Draft Campus Plan: preparing for the next decade, and beyond

The second phase of the process to update UVic’s official Campus Plan is nearing completion, with the preparation of a draft plan and public engagement sessions this month.

The 2003 Campus Plan is being updated to provide a refreshed vision, guidelines and direction for future campus development, in topics such as building placement and parameters, transportation, and open and natural spaces. It also plays a key role in supporting the university’s academic priorities and commitments to sustainability.

The first phase of the process, in January and February of this year, saw mobile information booths around campus, a speaker’s event and an ideas forum. These were followed by open house sessions for the campus community and the public, as well as a focused workshop with faculty, staff, students and community representatives who explored more specific themes and priorities.

All of the input collected from those sessions was compiled, organized and analyzed, and over the spring and summer months, a steering committee drafted the plan.

The draft plan presents the vision for the UVic campus over the next 10 years and beyond, by focusing on frameworks in three key areas: 

Open space framework: maintain and continue to evolve an open space system which protects and enhances environmentally significant natural areas, provides safe, pedestrian-friendly links throughout the campus, and encourages social interaction through outdoor meeting places, relaxation spaces, playing fields and other outdoor recreational venues.

Land use and built form framework: evolve a land-use and building pattern that supports the university’s academic mission, respects the physical environment, creates a welcoming campus, encourages social interaction and activity into the evenings and all week long, and promotes compact, pedestrian-friendly, and sustainable development.

Mobility framework: encourage increased walking or wheelchair use, cycling, and use of public transit, making these priority modes convenient, safe and enjoyable for all users; provide safe access (and reduced demand) for personal vehicles, to help manage pressures on surrounding neighbourhoods.

The frameworks represent the three pillars that will form the basis of the final plan, drawn from the extensive input received in the first phase of the process. The second phase will now look at fine-tuning these frameworks, with a second set of engagement events planned for this month:  

• Oct. 19-20: a mobile booth will be touring several locations around campus, presenting information on the main elements of the draft plan.
• Oct. 21: public open house sessions in the Michele Pujol room of the Student Union Building, from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. and again from 6-8:00 p.m.

Feedback can be submitted in person at the Open House or by email at campusplanupdate@uvic.ca until November 4th 2015.

The third phase of the process—finalizing the plan—will take place from November to January, and will include a final campus and community open house session and community stakeholder meetings.

Visit the Campus Planning website.