University of Toronto students win historic student-run centre at the St. George Campus

TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2015 /CNW/ - Students at the University of Toronto are celebrating the approval of a new student centre at the St. George campus, to be run by, and for students. In 2007, full-time undergraduate students voted to fund the project, which was finally approved by U of T's Governing Council on Thursday.

Students at the U of  T St. George campus have been calling for a student centre since the 1960s, as a way to create community and tackle feelings of isolation students at Canada's largest University often report. U of T's Scarborough and Mississauga campuses already have student centres, as do York, Ryerson and most other Canadian universities -- the University of Toronto's St. George campus is one of the only campuses in Canada lacking a student-run student centre.

"This is a monumental victory for students at the University of Toronto," said Yolen Bollo-Kamara, President of the University of Toronto Students' Union. "Thousands of students and campus clubs will benefit from this space."

"Student clubs need a space to call our own," says Agape Amponsah-Mensah, President of the African Students' Association. "This student centre will help build community on campus, allow us to reach more students and facilitate new opportunities for student collaboration." Plans for the new student centre include meeting spaces, event space, a food bank, performance space and up to 100 new offices for campus clubs.

The building will also help to ease the high demand for more study space and lounge space for commuter students.  "Most U of T students are commuters but there is limited space for students who don't live on campus to come together and contribute to a vibrant campus community," says Cameron Wathey, Vice-President Internal & Services of the University of Toronto Students' Union. "This student centre will be a new one-stop shop for students to relax, study or catch up with friends between classes."

SOURCE University of Toronto Students' Union

Yolen Bollo-Kamara, President, University of Toronto Students' Union: 647-287-4291 cell; Cameron Wathey, VP Internal and Services, University of Toronto Students' Union: 647-525-8384 cell