Background to the Campus Master Plan

2 2.1 Background to the Campus Master Plan McMaster University Located in Hamilton since 1930, McMaster University is recognized both nationally and internationally for its research, and its innovative interdisciplinary educational programs. The latter emphasize small-group and self-directed, problem-based learning. The University’s diverse programs are supported by many excellent educational, research, residential and recreational facilities. Originally founded in 1887 under the auspices of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, McMaster became a publicly funded university in 1957. Today, more than 20,000 full-time students attend McMaster University, 2,700 of who are pursuing graduate studies. In addition, approximately 3,500 part-time students are registered throughout the academic year. There are approximately 1,600 faculty and over 4,000 staff. The campus comprises 196 hectares (296 acres) of land, with approximately 5,720,000 square feet (531,000 square metres) of floor space. It is minutes from downtown Hamilton and borders the Royal Botanical Gardens at the western end of Lake Ontario. An aerial photograph of the campus in 2007 can be found in Figure 2-A. PART 2 BACKGROUND TO THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN 9 2.2 The Need for a Campus Master Plan The McMaster Main Street campus is in a constant state of change. There are a large number of building initiatives planned and under construction to accommodate the growth-related needs of the campus. Expansion of the University’s research enterprise has also created the need for additional space, complementing that located at McMaster Innovation Park. Current planning and construction activity has highlighted a need and an opportunity to consider the campus as a whole, and to develop a comprehensive Campus Master Plan that will provide an overall physical framework for sustainable campus growth, evolution and renewal. The University’s Academic Plan emphasizes excellence in research, creating learning opportunities, and building upon the University’s strengths to achieve international distinction for creativity, innovation and excellence. The Campus Master Plan is an important component of this vision, and is intended to be strongly supportive of McMaster’s academic mission and directions. The physical layout of the campus that will result from the implementation of the Campus Master Plan will strengthen and reinforce the interdisciplinary culture of learning at McMaster, with a focus on uses that are related to the core academic mission, and the creation of spaces for interaction within walking distance of each other. The Campus Master Plan is intended to be flexible, to accommodate the changing needs of various departments and Faculties, and to enhance learning by providing the physical environment in which to gain knowledge, live and work. The Campus Master Plan has been prepared by Urban Strategies Inc., under the direction of the McMaster University Campus Master Plan Steering Committee, together with MMM Group in the fields of transportation, environment and infrastructure. The mandate was to consider the potential of the University’s current campus in Hamilton to accommodate future growth; other properties owned by the University were not reviewed in this study. The implementation of the Campus Master Plan does not require any changes to the municipal Official Plan policies or zoning regulations currently in place. Significant new projects will continue to be subject to Site Plan Review, and changes to heritage structures designated under the Ontario Heritage Act will continue to be reviewed by the City of Hamilton. The Campus Master Plan outlines a 30-year vision for the campus, a general framework that will guide the University in its renewal of the campus and in planning for new physical space. The Campus Master Plan will be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that it remains current and relevant to the University’s needs. An update to the Campus Master Plan was completed in 2008 in response to the tremendous amount of physical growth and development on the Main Street campus since the release of the original plan in 2002. The full 30-year development potential of the Main Street campus remains the same in the updated Plan. Future building sites and open spaces have been updated to reflect current conditions. The Mary E. Keyes Residence and Dining Facility opened its doors for the first time in September 2003. www.flickr.com John Hodgins Engineering Building 10 McMASTER UNIVERSITY CAMPUS MASTER PLAN - NOV 2008 Aerial View of the Campus (2007) Figure 2-A Alvin A. Lee Building (ALL) ........................................... 10 Alumni Memorial Hall (AMH) ....................................... 8 A.N. Bourns Science Building (ABB) ...................... 25 Applied Dynamics Laboratory (ADL) ........................ 33 Bates Residence .......................................................... 40 Biology Greenhouse .................................................... 30 Brandon Hall ................................................................ 