The “whirlwind” project that is the Cliff Fielding Research, Innovation and Engineering Building has officially opened its doors.
It's a whirlwind project because Laurentian University had to meet some very stringent deadlines in order to bring the project to fruition. Point of fact: LU had only 18 days to put together a proposal for funding from the provincial and federal governments, and the 60,000-square-foot building was finished in two years, on time and on budget.
The new, $30 million facility is home to a collaborative research hub for Laurentian research centres, an innovation and commercialization space, a state-of-the-art analytical facility for industry and scholars alike. Each space was an identified need in consultation with local industry in order to maximize interdisciplinary opportunities.
The federal and provincial governments invested $27.4 million into the project while private donors provided additional funding. A $3-million investment by Lily Fielding and her family was recognized by the naming of the building, while a $1 million investment by the Perdue family was recognized by the naming of the university's new research and development centre housed within the facility.
Monday's grand opening of the building wasn't just about the construction of a great building, said Pierre Zundel, interim president and vice-chancellor of Laurentian University.
“This is about the great people who came together to make this vision real, and this amazing building is the result of that work,” Zundel said. “Sudbury is a community that is used to doing impossible things, and this project is another of those impossible things.”
Jennifer Witty, chair of the board of governors for Laurentian, said getting to the point of the grand opening was no small task, and that the new facility will serve today's needs, but is more than able to adjust to any ideas that haven't yet been thought of.
“This is a remarkable building, and it's a testament to our commitment to student success and the needs of our community,” Witty said.
Markus Timusk, director and associate professor of the Bharti School of Engineering, said the campus now has a space that lives up to the potential of its students and staff.
The engineering programs grew from 100 students to 700 students under challenging conditions, he said. The space remained relatively the same size of the decades of the program, making for a very tight space for students and faculty.
“Our next step is to equip our labs with state-of-the-art equipment and to train the next generation of engineers,” he said.
Northern Ontario Business reporter Karen McKinley got a personal tour of the new facility. For photos and more details, click here.
