep [Pinehurst] or knock it down. I think part of the good luck . . . is that whoever owned it at the particular time adapted a use to it that made it still useful, so it was cheaper to use it than to tear it down,” said McKee.
Pinehurst became a designated heritage site in 2003, under the Ontario Heritage Act.
“Designation essentially protects series of features that are identified in the designation bylaw,” said Jeremy Parsons, a cultural heritage planner with the City of Hamilton. “For [Pinehurst] there’s a number of different architectural features that are protected, the front façade, the three dormers. . . the Mansard roof itself, the central bay. . . the columns, and . . . each side of the building. That essentially not only recognizes the importance of the property, but keeps the cultural heritage value intact,” said Parsons.
Despite a heritage designation, Pinehurst faces development pressures. One particular trend is “façadism” as McKee calls it. “Façadism is if you have a designated property and the building itself is in disrepair because of neglect. What happens is that the [developers] apply for a demolition permit and promise to keep the façade on the new building.” McKee argued that this type of development does not preserve the historical integrity of the building. “You can put anything onto a new building and make it look old . . . it’s fake.” However, McKee doesn’t expect that Pinehurst will be facing a demolition crew anytime soon.
“[Pinehurst] is well maintained. . . there’s no need for it to be torn down. . . it’s got good bones.”
And if worst comes to worst? “I’d tie myself to the door,” McKee said.
McKee’s connection with the CHCH building goes beyond admiration of its heritage significance. He spent 31 years working for CHCH as an audio technician during which he helped cover several major historic events such as the Tiananmen Square Protests and the First Gulf War.
“It was kind of neat to bring [the news] through Hamilton and send it to the people and inform them,” recalled McKee. It was not always easy getting the broadcast on air though, especially before the studio space moved to the larger, more modern addition.
“The studio for the newscast [prior to the addition] was ten feet by six, you had to go in and close the door…only then could you do the newscast,” said McKee. When Pinehurst was designated as a historic site, McKee was the one who wrote and placed the plaque that identifies the building as a designated historic site.
While the property has been sold and it is unclear what exactly the future holds for the CHCH building, it can likely survive a few more changes.
“Buildings last longer than people . . . [Pinehurst] is a footprint that’s been there for multi-generations,” said McKee.
From the stonemasons who built Pinehurst, to the TV station that calls it home, Pinehurst leaves more than just a geographic footprint. It is also a footprint from some of the people who helped, and are helping, to make Hamilton the city it is today.
McMaster has a lot of beautiful buildings! Find out which one represents you the best?
[wp_quiz id="29556"]
Two buildings on the McMaster campus will soon be torn down to make way for a new one. The University recently announced that T28 and T29 will be replaced by a new “Living Learning Center.” The 359 000 square foot building will boast residence space, classrooms, underground parking, and will house certain student and hospitality services. The building will also be the new location for the daycare that was displaced when construction began on L.R. Wilson Hall.
Dean of Students Sean Van Koughnett was excited to discuss the initiative. “There isn’t really a lot of space on campus to put up new buildings so we’re looking at this as an opportunity we have to take advantage of... I’m not sure we’ll have another chance like this in the foreseeable future,” he said.
The project has been allotted a $118 million budget and will be financed by the University. “Similar to how a household would take out a mortgage,” Van Koughnett explained.
The current proposal shows the building to be 12 storeys, eight of which will be residence floors. A total of 500 new suite style and traditional with washroom spaces will be available, which will significantly contribute to meeting the demand for more residence rooms. The remaining floors will hold large and small classrooms and student services, specifically the Student Wellness Center and Student Accessibility Services. The building will also include public space for students to relax and hold informal meetings.
Although the Student Wellness Center was renovated last winter, Van Koughnett expressed the desire to put these services in a more prominent and convenient location. The SWC was renovated to improve accessibility for students in wheelchairs and make reception areas more private so more students felt comfortable seeking help. “These were deficiencies that were important enough to address now and we determined that it shouldn’t wait four years… students entering first year this fall will be done before the building is projected to open,” Van Koughnett said.
While current students will have graduated by the time the Living Learning Center is slated to open in Fall 2019, Van Koughnett emphasized the importance of student involvement in the project, citing former MSU President Teddy Saul’s involvement on the design committee. Once an architect has been hired and details have been confirmed, he said “we definitely want [student] involvement on all aspects of the building.” He is hopeful that an architect will be hired over the course of the summer and that ground-breaking is anticipated within the next year.
Van Koughnett anticipates the Living Learning Center will be a successful and rewarding endeavor. He said, “I’m confident that if we get the right people involved, and we have a student voice that we’ll end up with something we’re really proud of.”
The ExCEL initiative has headed into its next stage of development. On Jan. 20, Agnes Kaznierczak, an architect at Diamond Schmitt Architects, presented the firm’s initial designs for the Hatch Centre to a group of McMaster Engineering students and faculty and revealed the first renderings of the building.
“We just finished schematic design so we’re moving into design development, which basically entails choosing the actual materials and the specifics of more engineering-related things,” said Ryan Rogers, the McMaster Engineering Society VP of External Affairs.