36 Burke Sciences Building (BSB) .................................... 11 Campus Services Building (CSB) .............................. 31 Chester New Hall (CNH) ............................................. 23 Commons Building ....................................................... 28 Communications Research Laboratory (CRL) ........... 43 David Braley Athletic Centre ..................................... 54 DeGroote School of Business (DGD) ......................... 46 Divinity College (DC) .................................................... 17 Dramatic Arts Workshop ......................................... TB18 Engineering Building - New ....................................... 56 E. T. Clarke Centre (CUC).............................................. 12 Edwards Hall................................................................... 5 General Sciences Building (GSB) ............................... 22 Gilmour Hall (GH) ......................................................... 20 H.G. Thode Library of Science and Engineering ........... 42 Hamilton Hall (HH) ......................................................... 2 Health Sciences Centre (HSC/MUMC) ................... 37 Health Sciences Complex Parking Structure ............. 44 Hedden Hall .................................................................. 45 Institute for Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) ............. 48 Ivor Wynne Centre (IWC)............................................ 24 Information Technology Building (ITB)........................ 49 John Hodgins Engineering Annex ............................... 16a John Hodgins Engineering Building (JHE)................. 16 Kenneth Taylor Hall (KTH)........................................... 38 Les Prince Hall ............................................................ 53 Les Prince Field .......................................................... 55 Life Sciences Building (LS) ........................................ 39 Matthews Hall .............................................................. 26 McKay Hall.................................................................... 27 McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC) ............. 51 Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery (MDCL)................................... 52 Mills Memorial Library/Museum of Art (MML)....... 10 Moulton Hall ................................................................. 18 Nuclear Reactor ........................................................... 15 Nuclear Research Building (NRB) ................................. 9 Preliminary Laboratory ............................................... T13 President’s Residence / Alumni Advancement .............. 7 Psychology Building (PS) ........................................... 34 Refectory......................................................................... 4 Ronald V. Joyce Stadium ............................................ 57 Mary Keyes Residence .............................................. 50 Scourge Laboratory ...................................................T26 Tandem Accelerator Building ......................................... 32 Temporary Building .................................................. T28 Temporary Building .................................................. T29 Togo Salmon Hall (TSH) .............................................. 29 University Club ............................................................... 8 University Hall (UH) ....................................................... 1 Wallingford Hall ............................................................. 6 Wentworth House ........................................................ 21 Whidden Hall ................................................................ 19 Woodstock Hall ............................................................ 35 0 PART 2 BACKGROUND TO THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN Aerial Vi Campus 53 45 36 28 7 19 27 TB18 35 T28 T29 55 57 24 54 29 40 33 TB26 8 5 1 6 4 30 2 23 20 10 22 46 38 18 50 26 3 51 11 17 21 31 12 32 9 42 15 16 25 16a 39 52 48 34 43 37 49 T13 44 56 1 University Hall 2 Hamilton Hall 3 McMaster University S 4 Refectory 5 Edwards Hall 6 Wallingford Hall 7 President’s Residence 8 Alumni Memorial Hall 9 Nuclear Research Build 10 Mills Memorial Library 11 Burke Science Buildin 12 Clarke Centre 13 Les Prince Football Fie 14 David Braley Athletic 15 Nuclear Reactor 16 John Hodgins Engine 17 Divinity College 18 Moulton Hall 19 Whidden Hall 20 Gilmour Hall 21 Wentworth House 22 General Sciences Build 23 Chester New Hall 24 Ivor Wynne Centre 25 A.N. Bourns Science Bu 26 Mathews Hall 27 McKay Hall 28 Commons Building 29 Togo Salmon Hall 30 Biology Green house 31 Campus Services Build 32 Tandem Acclerator 33 Applied Dynamics Lab 34 Psychology Building 35 Woodstock Hall 36 Brandon Hall 37 Health Sciences Build 38 Kenneth Taylor Hall 40 Bates Residence 41 Michael G. DeGroote C Discovery and Atrium 42 H.G. Thode Library 43 Communications Rese 44 Health Sciences Comp 45 Hedden Hall 46 Michael G. DeGroote S 47 Les Prince Hall 48 Institute for Applied