by Gareth Davies-Barrytown, NY
The New Year always brings makeovers, clean-ups and, hopefully, transformations. The latest phase of the Student Life Campaign has brought a complete transformation of the large room in the academic wing which has recently served as the Junior Study Room but which was originally a chapel.
This room and its occupants have suffered greatly in recent years as dampness and decay caused the paint to flake from the walls and ceiling and the 20-year-old carpet took on the pallor of the nearly dead. The tattered and torn furniture only added to the cold, cheerless atmosphere.
Initial restoration efforts only unveiled the greater horrors of asbestos and lead paint so workmen decked out like astronauts were called in to cart them away.
All those rebirth pains are behind us now and the room looks wonderful. Once again, the costs of redecorating and re-furnishing this room have been paid for by donations and special thanks are due to the UTS Class of 1996 whose members presented the new carpet as their class gift. With the completion of the Junior Study Room, all of the study rooms have now been fully redecorated and newly furnished and all of the senior study rooms have new windows.
Good-bye Old Gym!
A total of 40 volunteers made short work of the old gym floor on March 12. The entire floor has been removed and a local engineering company will now track the origin of the standing water which had caused the old floor to become thoroughly decayed.
Many thanks to those alumni/ae who have responded to the request for financial support for this and other projects related to this year's Student Life Campaign at UTS.