The Hatch Centre itself will attach to the back of the existing John Hodgins Engineering building and will share a variety of its facilities, including the Fireball Café and loading docks, while maintaining the ability to operate independently from JHE.
Kaznierczak’s presentation showed the variety of spaces the new building would contain, including a double-height build space that will house large-scale student projects with offices overlooking the space below. She also showed the numerous student meeting areas, club offices, and the suite that will be occupied by student services. Kaznierczak described the Hatch Center as “robust, elegant, and honest about what it needs to be.”
On the surface the project seems to be progressing well, but there are underlying issues. According to Rogers, the initiative is still within its budget, but that comes with the sacrifice of a number of the proposed eco-friendly features.
“A lot of the big issue with including eco-friendly features was we had to find a balance between the actual functionality of the building versus making it the most innovative and eco-friendly building in Canada,” said Mitchell Kurnell, Director of Public Relations with the McMaster Engineering Society.
He added that eco-friendly features such as solar panels could be installed later, but that the plan to install triple-glazed windows to maximize energy efficiency has not changed.
Despite the compromises on the eco-friendly side of the construction, Rogers was adamant that there have been no changes to the experiential learning features promised in the proposal.
“We’re still going to have visible structures, visible heating and cooling elements, as well as panels basically describing the functionality and the actual process that went towards creating the final product,” he said.
While all parties involved with the ExCEL initiative hope to please as many students and faculty members as possible, concerns have been raised over the course of the project.
“Students have big concerns over whether they will have a say in how the building operates later,” Rogers said. But he explained that the MES is finalizing a plan to have a board composed of Engineering faculty members and students to manage the building together.
“The only [faculty concern] that has come up is who’s going to be moving to the third floor of the ExCEL building, but that was decided through various council meetings and the faculty basically agreed with who we, as a council, decided we wanted to see go into the building,” Kurnell said.
The only faculty members being housed in the Hatch Center will be those who benefit the all of the 4,000 students within the Faculty of Engineering.
The ExCEL initiative has always focused on enhancing the student experience, but if students have questions about the Hatch Center, Rogers promised, “students can always come to us. That’s our job.”
When the Engineering Centre for Experiential Learning initiative reached its initial $8.5 million goal last fall, both Engineering students and faculty were excited. ExCEL was designed as an outlet for students to study, solve problems, and observe real-world applications of class material. Not only was the building proposed to contain a variety of workshop and study spaces, it was all designed to be eco-friendly. In short, the initiative is an engineer’s paradise.
At the recent McMaster Engineering Society Semi-Annual General Meeting it was announced that the Faculty of Engineering was contributing another $2.5 million to the project, bringing the total cost to $11 million.
“They aren’t taking previous student space,” explained Ryan Rogers, the MES VP of External Affairs. “They’re adding new space for themselves.”
Rogers also explained that the Faculty and the MES are in the process of drafting agreements to ensure the Faculty only gets the space it has paid for, and he confirmed that the faculty being added to the building are student services who interact with the entire engineering student body.
But every paradise has its problems, and ExCEL is no exception. Former Dean of Engineering David Wilkinson’s original building proposal of 22,000 square feet was recently deemed unfeasible.
“Unfortunately no one gave him better advice on what the ‘all-in’ costs were... for example he wasn’t including building permits,” said Kelton Friedrich, the liaison between the McMaster community and design consultants.
Friedrich said the most recent drawings show the building to have a total area of 23,000 square feet, approximately 17,000 of which belong to students.
“Unfortunately the net square footage is not as much as we wanted. For example, nobody ever planned for having a big mechanical room in the basement, so that costs money to build,” he said.
Friedrich projected the final design will be between 21,000 and 25,000 square feet.
This diminished amount of student space has angered some engineering students. When the initiative was first proposed three years ago, the MES had a referendum on whether or not to begin collecting a $50 fee from students to contribute to the building costs. This was before any design plans were released, and some students feel cheated because the Faculty began collecting this levy before any of the building’s details were set in stone.
The details are still not confirmed. According to Rogers, the schematic design phase of the project extends into December of this year, after which point the size and layout of the building will be finalized. Design development will be complete by the end of March. Contractors will have final blueprints by October 2015, and a year from now construction is set to begin. Rogers said that the project is on schedule.
“The goal of the building has always stayed the same... and that is to support students through experiential learning,” said Friedrich.
He maintained that ExCEL will focus on dynamic, active learning environments where students can share their ideas and work collaboratively, and even between different engineering departments.
Rogers was also adamant that the reduced space will not affect the building’s potential to house student innovation.
“All each floor is lacking is 500 square feet,” he said.
In order to add that relatively small amount of space, the array of environmentally friendly features would be compromised.
Friedrich was adamant that the changes to the building’s size will not reduce the features designed to give engineering students a better understanding of how the building works, such as plexi-glass floors in places so the building’s foundations are visible.
Since the project is still in a phase where elements can be changed, Rogers confirmed that the MES welcomes any student concerns.
“We’re their eyes and ears on the building board and we want to ensure that the building reflects their goals and aspirations for the project.”