H 49 Information Technolo 50 Mary E. Keyes Residen 51 Future Engineering Bu T13 Prelim Laboratory TB18 Dramatic Arts Work TB26 Scourge Laboratory 40 80 120 11 Growth at McMaster There are a number of factors affecting growth at McMaster including demographic forecasts that indicate an increase in the size of the 18 to 24 age cohort over the coming decade, and senior government policies designed to ensure accessibility to Ontario universities for qualified students, where the ability to secure government funding is explicitly tied to a university’s commitment to accommodate growth. McMaster expected to reach its peak full-time undergraduate population in the year 2005; however unprecedented growth even following the double cohort resulted in a peak being reached in 2007. The number of part-time undergraduate students is not expected to increase significantly, remaining at approximately 2,800, and the traditional graduate student population is expected to remain more or less constant at today’s full-time equivalent level of 2,700. Additional graduate students and researchers may be accommodated at the University’s Innovation Park facilities. Similarly, it is assumed that the visitors to campus (which include continuing education and “short-course” students) will also remain largely constant through to 2009, at a peak level of 650 per day, given that the majority of these continuing education programs have been relocated to McMaster’s facility in downtown Hamilton. The number of staff and faculty members have increased. Forecasting anticipated university population levels is an imprecise science. The above projections reflect McMaster’s best estimate as of the 2008 update. They account for all new initiatives in the planning stages today. Due to broad demographic trends and the aging of the Canadian population, the University currently has no plans to expand its student population significantly beyond the enrolment peak of 2007. This does not mean, however, that additional space will not be required. While it is anticipated that growth of the University will be slow, needs will change over time as teaching methods change, research initiatives thrive, new programs are added, or partnerships are created with related uses and institutions. It is prudent, therefore, to plan for more development, renewal and reinvestment in the future. Mills Memorial Library 2.3 An Inclusive Process The Campus Master Plan was created through an inclusive process involving a broad cross-section of stakeholders from the University community, including all senior administrators and academic Deans, faculty, staff and students; the local community, including residents, business owners and the Westdale BIA; the City Councillor; staff of the City of Hamilton Planning and Transportation departments; the Hamilton Street Railway; the Hamilton Conservation Authority; and the Royal Botanical Gardens. Student Centre 12 McMASTER UNIVERSITY CAMPUS MASTER PLAN - NOV 2008 The campus planning process began in November 2000 with a physical analysis of the campus, including an inventory of current projects, and interviews with key University stakeholders, neighbours, and interested agencies. The information gathered was presented at a Campus Vision Workshop, held February 8, 2001, which was an opportunity for the McMaster community, its neighbours and other stakeholders to discuss and develop directions for a vision for the future of the campus. A public Open House presenting the ideas generated in the workshop was held on March 28, 2001. Throughout the spring and fall of 2001, campus options and a Draft Campus Master Plan were prepared. During this same time period, the University established two Campus Master Plan Sub-Committees: The Environment SubCommittee, whose work is reflected in the Natural Environment policies found in Section 6.6 of this document and in Appendix D, and the Transportation Sub-Committee, who provided input into Section 5 of this plan. A second public Open House presenting the Draft Campus Master Plan was held on November 21, 2001. In December, the Draft Plan was presented to the University Senate and Board of Governors. A great many comments were received following the November Open House and issuance of the first comprehensive Draft Campus Master Plan. The preparation of Final Draft of the Campus Master Plan, which incorporated comments from the Open House, the University Senate and Board of Governors, and interested individuals who had an opportunity to review the Draft Plan in the campus and neighbourhood libraries and on the University’s website, took place between January and March of 2002. The University Planning Committee commissioned an update of the Campus Master Plan in the fall of 2007 to ensure the document remained relevant as the University continues to accommodate growth. The update process did not amend any of the central tenets of the 2002 Campus Plan or the ultimate capacity of the Main Street campus. The body of the text and images have been updated to reflect the same vision for the future, based on the campus as it exists in 2008. The changes and revisions to the original Campus