With the Hagey Hall Hub — a study and relaxation space for arts students — finished in September, the faculty of arts have finally gotten around to celebrating the opening of the extension to Hagey Hall Feb. 10.
The arts advancement team has been hard at work fundraising for this space and contacted the family members of the men who founded the University of Waterloo.
“We’ve been preparing for this for quite a while now,” arts advancement assistant Sherri Arsenault said. “Today, there are probably about 15 of those family members attending this event, and we’re honouring them and thanking them.”
The Hagey Hall Hub was built as an extension to Hagey Hall, where a set of stairs going up and down to the building was found.
“They’re all gone and instead we have this wonderful space,” Dean of Arts Douglas Peers said. “I think it’s really going to define our student experience for the years to come.”
During the opening remarks, President Feridun Hamdullahpur, Peers, and Professor Emeritus Ken McLaughlin spoke on the opening of the new extension and the university’s 60th anniversary.
“I really wanted the celebration of this place to take place at the beginning of the 60th anniversary. I wanted arts to have a real common place as we celebrate 60 years of the University of Waterloo. At least we’ve accomplished that,” Peers said.
Arts Endowment Fund Co-Chair Hannah Beckett and Arts Student Union President Amber Keegan also spoke about the role of the community and students in making the space happen.
“It wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of the previous Arts Student Union executives, donors, faculty, and more,” Keegan said.
Since the beginning of the fall term, the Hagey Hall Hub has been open to and constantly occupied by students.
“There are quite a few buildings on campus that faculty of arts students can use, but none of them have any kind of space where students can gather and socialize, or work together on group projects,” Arsenault said. “There are students here constantly — studying, hanging out, grabbing a coffee. Sometimes students hosts little events here on their own, [and] the project cube is always full with students working.”
