OTTERBURNE, MB – September 18, 2020 – Our new residence, Muriel Taylor Hall, received finishes to its exterior over the summer months just in time for students’ return to campus.
“It’s a great feeling to have this project completed. The final coat of stucco was added in early June. The Providence Blue is a stand-out. The contractor fixed small things while students were out of the building. We moved a couple of light switches, re-caulked some windows, did touch ups to paint,” said President David Johnson.
He continued to explain that, over the summer, “one of the biggest things to complete was the final grading of the outdoor spaces, creating sidewalks and landscaping.”
Our landscaping included a hydroseeding process, which has a quick germination period, yielding lush, green grass ready for mowing in a matter of weeks. Our President donated one of his vacation days for planting a few saplings around the perimeter of the building. He has a favorite story he shares with students about the oak tree he planted in his backyard, and he hopes to see these new trees on our campus also flourish and grow as the years go by.
Our hope is that students will enjoy their new residence as it was designed with them in mind. Muriel Taylor Hall has floor to ceiling windows to allow natural light to flood into every corner. There are designated quiet spots for students to study and pray, and a large open-concept space for students to hang out around a fireplace, cook/eat together in a contemporary kitchen, watch movies on flat screen TVs and play some ping pong.
This three-storey, $7.5 million, 22,500 square foot residence building fulfills our vision for an on-campus living and learning hub not only offering residence rooms on the second and third floors, but modern, brightly-lit facilities for classroom use and gatherings on the first floor.
A new addition this September is our faculty in residence. In the west wing of Muriel Taylor Hall, Registrar and Associate Professor of Communications & Media, Nicholas Greco, has an apartment that he shares with wife Antonella and daughter Serafina.
Providence believes in the benefits of having a faculty member live alongside of students in a living and learning community. Already, Dr. Greco has started early morning runs, prayer times using the iBreviary app, a Tolkien reading group and bonfires with our students.
“I am really excited to have a full year of student residence in Muriel Taylor Hall. The addition of a faculty in residence program will enhance their experience,” shares President Johnson.
We’re committed to providing a safe and healthy residence environment for our students. We look forward to this year as students enjoy our new amenities and facilities at Muriel Taylor Hall.
