News Release

2002-05-31 00:00:00

School of Architecture get federal funds

Investment in restoring the historic Riverside Silk Mills to house the University of Waterloo School of Architecture

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. -- The residents of Cambridge and Waterloo Region will soon see improvements to the historic Riverside Silk Mills in Cambridge, which will house the University of Waterloo School of Architecture.

These improvements will be supported through an investment announced today under the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program.

This investment will make an important contribution to quality of life in the Region. Andy Mitchell, Secretary of State (Rural Development) (FedNor), Janko Peric, MP for Cambridge, Kenneth Seiling, Regional Chair of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Doug Craig, Mayor of the City of Cambridge, David Johnston, President of the University of Waterloo, Rick Haldenby, Director of the School of Architecture, and Tom Watson, head of the Cambridge Business Consortium, announced the investment today.

Through this project, the 85,000 square foot Riverside Silk Mills textile factory in the historic Galt section of the City of Cambridge will be restored. This 1920s textile factory has a rich history and was once a central element of the local economy. The factory has been vacant since 2000, but will soon house the University of Waterloo School of Architecture.

The renovated building will be almost four times the size of the school's current facilities and will include an exhibition gallery, a lecture theatre, workshops, classrooms, offices and a design studio. The relocation is expected to enhance the quality of education at the UW School of Architecture and revitalize Cambridge's downtown area. Construction is expected to be complete by September 2003.

The Government of Canada through Industry Canada and the Government of Ontario through SuperBuild will each contribute up to $4,100,000 to the project. Through a private-public partnership, the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Business Consortium, a group of local business leaders, will contribute the balance of the total project cost of $27,200,000.

"By restoring the historic Riverside Silk Mills building and providing a new location for the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, the quality of life for local students, residents, and businesses will be improved," said Mr. Mitchell. "I am pleased to see the Government of Canada making this important investment through the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program."

"The relocation of the School of Architecture and the redevelopment of this local heritage building will help revitalize Cambridge's downtown core and create economic opportunities in the area," said Mr. Peric. "This investment illustrates the success of all three levels of government working together, and the benefits of public-private partnerships."

"We are pleased that the Federal government has accepted the Region's nomination of the School of Architecture for Cambridge," said Mr. Seiling. "Regional Council has recognized how important this project is to the City of Cambridge and I would like to thank the Federal and Provincial governments, as well as, the Consortium and the City of Cambridge for their support in bringing this project to fruition."

"This investment is another vote of confidence in Cambridge and Waterloo Region," said Mr. Craig. "Without this funding, this important infrastructure project would not go ahead."

"The relocation of the School of Architecture to Cambridge is a move that has been widely endorsed and eagerly anticipated, so it is with great excitement that we are now seeing it become a reality due to this investment by the Government of Canada," said Mr. Haldenby. "The School will become an even more valuable resource in the community, and both residents and students will benefit from the new facility."

This is one of a series of matching federal and provincial investments to help municipalities improve the quality of life of their residents through essential infrastructure projects totalling more than $480 million to date in Ontario. More announcements under the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program are coming.

Resources

For further information:
Janko Peric, MP for Cambridge, (519) 622-9393;
Tom Watson, Head of the Cambridge Business Consortium, (519) 621-2460; Doug
Craig, Mayor of the City of Cambridge, (519) 623-1340; Kenneth Seiling,
Regional Chair of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, (519) 575-4400; Jim
Fox, University of Waterloo, (519) 888-4435; Sam Boonstra, Industry Canada,
(416) 952-0468
Release prepared by the Government of Canada
From Jim Fox, UW News Bureau, (519) 888-4444; jfox@uwaterloo.ca
UW Release no. 115 -- May 31, 2002

2002-05-31 00:00:00