How well do you know your university?

Hey guys, it's Raphael and I'm back with your weekly dosage of cool interesting news.

Confession time! I was never too knowledgeable about the University of Toronto Scarborough, I just knew it as one of the oldest universities in Ontario. I heard rumors that the Science Wing used to be a jail, (something along those lines) but that was pretty much it. Apparently this is only a rumour, it was actually the film Resident Evil: Afterlife that filmed the Meeting Place as a jail!

One day I was bored and began to search the web for blog ideas. Luckily, I stumbled upon this old video on UTSC:  http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~advancement/about/timeline.html

Watching this video really took me back, I mean back before I was even born! Did you guys know that our Humanities Wing was made by John Andrews, who also designed the CN tower? Yeah, bet you didn't know that. Not only that but, when it was first opened in 1966, people were amazed by its striking architecture and design.

Yes, it may not look as striking and revolutionary today, or classify as "modern" for most students, but at the time it was built (keep in mind in the 1960s), it was definitely paving the way for the future.

The library opened up in 1982, in memory of Professor Emiritus Vincent W. Bladen (an economics professor), because of the overwhelming response by students to pitch in. (They each paid $10 for 10 years- now THAT's commitment!) It also won the 2008 OAA (Ontario Architect Association) for its contrasting design to the original campus.

In 2002, more than 600 people attended U of T's first ever outdoor movie night for our 125th anniversary celebrations. How cool is that? I would definitely want that to come back again. Imagine, for the 185th anniversary in 2012, watching a movie with your friends! That would not only be historical but an awesome experience, kind of like reliving the 1950s and 1960s. By the way the picture above is not the actual U of T anniversary event, I could not find the actual picture. :(

Here are some notable mentions of some other buildings:

- the hallway of excellence was made in 1995 linking the Bladen Wing with the Humanities Wing (You know the hallway that has an incredible amount of wind that seems to come out of nowhere, making students feel like they are in a runway in a fashion show?)

- the Student Center opened up in 2004 (Yea, not too long ago is it?)

There are also some great new things coming in the near future for UTSC! In 2009, the university was awarded $70 million from Ontario's Economic Action Plan which was used to build the new building you know today; the Instructional Centre, which opened up in 2011. Also in preparation for the Pan Am games in 2015, government funding announces its brand new ($170 million dollar) Athletics Centre at UTSC! For those of you who drive, you probably pass by it all the time. They are already working on it at the intersection of Military Trail and Morningside. This building will have, "two Olympic-sized, 52-metre swimming pools, a 10-metre diving tank, multipurpose gymnasiums, a running track, racquet courts, fitness and training areas." 

Wow guys, I don't think I will be at UTSC once this facility opens! :( But those of you in 1st years are lucky you will see the new Athletics Centre.

So next time you walk on campus think of the buildings you are passing by. There is a LOT of history in these buildings and it's far too often that we pass by things without taking the time to appreciate it. I believe that the best way to appreciate the place you live in is by knowing more about it. And if you still can't appreciate the older buildings, then get excited for the new ones coming soon!

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