Northwestern Polytechnic considering demolition of 10 buildings in Fairview

The Municipal District of Fairview in northwestern Alberta is pushing back against plans to demolish 10 buildings on the local polytechnic campus.

Northwestern Polytechnic has campuses in Grande Prairie and Fairview, 115 kilometres to the northeast.

Its latest 10-year campus master plan, released in June, recommends that six student houses and three residence halls in Fairview be demolished. Two mechanics labs are also listed to be torn down.

The polytechnic has already decided against tearing down one of the residence halls, but the other possible demolitions are still on the table.

Philip Kolodychuk, reeve for the municipal district, said his community is worried about the future of the Fairview campus.

"Our thought is that the more that disappears, the easier it is for that campus to eventually close," Kolodychuk said.

He said funding for new student housing should be allocated before any existing buildings are torn down.

In Northwestern Polytechnic’s campus master plan, six student houses and three residence halls in Fairview are recommended for demolition. In addition, two mechanics labs are also listed to be torn down. (Luke Ettinger/CBC)

"There's a national housing crisis right now," Kolodychuk said. "And we think [the buildings] could be renovated."

In a statement, the polytechnic said that Sagitawa, a residence hall slated for demolition in the plan, will instead be retained to accommodate projected student growth.

Due to health and safety concerns, four houses and Dunvegan Hall closed between 2018 and 2023, the polytechnic said.

Two of the houses and Chinook Hall remain available but are not needed based on projected student demand, it said.

Meanwhile, one mechanics lab in Fairview will be replaced by a new power engineering and instrumentation lab in Grande Prairie.

The polytechnic said it is also looking at consolidating motorcycle programs, which means the lab used for Harley-Davidson technician courses could be torn down.

No final decisions   

Vanessa Sheane, acting president and CEO of Northwestern Polytechnic, said no final decisions have been made about possible demolitions.

"Demolition of the buildings is the last step," Sheane said in an interview with CBC News.

Sheane said the polytechnic will also be evaluating proposals for alternative uses of spaces slated for demolition. She said maintenance demands at both campuses exceed the funding currently available from the province.

"Critical decisions about facility investments are needed to ensure long-term viability and sustainability of both the Fairview and Grande Prairie campuses," Sheane said.

Representatives from Northwestern Polytechnic and local municipalities, including the MD of Fairview and the Town of Fairview, met in July with Advanced Education Minister Rajan Sawhney and Central Peace-Notley MLA Todd Loewen.

Fairview Mayor Gordon MacLeod said the town is working with the polytechnic regarding the future of the buildings on campus.

"We want NWP to grow, bring in new programs, services and students to the Peace region, while supporting and giving local students an option for the educational experience at home in the Peace region at both campuses," MacLeod said in a statement.

Community engagement 

Sheane said, as a result of the July meeting, Northwestern Polytechnic has re-installed the Fairview Community Advisory Council.

"It was a decision that was made not quite a year ago that the advisory council would be replaced by other communication initiatives. And those initiatives were not as effective as that council was," Sheane said.

She said the polytechnic is also looking at holding open houses for the public on both campuses.

Kolodychuk said the MD of Fairview, which sits on the advisory council, is happy to hear a commitment to more dialogue and communication. Still, he said, there is concern about the future of the Fairview campus.

Northwestern Polytechnic said a detailed timeline for an alternative-use proposals process is being developed.

"There's a lot of people in the community that are convinced that it's a death by 1,000 cuts," Kolodychuk said.

"I guess we'll wait and see."