B.C. opens 'largest conference space on the Westshore' at Royal Roads University
A brand new, 500-seat auditorium has opened at Royal Roads University (RRU).
The multi-purpose building, dubbed the Dogwood Auditorium, will be open for public event bookings beginning January 2022, the province announced Friday.
The building includes a large presentation space with retractable seating and a partition that can divide the room in two, a media services room, a meeting room, and a multi-purpose room.
The province adds that the newly renovated building includes a "geo-exchange energy system," which is more energy efficient than traditional heating sources.
The Dogwood is described as the "largest conference space on the Westshore," according to the provincial government, and may also host convocation ceremonies for the university in the future.
"This building is a fantastic example of our government working with post-secondary institutions to invest in infrastructure that supports students and communities," said B.C. Minister of Advanced Education, Anne Kang.
"Renovating this historic space for a modern purpose creates a place for students to learn and for RRU to engage with the community, lean into partnerships and welcome everyone to their beautiful campus," she said.
The Dogwood Auditorium is located inside the university's former squash courts and locker rooms building. The building itself was originally constructed in 1959 and served as a pool for the former Royal Roads Military College.
Construction of the Dogwood Auditorium cost roughly $15.2 million, with the province providing $14.6 million in funding and the university contributing $600,000.
"I’m delighted that the partnership between our government and RRU is bringing us the first conference centre of this capacity in Westshore," said Mitzi Dean, MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin in a statement Friday.
"I am excited that we are getting a place to gather, learn and build our community," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.