Master Plan have been reflected in this document and are outlined in Appendix C. McMaster University, the Campus Master Plan Steering Committee and the consultant team of Urban Strategies and MMM Group would like to sincerely thank all who took the time to review the plan and provide their feedback. McMaster University has committed to an open campus planning process and to maintaining a living Campus Master Plan. The plan will be evaluated annually and members of the University and neighbouring communities are invited to continue to provide their views to the University Planning Committee in order to effect revisions to the Plan. Throughout the planning process, the Campus Master Plan Steering Committee, the Office of the Vice President (Administration), the University’s Board of Governors, the University Planning Committee, and the Planning and Building Committee provided invaluable direction and guidance in the formulation of the current plan and implementing procedures. The Campus Master Plan was created through an inclusive process involving a broad cross-section of stakeholders from the University community. PART 2 BACKGROUND TO THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN 13 2.4 Related Initiatives Main Street Environmental Assessment - Completed The City of Hamilton reconstructed the section of Main Street West stretching between Gary Avenue and Cootes Drive due to poor pavement condition. The planning for that project provided McMaster University with the opportunity to formally request that the City also undertake a study to consider the development of a reconfigured entrance to McMaster University and the Medical Centre from Main Street West. This reconfigured entrance has since been constructed, replacing the previous Main Street access. The new facility improves visitor orientation to the University, provides a “sense of arrival” at McMaster, and creates a much more logical entrance to the University to improve McMaster’s profile and strengthen its presence within the City. Neighbourhood Plan - Completed The City of Hamilton undertook a Neighbourhood Plan for the community of Westdale/Ainslie Wood. The McMaster University Campus Master Plan was an important first piece of a study of the wider neighbourhood, outlining the future evolution of the campus. The completed Neighbourhood Plan continues to provide an important complement to the Campus Master Plan, and includes detailed studies of community land use issues; the Westdale commercial area; and the capacity of the neighbourhood traffic, water, power and other systems to accommodate growth and development, including the growth and development of the McMaster Campus. McMaster Area Task Force Recommendation Implementation Committee The McMaster Area Task Force Recommendation Implementation Committee (MATRIC) is made up of representatives from the Westdale/Ainslie Wood neighbourhoods, McMaster University, the McMaster Students Union, and the City of Hamilton. It has completed its work on recommendations from the McMaster University Area Neighbourhoods Task Force on issues relating to University impacts on its neighbours. 14 McMASTER UNIVERSITY CAMPUS MASTER PLAN - NOV 2008 President’s Advisory Committee on Community Relations (PACCR) Following the completion of the MATRIC mandate (the finalization of the original Campus Master Plan and the Westdale/Ainslie Wood Neighbourhood Plan), the University established a new community liaison committee to provide a venue for ongoing two-way communication. PACCR includes representation from the Westdale/Ainslie Wood community, City of Hamilton staff and political representatives, McMaster University staff, faculty and students. A Community Report newsletter is published regularly updating members of PACCR on areas of common interest. Campus Town Association In 2005 the Campus Town Association was created including representatives from McMaster University, Westdale Village BIA and the Ainslie Wood Westdale Community Association of Resident Homeowners to work on ways to build a more balanced neighbourhood with engaged residents, including both homeowners and students. The association has consulted widely and has developed a list of priorities, including promoting the West End as a good place to live. McMaster University Medical Centre The McMaster University Medical Centre is an integral part of the McMaster Main Street Campus and a significant partner to the University. While the building is located on land owned by the University, the financial responsibilities and space allocations are split 40% and 60% between the University and the Hamilton Health Sciences, which is responsible for day-to-day operations and long term planning for the hospital functions. McMaster University governs the land on which the Medical Centre is located, and therefore physical expansion of the hospital is subject to the University’s approval. As the mandate for the Medical Centre evolves the University will continue to monitor its impact on the Campus Master Plan. McMaster University Medical Centre PART 2 BACKGROUND TO THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN www.flickr.com 15